Alex Kaufmann, Author
Articles
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Audi tuning specialist Nothelle, a performance house with a forty-year history of vehicle customization, has released a new package for the Audi TT. Nothelle’s new kit is designed for either... -
Preview of Lumma’s new kit for the BMW E92 CoupeGermany’s Lumma Design has released a set of preliminary sketches of its performance pack for BMW’s E92 Coupe, with the debut of the first production version likely to coincide with the release of the new M3 at Frankfurt in September. Lumma’s previous works such as the CLR 600 and...
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Mercedes-Benz dropping the R63 AMGMercedes management has finally decided to drop one of the most ill-conceived cars of the decade, the utterly useless R63 AMG. The decision was a no-brainer for the execs, who realized that customers were mainly buying the R-class for its space and comfort, not those after a pseudo sports...
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Update: Man sues FBI after Lamborghini gets hit by planeSounding like something lifted directly out of a James Bond flick, a Cessna piloted by a pair of FBI agents has crashed into a black Italian supercar at an airport in Oregon. The owner of the exotic, Marlowe Treit, who purchased the car back in 1998, is now suing over the accident and is seeking up...
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Official details for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti SessantaUnveiled at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, Ferrari’s new 612 Scaglietti Sessanta is ready to go on sale with a limited run of just 60 cars. Packed with Ferrari’s full enhancement package, the 612 Sessanta is only available with the F1 gearbox and either Grigio scuro or Rubino...
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Brazil built Ford compact to be sold in USSimilar to the deal in which Chrysler plans to source a new low-cost minicar from China’s Chery Auto to be sold in North America, Ford too will import a new model to the US, this time built in Brazil. The information comes from parts suppliers, who also revealed to Wards Auto that production...
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Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has revealed that the Japanese half of the alliance is currently working on an ultra-cheap vehicle for the Indian market that will be priced as low as $3,000. Ghosn... -
Update: Audi RS4 production set to continueUpdated: It appears the initial report by Autocar, which stated that Audi would be ceasing production of the RS4 in the near future, is likely to have been greatly exaggerated. Audi’s Media Relations and Motorsport Specialist Patrick Hespen has revealed to Winding Road that the claims are...
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9ff's 910hp Porsche 911 Turbo TRC 91Porsche specialist 9ff has dropped its potent 4.0L biturbo flat-six into the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio, and in doing so has created the world’s fastest convertible. Developing 780hp in the Cabrio, the modded 911 drop-top can reach a top speed of 381km/h. Reserved for the coupe is a more...
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Audi modular design to spawn next-gen VW Phaeton, Bentley Continental GT and ArnageDevelopment work for the second generation Volkswagen Phaeton is already well underway with the new model expected to share the same platform as the next Audi A8, due one year prior to the release of the VW flagship. The new Phaeton should hit the market in 2010 and will once again be produced at...
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Supercars selling like hot-cakes in the Middle EastIt used to be that the US was home to most of the European exotics but today more and more ultra-exclusive supercars are ending up in the deserts of the Middle East, namely the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Demand for European sports cars is surging in the region, with some dealers...
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Gibbs Aquada ready for productionThe Gibbs Aquada is a three-seater amphibious vehicle developed by the UK’s Neil Jenkins and New Zealander Alan Gibbs. After years of financial difficulties in getting the project off the groud, the Aquada is reported to be ready for production and is set to be joined by a new amphibious...
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One out of every five cars is expected to feature innovative engine stop-start systems by 2012, predicts the chief of one of the world’s largest auto suppliers. Stop-start systems shut down the... -
Smart cost DCX €3.9 billion over four yearsDaimlerChrysler has received a ton of flak for its Smart car brand from both its shareholders and motoring journalists ever since the label was launched back in 2002, and with good reason. It has just been revealed that the minicar offshoot has lost close to €3.9 billion ($5.21 billion)...
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Jaguar reveals updated XK and X-TypeDespite its money troubles Jaguar is plugging away at the model updates, this time revealing enhanced versions of the XK and X-Type to usher in the 2008 model year. The XK coupe gets a new antenna mounted into the rear spoiler, new aluminum or wooden trim and chrome highlights for the controls...
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Video: Inside a F1 wind tunnelHere’s a very detailed video showcasing the steps that go into designing the BMW-Sauber F1 car, complete with interviews with team principal Mario Theissen and technical director Willy Rampf.
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Greener Mini MK2 arriving in AugustWe previously reported that it would take BMW 6 months to add fuel saving technologies to the Mini MK2, but today the company announced that all Mini models would get the changes by August, only three months away. With the changes, the MINI Cooper D will be capable of returning an astonishing...
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PSA announces restructuring plansFrench auto manufacturer PSA has released plans to cut fixed cost by 30% by 2010. This restructuring plan called “Cap 2010” includes cutting cost by 600 million Euros, as well as bringing 6 new models to bring the total to 41. Rather than cutting models like other troubled carmakers...
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Jeep will be displaying two new concept cars at this year’s SEMA Show, the four-door Wrangler Ultimate and the tough-as-nails JT Concept. The Wrangler Ultimate is based on the regular Wrangler... -
Tokyo to London in an Aston Martin V8 VantageThis year is definitely shaping up to be the year of cross-continental challenges. Already we’ve been touched by Ferrari’s 60th anniversary drive, an epic journey taking Ferraris from all over the world across 50 different countries, Mercedes’ Paris to Beijing challenge for its...
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Seat launches the Altea FreetrackSeat has toughened up its Altea XL by giving it a more rugged look and packing it with extra features first previewed by the Freetrack prototype of the recent Geneva Auto Show. This latest variant, called the Altea Freetrack, will arrive in showrooms in September with a range of new diesel and...
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Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera galleryThe Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera isn’t exactly new but we couldn’t resist posting another story about the amazing lightweight supercar. Ten extra horses, one hundred kilo weight reduction (70kg for US), and a 0-100km/h time of just 3.8 seconds makes the Gallardo Superleggera easily...
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New AC Roadster getting electric power?You may remember reports last year about UK’s Project Kimber rejuvenating the famous AC badge with a new roadster based on the first-generation Smart car. The new model will be called the AC Ace and is said to have had Gordon Murray, of McLaren F1 fame, involved in its development as well as...
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Land Rover hybrid on the way?Land Rover’s recent pledge to become environmentally friendly is starting to result in some interesting developments. This comes about as a second, much more advanced, version of the Land-E hybrid concept is rumored to present itself in the coming months, with a drivable platform according to...
Alex Kaufmann