Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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The past several weeks have been tough ones for Nissan, facing the closure of its Michigan design studio, a forecast loss of $2.6 billion and the cutting of 20,000 jobs worldwide. Nevertheless it is... -
Report: Video games helping to influence new car buyersCarmakers are increasingly becoming aware of the influence video games are starting to have on the buying habits of new car buyers. In fact, according to a new report, video games have become as culturally pervasive as movies. More importantly, the report also claims that being able to race with a...
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Ford reveals 2010 Harley-Davidson F-150 ahead of Chicago Auto Show debutFord will use this week’s Chicago Auto Show to debut a new Harley-Davidson edition of its F-150 pickup truck. Coming in as a 2010 model, the special edition truck receives a new front fascia and grille along with an updated interior and model-specific ornamentation. The Harley-Davidson F-150...
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Subaru designs custom Impreza WRX STI for rally champ Travis PastranaSubaru may no longer be a competitor in the World Rally Championship (WRC) but the carmaker is still showing its support for rallying with the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind Impreza WRX STI. The special edition model has been designed for Subaru’s factory rally driver Travis Pastrana and it is...
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First Scuderi split-cycle engine prototype completedAmerican engineering firm Scuderi has announced the completion of the first prototype of its new ultra-efficient engine design called the ‘split-cycle’. The design uses a revolutionary new system to provide engines that release significantly fewer emissions than current offerings and is...
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Scion announces tC Release Series 5.0 pricingThe Release Series of limited-edition Scions gets another member this year as the tC Release Series 5.0 (tC RS 5.0) joins the ranks. The car will be unveiled February 11 at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, one year after the debut of its predecessor, the tC RS 4.0. Pricing of the new car checks in at...
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In the middle of last year, Ford decided to extend production of the Ranger beyond its expected 2009 sunset to help meet fuel efficiency targets. This year, the Ranger gets a range of upgrades to...
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Chrysler co-president: You can either help us or burn us all downChrysler has come out with its second sales plea in as little two weeks, urging dealers to order more than 15,000 cars by Monday to keep the company viable. Not one to mince his words, Chrysler co-president Jim Press told dealers over a conference call that they basically have two choices: "You can...
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Ford Taurus ‘SHO’ to make Chicago Auto Show debutFast factory versions of frumpy family sedans are nothing new - they've been around almost as long as the industry has - but few really capture the mind of the auto enthusiast like the Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) did during the 1990s. Perhaps because it was one of the few American takes on...
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First Chevrolet Volt engines will come from AustriaGeneral Motors has confirmed that the first batch of its upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids will feature an internal combustion ‘back-up’ engine sourced from Aspern, Austria, and not from Flint, Michigan, as originally planned. The announcement comes just a week after it was...
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Pre-production Camaro assembly line photos released by GMGeneral Motors announced it would delay production of the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro by a month in mid-January, but photos released today reveal cars being built on an assembly line in Oshawa, where production will eventually take place. The full-scale production run isn't expected to start until...
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2010 BMW X6 M spy shotsCurrently sitting atop BMW’s X6 range is the xDrive50i but as these latest spy shots and previous rendering attest there will be a new top dog in the X6 lineup soon, likely wearing an M badge. After witnessing Porsche and AMG rack up thousands of sales with their respective Cayenne and ML...
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The world of motorsport is facing some of its toughest times in memory as major carmakers pull out of their highest-level programs. The latest to leave the rolls is Mitsubishi's highly successful... -
American F1 team may join grid in 2010Last year reports emerged claiming that Ken Anderson, a well-known U.S. engineer who has worked in prominent F1 roles, was in talks with Honda about setting up an American-based F1 team. With Honda announcing its decision late last year to pull out of the sport altogether, speculation about...
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Ford saves $1.2 billion in warranty costs through improved qualitySaving money has become as important, or even more so, than making it in recent months for many carmakers. There just aren't enough buyers actively seeking new cars, so cutting costs is the only way to improve one's position. Today Ford announced it has saved $1.2 billion in warranty costs over the...
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Porsche Cayenne Diesel goes on sale, Panamera may be nextPorsche has stated in the past it would not fit any diesel powerplants to its cars but with toughening fuel economy and emissions regulations looming in both the U.S. and Europe the sports carmaker has been left with no choice. Sales of the Cayenne Diesel have now started in Europe, and according...
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Nissan GT-R SpecV spotted in left-hand drive trimReleased just a few weeks ago, the Nissan GT-R SpecV promises to be an even more hardcore track-focused weapon than the original. Fans that had feared the SpecV might end up a JDM-only variant need fear no longer, as a left-hand drive model has been spotted in the wild, indicating foreign-market...
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Mercedes Benz considers natural gas powered vehicles for U.S.At this week’s Washington Auto Show, Mercedes Benz plans to showcase its compact B-Class hatch with a powertrain designed to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). The carmaker already sells a dual-fuel version of the B-Class in Europe that runs on either petrol or CNG or a combination of the...
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The Audi R8 is still a stunning sight out on the roads but excitement is starting to dry-up, with traditionally long waiting lists now just withering to a month or two in most markets. To drum up... -
GM in talks to offer OnStar to other carmakersTelematics services are expanding even as the global car market contracts, with Toyota/Lexus the latest to join the arena with its recently-announced Enform system. Now General Motors' OnStar system is looking to expand by partering with other carmakers, according to the latest reports. Talks...
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Fourth model and replacement for tC coupe in the works at ScionAfter a bright start almost seven years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and its lineup, which thrives on originality and freshness, is starting to show its age. The Toyota budget brand sold just 113,904 cars last year, down 12.5% on the previous year, and volumes are predicted to dip even lower...
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Scientists develop power-generating shock absorbersWhen it comes to power-regeneration technology the first place most people look at is brake hardware. Many of the petrol-electric hybrid vehicles on the roads today, and even some non-hybrids, feature some sort of brake energy regeneration device. These usually consist of storing energy in a...
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First look at Hyundai Genesis Coupe Super Bowl XLIII adHyundai will debut its 2010 Genesis Coupe in the U.S. during Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, February 1, using a short television commercial designed to highlight the performance potential of the 310hp car and help build hype for it. Just a day out from the big game, Hyundai has released one of the...
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Acer unveils Ferrari 1200 notebookThe somewhat odd tie-up between laptops and supercars has taken another step forward with Acer's latest Ferrari edition laptop, the 1200. This time around the package is a 12.1in ultraportable with impressive specs for such a small computer. Released in the UK, the 1200 features a 12.1in...
Ralph Hanson