Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
-
Porsche released a revealing official teaser for its upcoming Panamera sedan less than a month ago, which coincided with the start of the company’s official marketing campaign for the car, and... -
HKS now offering add-on speed delimiter for Lexus IS FThe Lexus IS F is something of an enigma - at once an entry-level luxury sedan and a performance beast, offering legitimate power figures but hampered somewhat by its automatic transmission. Another of the problems those that ply their IS Fs on the track may have bumped into is the speed limiter -...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: Toyota working on iQ roadster for Toyko Motor ShowCity cars like the Toyota iQ and Daimler's Smart ForTwo have been gaining in popularity lately, with more companies looking to offer similarly-sized cars. Now Toyota's getting ready to take the next step, with an iQ-platform based roadster possibly coming to the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 as a new...
Ralph Hanson -
Honda supports U.S. loan packageHonda has endorsed the American government's decision to provide the Detroit 3 with a $25 billion loan, describing the aid package as “totally proper” and important for the development of more fuel-efficient models. According to the carmaker’s CEO Takeo Fukui, General Motors, Ford...
Ralph Hanson -
Toyota reveals Modellista enhanced iQToyota’s iQ minicar officially went on sale in Japan this month and to coincide with the launch the company also revealed several new styling packs under the guise of its in-house accessories brand Modellista. Two different Modellista iQs are on offer - the Maxi and Mixture - and both are...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: GM could eliminate Chrysler after acquisitionLate on Friday it was reported that General Motors was in preliminary talks with Chrysler’s parent company Cerberus Capital Management over a possible deal to acquire the Auburn Hills carmaker. Since then Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli has confirmed that the talks had taken place but stated that...
Ralph Hanson -
Personal transport is often as much about personalization as it is transport, and choosing a color is part of that process. It turns out that a large portion of the public choose the same color -... -
Full pricing and options list for 2010 Camaro leakedWhile previously we reported that General Motors had revealed the prices of the base 2010 Chevrolet Camaro LS as well as the V8-powered SS model, the full price list for all upcoming 2010 Chevrolet Camaro models and their options has finally been leaked. The list reveals dealer costs, recommended...
Ralph Hanson -
Volvo XC90 and S60 redesigns postponedVolvo has been forced to postpone redesigning two of its vehicles due to a lack of funds and increasing focus on new technology and vehicle segments. Originally, Volvo's XC90 SUV was scheduled to be redesigned for 2010, but will now instead receive a facelift, with the redesign expected to be...
Ralph Hanson -
Belgian Man Breaks Blind Speed Record With 192-MPH RunLuc Costermans of Belgium has set the land speed record for driving while blind at an airstrip in France. Reaching a top speed of 192mph (308.78km/h) in a Lamborghini Gallardo, Costermans busted the old record by more than 25mph (40km/h). Blinded four years ago in an accident, Costermans dedicated...
Ralph Hanson -
Arash Finalizes Design For AF10 SupercarWe first heard about the Arash AF10 nearly two years ago when an early prototype was rolled out at the 2006 London Motor Show. Since then the company behind the original prototype has undergone several management reshuffles and spin-offs, but it has now confirmed the final design for its inaugural...
Ralph Hanson -
New details on Honda’s next-generation S2000For a company that spends hundreds of millions of dollars on its F1 program, Honda has been awfully quiet in the sports car scene. The S2000 was released nearly a decade ago and a replacement for the NSX isn’t due to arrive for another couple of years, and even then the car will be limited...
Ralph Hanson -
Audi is in the process of developing two new R8 variants to join the current V8 model, but according to one of the carmaker’s top execs the addition of these extra models will only make waiting... -
Force Performance Dodge Charger loses two doors but adds three blowersVehicle customizer Force Performance based in Miami is currently working on a highly modified Dodge Charger, which the tuner has designed to replicate the classic B-Body Chargers from the 1960s and ‘70s. Listening to requests from customers saddened that Dodge brought back the Charger as a...
Ralph Hanson -
Automakers warn hybrids not certified for commercial useNew York City may have to backpedal on its recently introduced legislation that mandates all new taxis to be either hybrids or have fuel economy of at least 25mpg (9.4L/100km). The reasoning is that by state law taxis are also required to have partitions installed between the driver and the...
Ralph Hanson -
Mini’s fifth model will be the smallest yetMini’s lineup is soon to expand with the launch of a new soft-roader model based on the recent crossover concept unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, but there will be one more model to come in addition to the current Cooper, Cabrio and Clubman line of cars. Since the launch of the Mark II model...
Ralph Hanson -
HSV unveils 40th anniversary GTS and new SV08Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), the official performance arm of GM’s Aussie subsidiary, has unveiled two new models at today’s Sydney Motor Show, commemorating the 40th anniversary of its GTS performance badge and reviving the SV nomenclature for the latest E-Series range of cars...
Ralph Hanson -
Fiat releases eco:Drive efficiency datalogging applicationIn a new twist on the idea of car technology that helps improve the driver, Fiat has released a software program called eco:Drive that hopes to improve green driving habits by recording exactly what is going on behind the wheel. Incorporating Microsoft's Blue&Me system to log the information to a...
Ralph Hanson -
There's no doubt that the gender values of the West often clash with those of other cultures, and vice versa, and the newest project at Iran's state-funded carmaker, Khodro, illustrates that point...
-
Schumacher Shows Off At Nürburgring Ferrari Racing Days EventSeven-time Formula One world champion and one of Ferrari's most important development drivers, Michael Schumacher, joined his Italian benefactors on Germany's legendary Nürburgring this past weekend to show off at the wheel of the California, the FXX and his F2004 F1 car. Also on the program...
Ralph Hanson -
Alfa Romeo returns to U.S. this monthAlfa Romeo’s full scale assault on the North American market isn’t expected to officially kick off until late next year or early 2010 but the first Alfa branded cars will go on sale in the United States later this month, although there is a catch. The catch is that the model that will...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercedes likely to build dual-clutch transmissions in-houseA number of carmakers have leapt to the forefront in gearbox technology by contracting automotive parts suppliers to design and engineer advanced dual-clutch transmissions for their cars. While some companies like Volkswagen and BMW have developed their own dual-clutch gearboxes, others, such as...
Ralph Hanson -
Toyota announces 0% financing on 11 modelsAfter universally sour September sales, the car industry is reeling despite the longer-term boon that the $25 billion loan deal may provide. Weak credit is believed to be the primary culprit of the especially low sales figures, and so Toyota is taking steps to combat that problem by offering its...
Ralph Hanson -
Ferrari will never make a sedan, says di MontezemoloFerrari has stated emphatically that it will never build a four-door model. The statement comes on the heels of Lamborghini's revelation of the Estoque four-door supercar at the Paris Motor Show. There has also been a prevalence of late of sports car manufacturers expanding their model ranges with...
Ralph Hanson