Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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Mazda has announced it will show a new concept car at this year’s Moscow auto show that previews a sporty, compact crossover SUV designed especially for the Russian market.
Following in the... -
First batch of Nissan GT-Rs reach U.S. shoresOne of the first shipments of the newest Japanese supercar to hit U.S. shores has arrived at the Florida port of Jacksonville. Still dressed in protective cladding and lined with plastic sheet inside, the cars are sitting on the tarmac awaiting final delivery to the dealerships and owners that have...
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Europeans saving thousands by buying cars in U.S.The weakening U.S. dollar compounded with low vehicle sticker prices is drawing more and more European consumers looking to make a hefty saving on the purchase of their next car. Savings of up to 30% of the cost of similar models in Europe, even after the costs of shipping it back home plus...
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Saturn to drop 'Green Line' labelSaturn’s Vue hybrid crossover was one of the first petrol-electric models from an American carmaker when it was launched in 2006. Back then, marketers from Saturn decided to differentiate its eco and performance models by marking them as either ‘Green Line’ for the fuel-saving...
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Toyota exec attempts to cool hybrid expectationsPopular hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid are lucky to get mileage figures above 50mpg (4.7L/100km) in real world tests, and in some cases are beaten by conventional diesel vehicles, but talk of next-generation hybrid models achieving up to 100mpg (2.35L/100km) are...
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Chrysler to build Hornet compact carRising fuel prices, which have led to flagging sales of SUVs and pickups, has forced the Detroit 3 to cut production and layoff thousands of workers. At the same time, Japanese carmakers, who lead the industry in the compact car segment, have been benefiting from record sales as consumers downshift...
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GM’s next global small car, a new sedan and hatch to replace the current Chevrolet Cobalt in North America, has been spotted testing in Europe recently. Due next year as a 2010 model, the new... -
Toyota denies unintended acceleration issues on TacomaA number of Toyota and Lexus models have had their owners complain about unintended or sudden acceleration problems including popular models such as the petrol-electric Prius, the top-selling Camry and the Lexus ES range. Some of the cases have caused safety and regulatory bodies such as the...
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Volt expected to cause brand issues for GM EuropeGM's plan to sell the Volt plug-in hybrid in Europe under its Chevrolet badge is expected to upset the balance between the brand images of Chevrolet and GM's European subsidiaries Opel and Vauxhall. In Europe, Chevrolet is perceived as a budget brand while Opel, and its Vauxhall UK spin-off, are...
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2009 Dodge Challenger pricing starts at $21,995The Dodge Challenger in SRT8 trim has been a runaway success for Chrysler with the car’s first year of production already accounted for despite its relatively high $37,320 starting price. However, it’s the bread and butter SE and R/T models that will ensure the overall success of the...
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Lancia considers building smaller Delta hatchbackLancia is considering building a smaller version of the recently revealed Delta hatchback to cater to growing demand for more compact vehicles. Lancia currently sells the Ypsilon hatch in the supermini segment, but the Italian company is now looking at a model with more practicality and similar...
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Bentley updates Continental Flying Spur and adds new Speed modelBentley has updated its Continental Flying Spur for the 2009 model year and has added the all-new Continental Flying Spur ‘Speed’ performance model to the range. The new 600hp Flying Spur Speed is officially the most powerful four-door car ever produced by Bentley and is based heavily...
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Trevor Wilkinson, the founder of independent British-based sports car manufacturer TVR, has died in Spain aged 85. Despite leaving the company back in 1965, Wilkinson’s influence continued to... -
GM boosting V6 engine productionGM will boost production numbers of its HF global V6 engine at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico to meet increased demand for smaller and more efficient engines from consumers downsizing from fuel-thirsty V8s. An additional 350,000 V6 engines will be built at the plant, raising its capacity to...
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FIA may move to equalize F1 enginesThe FIA may be contemplating how to equalize the performance of the engines in formula one, according to reports. Together with the 19,000 rpm limit, the sport is in the midst of a so-called 'freeze' on most engine development, meaning that the basic power plants currently installed in teams' cars...
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All 2009 Cadillac Escalades get E85 FlexFuel capabilityOne of the biggest vehicles on the road is now available with flex-fuel capability across the range following the announcement on Friday that all 2009 Cadillac Escalades will be able to run on E85 ethanol blended fuel as well as petrol or any combination of the two. Cadillac won’t be charging...
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More details on Ford's next-generation MondeoLate last month reports from Germany were claiming Ford’s next-generation Mondeo sedan, due around 2012-13, would be given the four-door coupe treatment, and now we have a new rendering of the what the popular midsizer could look like. New reports claim the four-door will be a premium variant...
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Cadillac announces facelifted 2009 XLR and XLR-V roadstersPorsche’s new 911 Carrera wasn’t the only facelifted model announced today. Cadillac, too, has revealed details about the 2009 mid-cycle update for its XLR Roadster, which benefits from a range of more powerful engines and refreshed styling both inside and out. For the 2009 model year...
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Despite conventional petrol-electric hybrid and newer plug-in hybrid vehicles getting all the media spotlight, carmakers like Toyota are still investigating the benefits and feasibility of hydrogen... -
More details on BMW's future compact SUVsConsumers may be turning away from fullsize SUVs in most parts of the world but that doesn’t mean they’re completely turned-off by the SUV concept. Carmakers are counting on consumers who still want the taller seating position and better visibility, AWD safety and practical interiors...
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Lancia Aurelia concept to debut in Geneva next yearLancia’s new Delta officially went on sale today but the stylish hatch is just the first of a host of new upmarket models designed to position Lancia as a premium brand under the Fiat umbrella. Lancia is expected to launch a new flagship cabrio in 2010 and according to new reports a concept...
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Lotus releases special edition Clark Type 25 Elise SCLotus is celebrating the achievements of one of the world’s greatest racing drivers with the release of the special edition Clark Type 25 Elise SC roadster. The car is named after Jim Clark, the man who won the F1 World Championship twice for Team Lotus in 1963 and in 1965 and has 25 GP race...
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Magna Steyr to build Peugeot 308 RC Z coupe next yearPeugeot confirmed that its striking 308 RC Z would enter production several months back but never revealed any further details. Speaking at the Lisbon Motor Show in April, Peugeot boss Jean-Philippe Collin said the car was destined for production at that the final version would be revealed at next...
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Spy Shots: First images of Toyota and Subaru's joint RWD sports carToyota and Subaru only confirmed in April the joint-development of a new affordable sports car and now we have the first images of actual prototypes caught while testing in a secret location in the UK. The new car will be sold by both Toyota and Subaru, although several reports claim the Toyota...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran