Alex Kaufmann, Author
Articles
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Just months out from the debut of the next-generation 2010 E-Class executive saloon, Mercedes Benz has announced that it has reached a new sales milestone for the current model. The German carmaker... -
Volvo launches research project to map driver behaviorAs advanced as cars are becoming in terms of safety aids, nothing can make up for a skillful, attentive driver behind the wheel - yet, at least. Volvo has launched a research program to study how normal drivers react to tough traffic situations in the hopes of improving their cars' safety. The data...
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Marussia sports car born out of RussiaSome may argue that Communist countries never brought anything of worth to the automotive world, but with Russia's embrace of capitalism in recent years its previous reputation for producing terrible cars may no longer have any foundation - especially considering that Nikolay Fomenko, noted Russian...
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Report: Lamborghini working on pair of two-wheel-drive carsThe Estoque Concept that demonstrated how Lamborghini's styling brilliance wasn't reserved for two-door vehicles was preceded by much talk of a possible SV, or 'superveloce', variant of the Murcielago. Part of the rumor regarding that car was that it would be two-wheel drive, rather than the...
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VW working on new 'two-liter' microcarMore than a year ago, Volkswagen announced it was working on a project to bring its 1-Liter concept from 2002 to production reality. The three-wheeled low-slung extremely aerodynamic design still seems a bit unrealistic, but now VW is thought to be building a slightly larger, more functional city...
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Top ten most polluting vehicles list dominated by supercarsIt's a truism that big power requires lots of fuel. There's simply no way around it. So it's not surprising that a newly compiled top 10 list of the world's most polluting passenger cars is composed primarily of supercars. Leading the way is the Bugatti Veyron, rated at a whopping 571g/km CO2...
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Spy shots of what appears to be a heavily disguised BMW test mule have ignited rumors that the German company could still be developing a production version of its four-door BMW CS concept car.
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Right-hand-drive Wiesmann GTs coming in 2009Germany’s Wiesmann has built and delivered almost 1,000 examples of its MF sports car in both GT and Roadster bodystyles, however all of these have been built in left-hand-drive only. The company has now announced that it will start building right-hand-drive models from March of next year...
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BMW X6 White Shark upgrade package by MCCHIPBMW's X6 has seemed to many observers - fans and foes alike - to be something of a car without a home. Not quite a sedan, and not quite an SUV, the X6 blends genres in a way that defies description. Now that MCCHIP has had its way with it, however, the X6, at least in 'White Shark' guise, is much...
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VW adds 4MOTION AWD to Mark VI GolfThe Mark VI Volkswagen Golf is now available with the Wolfburg company's 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, which has been added to the lineup as an option on the 2.0L TDI model. While usually the 4MOTION system is found in performance oriented models such as the Golf R32 and Golf GTI, adding the AWD...
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Studiotorino Converts Mercedes SL Into CoupeTorino ConceptWhat do you get when you combine German engineering with Italian design? One example is the stunning CoupeTorino, a re-design project by Alfredo Stola of StudioTorino. Based around the Mercedes SL, the CoupeTorino takes a solid platform and turns it into a work of art. Submitted as a proposal to...
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Reiter Engineering unveils road-going Lamborghini Murcielago R-GTGerman racing and engineering firm Reiter Engineering has unveiled a road-going variant of its Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT racing car. Reiter Engineering is the factory-backed entry for the Lamborghini team in the FIA GT Championships, and is well known for its development of lightweight racing...
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The World Green Car of the Year award candidates were just released yesterday, and Volvo's name appeared on the list 5 times - more than any other brand. Today word has emerged of a range of new... -
Extended Maybach 62 becomes six-seat Maybach 72Daimler's Maybach brand of super-luxury executive vehicles doesn't have the sales strength of rivals Bentley or Rolls Royce, but it's no less an opulent and sizable piece of machinery. Despite the Maybach 62's 242.7in (6.17m) length, some intrepid modifiers decided it wasn't quite large enough, and...
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Ferrari responds to rumors of financial trouble: 'we're fine'The Italian automaker today rebutted media reports of its financial instability, insisting that not only is the company operating within expected parameters, but that everything is fine in terms of sales despite the global slowdown. A report yesterday by Autocar claimed an inside source revealed...
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Covini C6W six-wheel supercar to enter production in 2009The Covini C6W (short for Covini 6 Wheeler) is an Italian two-seat, two-door supercar with a removable roof section. The vehicle was first conceived more than 30 years ago by Ferruccio Covini but was later ditched until the late 1980s. With the development of new hydro-pneumatic suspension...
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Daimler expands ‘car2go’ vehicle sharing program, considers adding EVs to fleetDaimler commenced trials of a new mobility concept called the ‘car2go project’ in Ulm, Germany, on October 24 in an attempt to provide a solution for increasing traffic volume in urban areas. The company is now expanding the program to 200 cars from an initial 50, and opening the fleet...
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Top five VW execs earn combined $32 million, give 10% to charityFive board members of the Volkswagen Group are donating a total of €2.5 million ($3.2 million) of their personal income to a German charity, 10% of their combined total income for the year. While currently American carmakers are under fire for excessive executive remuneration, the five VW...
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As U.S. and European car sales plummet, developing brand recognition and loyalty in the so-called developing markets of China, South America and Russia is becoming more and more important. To that... -
Preview: Mercedes Benz Shooting Brake based on next-gen CLSThe Mercedes Benz CLS ignited the four-door coupe market when it was introduced back in 2004, and since then we’ve seen several other luxury rivals attempt to emulate the design with cars like the Porsche Panamera, Audi A7 and Aston Martin Rapide all under development. For the...
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JE Design takes on the VW Scirocco coupeThe Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed German performance shop JE Design also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. JE Design’s work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations based on...
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Volkswagen unveils Golf BiFuel at Bologna Motor ShowVolkswagen has unveiled the first ever Golf to be factory-fitted with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) system at this week’s Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Using a simple switchover system, the Golf ‘BiFuel’ is capable of being driven with either regular petrol or LPG depending on...
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VW CC Individual debuts in BolognaThe Passat CC made its debut early this year, bringing the four-door coupe profile to a popularly affordable price point for the first time. Now the company has unveiled its Individual package for the CC at the Bologna Motor Show, offering a new dimension of luxury and appearance upgrades to the...
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Volkswagen unveils Passat TSI EcoFuel sedan conceptVolkswagen has released a sedan variant of its previous Passat TSI EcoFuel wagon concept, showcasing the vehicle at this week's Bologna Motor Show. Capable of using either petrol or natural gas for power, the EcoFuel vehicles are powered by a 1.4L TSI engine with around 150hp (112kW). The engine...
Alex Kaufmann