Alex Kaufmann, Author
Articles
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Last month we reported that Ford would bring its European Kuga crossover and C-Max MPV to North America after the launch of the new Fiesta and next-generation Focus, and now latest reports claim Ford... -
Toyota replacing pickups and SUVs with CamrysIt’s not only American carmakers seeing dwindling sales of pickup truck and SUV models. Industry leader Toyota is also seeing its inventories pile up and has responded by cutting production at its Princeton plant in Indiana. Inside sources have now revealed that Toyota could use the...
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Update: Mercedes adds G55 AMG to facelifted G-Class rangeUpdated: Less than a week after the updated G-Class range was first revealed, Mercedes-Benz has taken the covers off its new 2009 G55 AMG performance SUV. Like the regular G-Class fleet, the new model sports a 5.5L V8 engine but thanks to the addition of a supercharger and a new ECU power is bumped...
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GM CEO defends Detroit 3 in light of declining SUV and pickup salesDespite having to drastically cut its SUV and pickup truck production in North America and shutdown several plants, GM CEO Rick Wagoner has defended criticism that Detroit’s carmakers have relied too heavily on SUV and truck sales and have been reluctant to develop more compact vehicles...
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Could the U.S. achieve oil independence by 2030?Oil independence has been the holy grail of American energy policy for years, but now experts in the field believe the United States could achieve the goal as early as 2030 - if the correct policy decisions are made. Robert Greene, a fellow at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, believes that oil...
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Fiat Phylla concept previews new Topolino electric minicarFiat recently revealed a new all-electric minicar concept, dubbed the Phylla, which was designed to showcase many of Fiat’s future environment friendly technologies such as electric propulsion and photovoltaic panels. It was developed by CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat) and designed by Turin-based...
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Strong demand for the Ford Focus in the U.S. has led management to boost production numbers of the car by 30% for the remainder of the year. The latest announcement reaffirms the growing shift in... -
Audi considering new supercar and compact SUV for U.S. marketAudi’s sales performance in the U.S. still pales in comparison to its main rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz but the carmaker is determined to build its presence in the world’s biggest market with the launch of new and exciting models. Audi’s U.S. boss has now confirmed that two new...
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Ford working on two new pickups below F-150Last month we reported that Ford was likely to add a new pickup model positioned below the top-selling F150 but based around the same mechanicals. New reports claim there will be at least two new small pickups, one based on the F-150, as previously reported, as well as a new model to replace the...
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Supercharged Audi S5 by MTMFamed German tuner MTM has gotten its hands on an Audi S5 and given it some more grunt in typical MTM fashion. While the MTM version of the Audi S5 is no dual-engined 390km/h monster like the MTM bimoto TT, the S5 does have some extra tricks up its sleeve thanks to some forced-induction...
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Future vehicle tech to be subsidized by advertisersAs the automobile continues to catch up with the digital age, we’re starting to see more and more partnerships develop between car and technology companies and a new range of co-branded features come onto the market. We’ve already seen Microsoft team up with a number of carmakers to...
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Edo Competition 700HP Ferrari EnzoGermany’s Edo Competition is an expert when it comes to modifying ultra-rare exotics so who better to tune one of Ferrari’s fastest and most exclusive cars ever produced – the limited edition Enzo supercar. Squeezing more power from a highly strung engine like a Ferrari V12, where...
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Subaru will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Legacy (Liberty) sedan and wagon next year with the unveiling of the all-new fifth-generation model. Subaru is renowned for its love-or-loathe... -
Toyota to build dedicated-battery plant in JapanToyota is about to pass another major milestone in the race to build the next-generation of hybrid vehicles with the announcement today that it will construct a new $192 million plant in Japan solely to manufacture batteries. The plant is being developed jointly with Matsushita Electric – the...
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Ford being investigated for another fire threatFederal safety officials in the U.S. are investigating a potential fire risk in Ford’s Windstar minivan model produced between 1995 and 2003 after authorities received more than 130 consumer complaints about vehicle fires. The investigation is still in its early stages but it could lead to...
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Next-gen Saab 9-5 to enter production at Opel plant in 2009The Saab 9-5 is long overdue for an overhaul, with the current model first hitting streets as far back as 1997, but the next-generation model due late next year may not even be built at Saab’s traditional home in Sweden. Latest reports claim the new model will be sourced from Opel’s...
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Spy Shots: 2010 Maserati Quattroporte saloonThe Maserati Quattroporte has been on sale in its current guise for almost four years but that’s set to change as a facelifted model is just around the corner. The new car seen here testing in prototype form will hit the streets early next year as a 2010 model and could incorporate a number...
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Tata first major carmaker to enter Automotive X Prize, announces two new hybridsIndian automotive giant Tata Motors, the company behind the world’s cheapest car, the diminutive Nano, has announced plans to enter the $10 million Automotive X Prize competition with a new 100mpg car. Tata is first major carmaker to enter the challenge and it could be one of the few as most...
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Despite its status as the world's biggest and most successful carmaker, Toyota is far from immune to the effects of the slowing American economy and rising fuel prices. In fact, the Japanese giant... -
Study: Cadillac and Audi show highest improvement in luxury brand perceptionInfluential auto resource Kelley Blue Book (KBB) and its marketing research team have named Cadillac and Audi as the two highest performers in improved brand perception in the luxury segment. According to the results of a recent study, Cadillac improved most among the factors of driving comfort...
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ZF to build electric motors for Mercedes-Benz hybridMercedes-Benz is confident it will have the first volume hybrid model powered by lithium-ion batteries, when it launches the S400 BlueHYBRID next year. The new car will feature a 15kW electric motor mated to 3.5L petrol V6 for a combined output of 220kW and 375Nm of torque – enough to propel...
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Dutch to use GPS to calculate road taxRoad taxes have come under increasing scrutiny these days, what with congestion charges, speeding fines and average-speed cameras all annoying motorists to no end. It's especially bad for people who drive little but must still pay the same taxes as those who drive long distances every day - they...
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Pininfarina frees up San Giorgio plant for new EVPininfarina first confirmed back in December it was planning to build a new electric vehicle in a joint-venture with France’s Bollore group. The coachbuilder has now revealed that it will be moving production of the Alfa Romeo Brera (pictured) out of its San Giorgio plant to make room for the...
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GM merging Sigma and Zeta for new Cadillac sedanGM currently has two RWD large car platforms, the premium Sigma architecture used by Cadillac for cars like the CTS, SRX and STS, and the newer Zeta design, which debuted in the new VE Holden Commodore (Pontiac G8) and will eventually appear in the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro. According to latest...
Alex Kaufmann