Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Combining elements of both a scooter and a car, the HYmotion3 Compressor is the latest concept to come out of Peugeot. Featuring the carmaker’s new 'HYmotion' hybrid technology, the result is a... -
Toyota's Avensis sedan finally revealedThe third-generation Avensis sedan has been released at the Paris Motor Show, along with the Urban Cruiser compact SUV. The Avensis will continue to be built at Toyota’s Burnaston plant in the UK, and is set to go on sale in January next year. Like the Urban Cruiser, the Avensis will focus on...
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Peugeot Prologue joins HYmotion family of conceptsPeugeot's Prologue Concept, revealed today at the Paris Motor Show, is a preview of the 3008 compact crossover vehicle expected to be launched next year. With one eye to the future and the other on the present, the Prologue combines characteristic Peugeot styling with tomorrow's direction. The...
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Renault Sport Clio R3 racing range gains new Access versionThough the brand isn't sold in the U.S., Renault is known the world over for its Renault Sport brand and rally-bred hot hatches. The Clio Renault Sport R3 Maxi is one such vehicle, and now the French company has developed a lower-cost Access version to make entry into rally racing even easier...
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Volkswagen upgrades Phaeton for 2009Despite the weak performance of the Phaeton, Volkswagen has persisted with the car in the belief that there is a place for it in the lineup. Less-than-inspired styling, high pricing and nagging quality issues are in part to blame, and VW hopes to cure these in the next iteration of the car. Until...
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2009 European Car of the Year finalists revealedEurope’s annual Car of the Year awards are on again and the finalists have been revealed. Whittled down to just seven front-runners from a field of 38 candidates, the competition is expected to be exceptionally close - there is no run-away favorite. Last year’s winner - the Fiat 500 minicar -...
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Over-the-top customization is the hallmark of the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, held in Las Vegas every year. In just about a month's time, Toyo Tires will be featuring a... -
Nissan considers ‘Premium Factory’ brand for markets without InfinitiNissan’s premium Infiniti brand has for most of its life been sold exclusively in North America and is only now expanding into markets, namely Europe. Nissan is now hoping to sell its more upmarket models in other markets but the decision to expand the Infiniti brand is an expensive one and...
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Nissan Targeting Porsche With Its New 370ZThe 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show will be a big event again this year, as many carmakers have model reveals planned. None are more central to the carmaker's brand image than the upcoming Z-car launch expected from Nissan in the form of the all-new 370Z. The latest reports indicate that the company is...
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VW to add R-Line trim to sixth-generation GolfJust a few days ago we learned of Volkswagen's plans to introduce a new, more powerful version of the Golf GTI, dubbed the GTI Plus. An all-new R-model, the R42, is reportedly in the works as well. Now it has been revealed that VW is also working on a new trim and appearance package called R-Line...
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VW Jetta TDI used to set new Guinness fuel economy recordThe Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption has been claimed by hypermiling power couple John and Helen Taylor at the wheel of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Burning diesel across the lower 48 United States, the pair averaged 58.82mpg (3.99L/100km) over 20 days. Previously the record for...
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Alfa Romeo Sells Defunct 166 Platform To Guangzhou AutoChina's state-run Guangzhou Automobile Group, which also builds cars for Honda under the Li Nian brand name, has purchased Alfa Romeo's 166 platform. The Italian carmaker last used the platform to build a sedan which was discontinued in early 2007. The purchase presages the company's efforts to...
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This oddly designed catamaran is the creation of Swedish design and engineering firm Vizualtech, which was contacted by a customer from Dubai who was seeking a new design for a race boat. Starting...
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Katech Corvette Z06 ClubSport track specialUpdated with new images. Detroit motorsports and tuning firm Katech Performance has released a new track-focused package for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, injecting the already quick stock car with more grip, power and safety. The new package is called the ClubSport and is available exclusively...
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Honda quietly entered its 60th year of business this weekKnown not just for its strong automotive business, but for its engine, aviation, robotics and motorcycle arms as well, Honda entered its 60th year as a corporation this week. Honda's official existence began on September 24, 1948, when Soichiro Honda incorporated the company. Starting with a...
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Nissan collision avoidance system takes inspiration from beesBees are not the first animal most people would think of when looking to the biological world for automotive inspiration, but the engineers at Nissan are uncommon people. Those engineers are developing a collision avoidance system based around the same principles that bees use to navigate their...
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Japanese firms develop mobile phone with built-in electronic keyA trio of Japanese companies have come together to create the world's first mobile phone that also acts as an electronic key for certain vehicles, allowing its owner to automatically unlock their car door and start the engine without having to fish around in their pockets for a traditional key...
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Corvette ZR1 hits the dynoIt was only a matter of time until the first dyno charts for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 hit the web and here they are courtesy of Pennsylvanian tuner PCM. Engineers conducted their tests using two separate cars running on a Dynojet dynamometer, with the resulting average of the two highest...
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More than half the cars sold in Europe today are fitted with diesel powertrains due to several factors but mostly because diesel fuel is taxed less than petrol. Throw in the fact that diesel powered... -
Jeep takes electric technology off-road with Wrangler-based plug-inShowing its commitment to clean and efficient motoring both on and off the road, Chrysler has unveiled a prototype plug-in hybrid vehicle based on the Jeep Wrangler SUV. Designed with the full capability of the legendary off-road vehicle, the new prototype still promises an electric-only driving...
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Ferrari cuts ribbon on new factory, first California soldAn all-new production line has opened today in Maranello, crowning 18 months of work and a 40 million investment. The ribbon-cutting ceremony comes just days after the Ferrari California's official unveiling, and coincides with the sale of the first California at auction. The 20,000 square meter...
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Bill Ford sells one million of his own Blue Oval sharesDirect descendent of Henry Ford and current Blue Oval chairman Bill Ford Jr. sold one million of his own shares in the carmaker, about one-sixth of his total common stock holdings, in a surprise move last Thursday. The shares were sold at $5.05 each, earning Ford a tidy $5.05 million from the sale...
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Volkswagen announces three sport-oriented Golf modelsA mix of old and new, Golf's Mark VI GTI will also spawn some old, and some new, names when the first of three sporty versions makes its debut in October. Renewing the famous GTI, reviving the cult-favorite R brand and introducing the diesel GTD, VW is angling for just about every segment of the...
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Amuse GT-R crosses the 600hp barrierDespite fears Nissan’s new GT-R wouldn’t tolerate anyone tinkering around with its innards, Japan’s industrious tuning firms have managed to develop a number of aftermarket parts claimed to boost performance of the supercar. Initial testing showed that even simple mods such as...
Ralph Hanson