Alex Kaufmann, Author

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  • Earlier this month Mercedes Benz unveiled two new entry-level E-Class models for the European market. The cars featured highly-efficient four-cylinder engines in both gasoline and diesel guises and...
  • Spy shots: Skoda Superb Estate wagon

    Volkswagen-owned Skoda doesn't get much press in the U.S. but over in Central and Eastern Europe it is one of the most popular automotive brands. Having launched new versions of its mainstream Octavia and Superb sedans in the past year, the company recently took the covers if its all-new Yeti...

  • Preview: 2010 Opel Meriva MPV

    The next-generation Opel Meriva compact MPV has been caught undergoing testing on several occasions, but so far prototypes have always been heavily camouflaged. Many details, however, were still discernible, including the overall shape, which remains close to the original Meriva concept from last...

  • Ford banking on common platforms for upscale SUVs

    As the only company out of the once-mighty Detroit 3 to survive the worst of the global financial crisis without running to a bankruptcy court, Ford has proven the strength in its foresight in producing smaller cars earlier than its rivals and focusing on global production to reduce costs and...

  • Updated Mazda RX-8 Coming To Frankfurt Motor Show?

    It's been six years since the Mazda RX-8 came on the scene and brought with it a sublime combo of handling, equipment, features, and pricing. Whether you're a rotary engine fan or not, you have to recognize the job Mazda did tuning the car's chassis. But now reports are beginning to break that an...

  • Mercedes-Benz to offer 58 BlueEfficiency models by end of 2009

    Green isn't always green - sometimes it's blue. Or at least that's what Mercedes-Benz wants us to think when we think of efficient, environment-friendlier motoring. And to help back up Mercedes' claim to being one of the cleanest luxury carmakers, it has announced it will have 58 BlueEfficiency...

  • Lexus has confirmed that its all-new HS 250h dedicated hybrid won’t go on sale in Europe because its carbon-dioxide emissions are already close to the similarly sized IS 220d diesel sedan. In...
  • Preview: Mercedes Benz SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’

    The successor to the Mercedes Benz SL Gullwing (and replacement for the SLR) has been spotted in prototype form in and around Germany’s Nurburgring test circuit for several months now, but what only a select few knew is that the car is being developed completely in-house by Mercedes’...

  • Sportec takes Audi S4 Avant output to 425hp

    You'd think that spending the time, effort and money to get another 92hp out of your car would yield more than 0.1 seconds in the 0-62mph dash and the same top speed, but for the Swiss tuners at Sportec, that's unfortunately exactly what happened. Despite cranking the car up to 425hp from the stock...

  • Dodge exec: Circuit EV headed for production

    Chrysler intends to launch its first all-electric model by next year according to a recent interview with Lou Rhodes, Chrysler's ENVI division president, and unlike its rivals, the now-Fiat-aligned carmaker is planning a high-performance sports model as its entry into the burgeoning segment...

  • BMW engineer confirms four-cylinders under consideration for U.S.

    About a year ago we brought you a report that BMW was looking at a four-cylinder 3-series for American sale, but that was at the height of the fuel-price crisis, and since then talk of the efficient BMW four-bangers has died down. A recent report has breathed new life into the idea, however, and...

  • Reiter Engineering updates the Gallardo GT3 for 2010

    Late last year we brought you Reiter Engineering's Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Strada. Based around the Reiter Engineering factory-backed GT3 entry, the Strada is a street legal version of that car. Now Reiter has updated the GT3 to 2010 FIA specifications and with it has opened up the possibility for...

  • Just a few weeks ago, we brought you news that Audi's all-new A1 and next-gen A8 would be skipping the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, but a new report today puts the A1, at least, back on for the...
  • Mike Kimberley leaves position as Lotus CEO

    With a recipe for lightweight, fun and fast trackday cars for the street, Lotus Cars has been on a roll of late. The new Evora has been widely hailed as a styling hit, and as initial test drives roll in, it is also being recognized as an able sportscar. But for Mike Kimberley, CEO of Lotus, the...

  • Audi prices 2010 A4, A5 and Q5

    The 2010 Audi A4, A5 and Q5 are still on their way to dealerships at the moment, but Audi decided to let the prices of the updated models loose early as it anticipates high demand. Though the updates are minor for the most part, the pricing is also only slightly increased for the 2010 model year...

  • Inden Design heats up Ferrari's F430 Spider

    Improving on a Ferrari design is tough - some would say impossible. But it's still attempted often enough, this time by the tuners at Inden Design. Perhaps better known for their work with German cars - especially Mercedes-Benz - the tuners at Inden took a tried-and-true approach to tuning the...

  • Ferrari's 599 GTB Handling Pack now available as dealer option

    Though the California convertible has grabbed almost all the attention paid to Ferrari in the media recently, the 599 GTB is still just as formidable and attractive as it was the day it hit the streets. For some extremists, however, even a car as superb as the 599 isn’t completely up to...

  • Spy shots: Mercedes Benz SLK caught at the Nurburgring

    The SLK roadster has served Mercedes Benz well over its life since introduction in 2004, and like all cars its once-cutting-edge design has become somewhat tired, despite a mid-cycle facelift. An all-new SLK is in the works, however, and it's been spotted testing in the still-wintry German weather...

  • The previous Mercedes Benz CLK is something of an enigma - built around the C-Class platform, styled like the E-Class, and priced in between the two, the car sits in its own unique segment and has no...
  • Ferrari opens official store at the Nurburgring

    Last weekend's German Grand Prix was the focus of activity at the Nurburgring, but alongside the dog-and-pony show that Formula 1 has become, Ferrari took a few moments to dedicate its newest retail outlet on the grounds of the hallowed Nurburgring itself. Covering 2,582 square feet, the...

  • Spy shots: Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Gullwing up close

    The successor to the Mercedes Benz SL Gullwing (and replacement for the SLR) has been spotted in prototype form in and around Germany’s Nurburgring test circuit for several months now, but what only a select few knew is that the car is being developed completely in-house by Mercedes’...

  • Abu Dhabi investment firm buys 4% of Tesla stake from Daimler

    Tie-ups between traditionally European brands and Middle Eastern investment firms are becoming increasingly common. Aston Martin's primary shareholder is the Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar, and Porsche is currently hammering out a deal with Qatar, but now Abu Dhabi investment firm Aabar has purchased...

  • Production Volkswagen Bluesport roadster still a possibility?

    When it first appeared in Detroit back in January the Bluesport concept stirred talk of the revival of the roadster segment, and especially the Porsche 914 and 356. Unfortunately, the Porsche's rebirth was ruled out last month, and this had led to fears that the same fate may ensue for a planned...

  • More details on Mercedes’ all-electric SLS gullwing

    Not only is the horsepower war not over - contrary to AMG's own declaration last year - the latest reports say it has moved into a whole new range of armaments: electric vehicles. The latest development is a possible all-electric powertrain for the 2011 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG, which is expected to...

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