Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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One of the biggest criticisms for struggling Detroit carmakers General Motors and Chrysler is the number of brands they have under the one roof and the associated problem of selling models that often...
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Barack Obama's Cadillac presidential limo revealedWith president-elect Barack Obama soon to be sworn in as the nation’s leader, a new presidential limousine was in call for and once again General Motors was assigned the task of building it. Nicknamed ‘The Beast’, the limo is based on a number of GM platforms and shares components...
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Mine’s shows off latest GT-R package at Tokyo Auto SalonFamous Japanese tuner Mine’s first showed off its modified Nissan GT-R as far back as December 2007, and since that time the performance workshop has had plenty of time to develop new parts and accessories to make the car perform even better than before. Mine’s previous R35 GT-R proved...
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Revenge shows new GTM-R ‘Super Car’ in DetroitA new 'all-American' supercar was unveiled this week at the Detroit Auto Show by Revenge Designs - a tuner of GM products such as the Pontiac GTO and Solstice. The new GTM-R supercar promises to blend Revenge Designs' aptitude for tuning with an original take on the Factory Five GTM platform...
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Smart exploring opportunities for U.S. ForTwo EV trialIn July last year Smart unveiled three new concept versions of its second-generation ForTwo minicar, all based around an ultra-efficient electric drivetrain. The trio included a regular petrol-electric hybrid, a diesel-electric hybrid and a zero-emissions electric vehicle. This third concept, the...
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Fisker rolls out production Karma luxury plug-in hybrid saloonCalifornia’s Fisker Automotive has unveiled the production version of its Karma plug-in hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show today, just 12 months after the car was shown in concept form at last year’s show. With only minor design enhancements made to the exterior of the original concept...
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Ford’s facelifted Taurus sedan was revealed today just hours ahead of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, revealing a new design theme that was first showcased on the updated Fusion range and... -
Kia Unveils Soul'ster Urban Crossover ConceptKia's 2010 Soul hatch just made its debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, but already the South Korean carmaker is teasing the upcoming hatch with a new concept vehicle that was unveiled at this week’s Detroit Auto Show. The concept is the new Soulster mini pickup and it is...
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Cadillac Reveals Converj Plug-In Hybrid Coupe ConceptGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] unveiled a further glimpse at the potential of electric propulsion today, this time in the form the Cadillac Converj Concept. The new show car was developed as an upmarket GT with a bold design and a bevy of advanced powertrain technology. The four-passenger Converj...
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Ford reveals electric future, confirms electric compact car for 2011Ford has used the opening day for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to announce plans for its future electric vehicle (EV) program, confirming several zero-emissions vehicles for the North American market as well as next-generation hybrid and new plug-in hybrid models. Ford will call on its global...
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Chevrolet Spark and Orlando confirmed for U.S. in 2011Chevrolet has confirmed today at the Detroit Auto Show that it will bring a new compact car called the Spark to the United States by 2011. This will be joined by a seven-seater compact MPV dubbed the Orlando at the same time in an effort to boost Chevrolet’s fuel efficiency ratings. More...
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Hurst releases images of 50th Anniversary Dodge ViperThe rebirth of the American muscle car was about as ill-timed as it could be given the industry's global meltdown, but Hurst Performance Vehicles is forging ahead with a limited edition run of 50 specially built Dodge Vipers to commemorate its 50th anniversary. The supercars started production in...
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Toyota has announced that it will launch a new telematics systems later this year for select Toyota and Lexus models, similar to the current service offered by General Motors’ OnStar system.... -
Scion xB Release Series 6.0 priced, coming to 2009 NAIASAs the Detroit Auto Show approaches, more vehicles that will be on display are coming to light. Today Scion announced the xB Release Series 6.0, the latest in its limited-edition Release Series (RS) line of vehicles. Starting at just $1,743 over the base xB's pricing of $16,420, the RS 6.0 will get...
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Bush administration defers CAFE decision to ObamaIn a reversal on Bush's prior commitment to make a decision on the issue of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today revealed it will not make a decision before President-Elect Barack Obama takes office later this month. Proposed CAFE...
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Report: Pontiac Has Killed The G8 STFor many car companies, finding a clear and coherent brand identity isn't as easy as it might seem. Case in point: Pontiac. The rip-snorting G8 hasn't been the success it might have been if fuel prices and economic woes hadn't struck as it made its debut, and now the G8 ST, or sport truck, won't...
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Gemballa launches limited edition ‘Tornado’ Cayenne GTSAfter displaying a concept version of its ‘Tornado’ Cayenne GTS early last year, Porsche tuning specialist Gemballa has revealed full production specs for its latest kit based on the original concept. Only 50 Tornado models will be completed, with two different versions available and...
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Report: Hyundai not considering convertible GenesisEver since the sleek new Genesis Coupe hit the scene, speculation about a possible convertible version has been brewing, but today Hyundai shut down all hopes, stating flatly that there are no plans for a drop-top Genesis. Miles Johnson, manager of product public relations for Hyundai Motor America...
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The UAW's near-stranglehold on the domestic auto industry has taken a lot of the blame for the current condition of the carmakers. Whether it's a fair conclusion or not, however, for companies like... -
Chrysler receives $4 billion in restructuring loansLate Friday evening Chrysler received its first $4 billion in government loan money from the $17.4 billion approved as an emergency measure late in December, pushing its bottom line closer to the $2.5-3 billion minimum it needs to remain in operation. Covering debts and meeting supplier payment...
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GMAC loses exclusive GM financing in Treasury loan agreementIn a filing today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) GMAC revealed that it will no longer have the exclusive right to finance all of General Motors vehicles, and it will cease all lease financing as well. The new business arrangements are part of the terms of GMAC's agreement with...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: Toyota secretly working on solar carThe Toyota Prius has spent a decade as the world's preferred hybrid, but now competition is arising from all quarters. A new plug-in version of the Prius is expected soon, but already Toyota is thought to be working on a project to bring solar power to mass production automobiles in an effort to...
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Video: Behind the scenes prototyping BMW's new Z4Developing an all-new iteration of a beloved car is no easy feat. Improving on the existing strengths while introducing as few new weaknesses as possible and at the same time improving value and performance is as tough a balancing act as you're likely to find. But BMW thinks it's done the job with...
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Dyno tests confirm Nissan GT-R drivetrain loss, power ratingsTesting cars for power ratings is a tough and tricky business - accounting for different conditions, locations, equipment and techniques can make it tough to generalize results. And to make matters worse, there is often a lot of guesswork employed to get between real, delivered wheel horsepower and...
Ralph Hanson