Kenneth Hall, Author
Articles
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Ending Ford’s 75-year run as America’s number two automaker, Toyota has climbed another rung on the ladder toward the top of the U.S. market. In part, Toyota can thank Ford for helping... -
Auto Futura recreates ’60s Gulf Oil Le Mans championSporting the famous Gulf Oil livery worn by the GT40 that dominated Le Mans in the late 1960s, Auto Futura’s CAV GT is not a modern Ford GT dressed to look like the original, it’s a vintage remake of the actual GT40, using largely the same technology and equipment. The 2008 CAV GT comes...
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Toyota’s A-BAT hybrid pickup conceptHaving succeeded with the large truck market, Toyota is now setting its sights on compact pickup trucks with its latest A-BAT concept vehicle. Officially making its debut at the 2008 NAIAS in Detroit, the A-BAT is designed to combine good fuel economy, advanced functionality, car-like handling, and...
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Honda confirms NSX for 2010Honda has recently confirmed speculation that its next-gen Acura NSX will arrive over a year later than the expected 2008-2009 timeframe earlier suggested by CEO Takeo Fukui. The news comes after president of Honda America Tetsuo Iwamura let slip that the car will arrive in 2010 and said “we...
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EU buyers may face €3500 pollution premiumBuyers of European luxury brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz may face a €3500 premium on new car purchases if the European Commission has its way and introduces tough new emission caps by 2012. Currently average car emission figures are at 162g of CO2 per kilometer but the EC is aiming to...
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Hyundai offering turbo option on Genesis coupeHyundai, like many other carmakers seeking ways to increase performance of their engines without dramatically increasing fuel consumption, will be offering a turbo option on its upcoming Genesis coupe. The new RWD coupe will also be available with a naturally aspirated V6 but it appears the rumored...
Kenneth Hall -
This past week saw the launch of PF1, a new company based in the UK planning to sell and maintain old F1 cars for personal track use. Partnering with engine technology specialists Cosworth, PF1 has... -
Revolutionary future Infiniti hybrid driveSome say electric vehicles are the real future of automobiles and hybrids are just the first step in the transition. With drivetrains like Infiniti’s forthcoming hybrid, that transition may be a long one, however. By now most of us are familiar with the series hybrid, the plug-in hybrid and...
Kenneth Hall -
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR priced at $98,110It appears Chrysler has kept its promise of delivering the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR at under $100K by pricing the ultimate Viper at $98,110 including an $850 destination charge. That puts the price of the actual ACR upgrade at around the $12K mark if you factor in the price of the car itself (a...
Kenneth Hall -
Aston Martin associates with Danish audio companyRecently, many carmakers have formed alliances with companies from other lines of business to keep updated with technical progress, decrease costs and/or improve their image. Following the trend, Aston Martin has signed a partnership with Danish electronic equipment manufacturer Bang & Olufsen...
Kenneth Hall -
Chinese Smart ForTwo knockoff stirs up BolognaMartin Motors, the European importer of the Bubble, decided to show the car at Bologna - in the parking lot - despite a court order prohibiting its attendance. The import company argues that the 68hp 1.1L Bubble is substantially different from the Smart ForTwo: the Smart is rear-engine, rear-wheel...
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VW CEO Here To Stay Until 2018 TargetVolkswagen has made it no secret that it wants to challenge Toyota for the number one carmaker spot, going so far as to set a 2018 target date as the year when its manufacturing numbers will surpass those of Toyota. The CEO with the vision, Martin Winterkorn, has now claimed he wants to stay at VW...
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Audi’s future lineup from now up until 2012 has been revealed in the latest issue of Quattro Quarterly, a publication released by the Audi Club of North America, giving us insights into several... -
Lorinser takes a 660HP Mercedes-Benz SL to 325km/hEach year the world’s top tuners take to Italy’s Nardo high-speed test track to find out which is the fastest. This year’s round included a diverse range of exotics as well as few odd choices, including a Maybach saloon and the fastest of the pack, a twin-engined Audi TT. One of...
Kenneth Hall -
Oldest running Rolls-Royce sells for record $7.2mStill running strong after 103 years, the oldest known running Rolls-Royce in the world has just been sold at auction for a record price of ₤3,521,500, ($7,275,000, €4,961,000). The car sold at Bonhams’ collectible cars and automobilia in London and broke two new records: the...
Kenneth Hall -
Volkswagen unveils Tiguan R-Line SUVVolkswagen has unveiled the R-Line version of the new Tiguan SUV ahead of the car’s sales launch planned for early next year. The vehicle revealed at the recent Essen Motor Show is being called a ‘Study’ but it’s expected to be an exact copy of the new R-Line models that...
Kenneth Hall -
Preview: 2010 Porsche Cayenne SUVWhen Porsche’s Cayenne first hit the scene, the company famous for building sports cars was criticized for selling out with the launch of an overweight SUV derived from mundane family haulers from sister-companies VW and Audi. Rumors soon emerged claiming Porsche would launch a smaller...
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Abt Audi AS4 Tuning ProgramIf you have an Audi A4 and feel like it needs some improvement - and you live near Germany - Abt’s Audi AS4 tuning program may be just what you’re looking for. Abt’s refinement of the car’s looks and handling improve the driving experience while increased power gives the car...
Kenneth Hall -
Everybody knows Ferrari’s FXX supercar is a testbed for the carmaker’s upcoming technologies, both for the racetrack and the road, but the prototype’s 6.2L V12 engine may soon be a...
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Renault working hard on electric carsIn a recent announcement Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that Renault has plans to begin production of electric cars in Israel by 2012. Now word has come out that Renault may be teaming up with Shai Agassi’s Project Better Place to help build the infrastructure necessary to make electric...
Kenneth Hall -
Fatal Audi R8 crashEarlier this month an Audi R8 driven by a 27-year old man from Gummersbach, Germany, spun out of control and eventually crashed into a barrier, killing the driver. According to police, the man behind the wheel was not wearing his seatbelt but there was no evidence that he was excessively speeding...
Kenneth Hall -
MTM Audi Bimoto on top at Nardo high-speed face-offThe Nardo test track is a perfectly round, heavily banked ring that allows extremely high-speed testing with a minimum of fuss. Located in the eponymous town of Nardo, Italy, the ring plays yearly host to a tuner showdown that serves to sort out the best from the rest. This year the MTM Audi Bimoto...
Kenneth Hall -
Smart micro-hybrid and plug-in coming within 2 yearsAs if the tiny city-car weren't already a miracle of space-saving efficiency, Smart USA, Daimler's distributor of the Smart in the United States, says it will have a hybrid version available within two years. They even plan to follow it with a plug-in all-electric version. It wouldn't be the first...
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Tony Chi customized Audi R8 goes under the hammerNobody at Audi expected the R8 to be as successful as it has become, winning numerous awards and selling out within days of going on sale. If you’re not willing to wait for your name to move up the list, Audi of America together with Bergdorf Goodman will be auctioning a special R8 customized...
Kenneth Hall