Alex Kaufmann, Author
Articles
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Volkswagen has taken the wraps off a new design study based on the Scirocco coupe at the Bologna Motor Show, which kicks off in Italy today. Aptly named the Scirocco Study R, the new show car is a...
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Eibach Dodge Challenger debuts at Essen Motor ShowThe 2008 SEMA show featured no shortage of customized Dodge Challengers, and for good reason - the has been a rather solid success in the U.S., at least in SRT8 form, especially considering Chrysler's other woes. It appears that Europeans are at least open to the car as well, if this...
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Fiat may launch family of new cars under 'Topolino' nameTalk of the revival of the Topolino nameplate has been circulating for nearly a year, and in April Fiat took a positive step in the process of building a new B-segment car by buying a former Zastava plant in Serbia, and now new details reveal that the new car will be targeting newcomers like the...
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More details on Mitsubishi's 400hp Evo X ‘FQ-400’ for UKMitsubishi in the UK has sold a number of special edition Lancer Evolution models over the past several years under the FQ name. The cars are essentially regular Evos with uprated powertrains and in some cases also feature custom bodykits and interior pieces. In the current lineup, the most...
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Ford considering Volvo sale, joins GM to ask Sweden for aidGeneral Motors has disavowed selling any of its brands but Hummer, but tough financial and market situations are bringing serious pressure to bear. Just this morning, Ford has announced it is opening up consideration of 'strategic options' for its Volvo brand, reversing repeated denials that the...
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Skoda Octavia ‘RS+’ concept debuts at Essen Motor ShowOctober’s Paris Motor Show saw Skoda unveil the facelifted version of its Octavia midsize sedan, and now less than two months later the carmaker has revealed a new concept version at the Essen Motor Show. The concept is the Octavia RS+, and most of its modifications are purely stylistic as...
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Volkswagen has updated the engine lineup for its Touareg SUV to reduce its fuel consumption by up to 9%, as well as offering a new special edition based on the North Sails concept. The SUV concept... -
Spy shots: BMW's bullet-proof 7-seriesBMW will soon be adding another model to its armored ‘Security’ division with the sighting of this 2009 7-Series prototype in Germany suggesting that development of an armored version of the latest saloon is well underway. The latest model comes just months after the reveal of the...
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European Commission proposes €5 billion aid package for auto industryThe European Commission has reportedly given its stamp of approval to a large aid package to help the struggling European economy, with at least €5 billion earmarked for the automotive industry. In total, the proposed package will encompass €200 billion for a number of sectors of the...
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Report: Acura V8 won’t arrive until 2015Acura has made it clear it wants to be a top tier luxury brand but to do this it will need to change its lineup to suit the tastes of wealthy buyers, who are more likely to demand RWD cars with powerful engines. The company’s CEO Takeo Fukui recently confirmed that a new V8 engine was in the...
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Volkswagen accelerates development for new minicarA number of major design and requirement changes had pushed back development work on a production version of last year’s up! minicar concept well past the 2010 mark, but with the accelerated change in demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles Volkswagen is speeding up the...
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MTM releases full specs for VW Scirocco tuner kitThe Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed German performance shop MTM also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. MTM's work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations such as the 390km/h...
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Earlier we reported that Porsche would be slowing down production at its Zuffenhausen plant in Germany from December 22 through January 9 due to flagging sales, and now we can report that more... -
Report: Volkswagen to replace Golf R32 with new Scirocco R20TVolkswagen first hinted at a new high-performance version of the Scirocco coupe when it revealed the GT24 race concept back at the Austrian Wörthersee Tour tuning show in May, but in what form the car will finally come to production is still up in the air. The most likely scenario will see it come...
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Porsche buys a Tesla Roadster for competitive researchResearching the products of competitors, even to the point of purchasing and then carefully analyzing each piece, is a common practice in the auto industry, especially so at the bleeding edges of performance and technology. Porsche's purchase of a Tesla Roadster is therefore unsurprising, except...
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AC Schnitzer releases new package for facelifted 3-SeriesSpecialist BMW tuner AC Schnitzer has announced the release of another new upgrade package, this time for the facelifted BMW E90 3-Series sedan and E91 touring models. AC Schnitzer has upgraded the cars with a number of aesthetic and performance pieces, including a dramatic new front spoiler. The...
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Carlsson customizes Mercedes' S-Class with RS-design kitMercedes' tech-leader and showcase car, the S-Class, gets the custom treatment from Carlsson with the RS design kit, presenting an exterior image to reflect the interior's cutting-edge equipment. Retaining much of the sophisticated look of the original, the kit adds a bit more aggression to the...
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Zwickenpflug reveals 445hp BMW M3 'Leather Edition'Though BMW's latest 3-series treatment is something of a love-it-or-hate-it design, the gang at Zwickenpflug are decidedly in the 'love it' camp, leaving their customized car's exterior almost completely untouched. Inside, there's a score of changes, and the engine even gets some tweaks to boost...
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While many carmakers are struggling to stay afloat during the current economic crisis, Ford's regional operations in Europe have remained profitable and are forecast to stay that way through next... -
Porsche Panamera official detailsFollowing this past weekend’s premature leak of official Panamera details, Porsche has now released the full gamut of details and images for its upcoming sedan. The Panamera will officially go on sale in April next year and will make its world debut one month earlier at the Geneva Motor Show...
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'Project i' to spawn more vehicles beyond Mini-EBuilt in six months from start to finish, the Mini-E project is a remarkable example of just what can be done when bright minds are given the leeway and resources to create a modern EV from an existing platform. But at its root, the Mini-E still only a conversion of a combustion-engine vehicle, not...
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BMW CLR X 650 by Lumma DesignGerman tuner Lumma Design will be unveiling an extensively modified BMW X6 at this year's Essen Motor Show in Germany. Set to debut near the end of this month, the Lumma Design CLR X 650 takes the latest BMW SUV and gives it a new aerodynamic profile, as well as improved power and handling to make...
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German solar power company makes surprise bid for OpelThe struggling auto industry is feeling the pressure of slow sales and a tough global economy in many markets. Rumors of bankruptcy and pleas for government aid are the norm - but in Germany today a solar power group called SolarWorld surprised the market by making a takeover bid for Opel, General...
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VW reveals Red Bull Baja Racing Trophy Truck, launches Touareg V6 TDI in U.S.Volkswagen showcased the breadth of its diesel powered technology today, with the unveiling of two different vehicles both carrying the Touareg nameplate. One is a new clean-diesel version, which meets the most stringent emission requirements of California and will be available in all 50 U.S...
Alex Kaufmann