Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Ford facilities around the globe may begin to feel the pinch of the current fuel crisis as cost-cutting begins in earnest. Gerhard Schmidt, Chief Technical Officer for Ford has confirmed that there... -
Spy Shots: Mystery SLK spotted in U.S.Mercedes-Benz first revealed its facelifted SLK range back in December but since then partially camouflaged cars have been spotted testing in both Europe and the U.S., suggesting that several updates are still planned for the car before the arrival of the next-generation model sometime early next...
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Dodge reveals specs for Challenger Drag Race PackageChrysler, together with its in-house parts and services arm Mopar, revealed its new Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Car over the weekend at the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals event at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado. The modifications revealed are nothing short of extensive, with...
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VW up! could spawn second Beetle model for U.S.Volkswagen may end up converting the New Beetle into a family of cars with a new report claiming a second, smaller Beetle based on last year’s up! concept car could be developed for the U.S. market. The second-generation New Beetle is expected to arrive in 2011 and will take over from the...
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Chrysler and GM deny bankruptcy rumorsThe U.S. auto industry may be in turmoil, but both Chrysler and General Motors have denied any possibility of bankruptcy and have dismissed recent rumors to that effect as inaccurate. Both companies have been plagued by falling sales as consumer demand shifts towards smaller and more fuel-efficient...
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Ferrari showing ultra-rare Californias at Pebble BeachWith the introduction of Ferrari's new California model, the Maranello company is planning to celebrate by showing off some of the new car's genetic predecessors, including the prototype that started it all at the Pebble Beach Concours this August. The range of California's spans half a century and...
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The production version of the Jeep J8 (pictured) was revealed at Euro Jeep Camp 2008, a customer event in Northern Germany this week. The J8 marks the Jeep brand’s return to commercial and... -
Lotus unveils Eco Elise ConceptLotus has given us an early look at a new environmentally friendly concept based on its Elise sports car, which is set to make its world debut in less than a fortnight at the London Motor Show. While efforts to reduce carbon emissions and fuel-consumption have been getting the most attention by...
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Saleen unveils SMS 25th Anniversary Mustang ConceptSpecialty vehicle manufacturer and racing legend Steve Saleen is celebrating his 25 years in the business with the introduction of the 720hp (537kW) SMS Twenty Fifth Anniversary Mustang Concept. Despite retiring last year, Saleen, together with hits new performance company SMS, has developed the...
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Update: GM denies considering more brand and salary job cutsUpdate: General Motors today issued a statement denying the Wall Street Journal's reports of more possible brand and salaried job cuts. The troubled automaker has seen sales plummet over the past several months as oil prices reach record highs, its large SUV and pickup-heavy lineup unsuited to the...
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Hamilton takes win in front of home crowdLewis Hamilton has taken home the win at a rain-soaked British GB, dominating the field for most of the race after starting at fourth on the grid. Coming in second place, albeit more than a minute behind the winner, was BMW’s Nick Heidfeld. In a surprise finish, Honda’s Rubens...
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Bentley Continental GT Black Bison Edition by WaldJapanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every major luxury car brand on the market. It’s no surprise the company has turned its hand to one of the most exclusive and powerful cars on the planet, then, and the resulting restyle shows...
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Updated: With deliveries of the new MG TF Limited Edition in the UK due to commence in September, Nanjing-MG today confirmed the price of the revamped sports car will start at £16,399 ($32,610).... -
GM considering more XFE efficiency modelsFollowing a trend started by a number of European carmakers, GM recently revealed a new ‘XFE’ (E)Xtra Fuel Economy labeling system which debuted on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and soon followed onto the Pontiac G5. The cars feature a number of modifications to their drivetrains and...
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Update: Chrysler expands $2.99 gallon fuel offer furtherUpdate: Chrysler today extended its $2.99 a gallon fuel promotion through the end of July following the release of sales figures for the month of June showing a steep 36% drop for combined sales of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep over the past year. Previous reasons to extend the deal through June...
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Safety researchers want car-like bumpers for SUVs and pickupsResearchers from America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have found that the impact from accidents between cars and pickups or SUVs could be greatly reduced if heavier vehicles were forced to meet the same bumper design requirements as cars. The IIHS plans to formally petition...
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Update: SAIC not in talks with Ford over Volvo saleUpdated: China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has denied claims it was in negotiations with Ford over a possible sale of Volvo, with an inside source revealing there were no talks between the two carmakers altogether. The speculation first arose when a Swedish newspaper reported...
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Subaru showcases all-electric Stella ConceptSubaru has revealed a new electric concept vehicle at today’s G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in Japan, and announced plans to build a limited run of five cars to undergo a new trial. The new prototype, dubbed the Plug-in Stella Concept, combines the electric powertrain from the R1e with the...
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Dodge has announced its new powertrain lineup for the 2009 Ram pickup, revealing improved fuel economy over the outgoing model and best-in-class power ratings, aerodynamics and performance. Engines... -
Audi & Renault-Nissan CEOs predicting more price risesGM announced this week that prices on all its 2009 models would increase by 3.5% and now the CEOs of both Audi and Renault-Nissan are predicting similar price hikes for their respective fleets due to rising raw material and production costs. Both Audi’s Rupert Stadler and...
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2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S faceliftUpdated with new video. Following the release of the updated 911 Carrera and Carrera S comes new details of the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models. Launched simultaneously in both coupe and cabrio guises, the pair of AWD sport models receive the same series of styling and drivetrain...
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Roush reveals RTC Ford MustangRoush has finally taken the wraps of its latest tuning package for the Ford Mustang, presenting onlookers at the National Mustang Show over the weekend the brand new RTC for the first time. The new two-tone Mustang coupe sports a unique bodykit with a new font fascia, lip spoiler, hood scoop and...
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Hamann Stallion based on the Porsche 911 TurboThe Hamann name is usually associated with Lamborghini and Ferrari but this is one of the first times we’ve seen the German tuner release such a comprehensive package for a Porsche. The new kit, designed exclusively for the 911 Turbo range, sports a highly customized body with vertical...
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Toyota likely to miss 2008 U.S. sales targetNo carmaker has been immune from the poor state of the U.S. economy and rising fuel prices, with even industry juggernaut Toyota predicting missed sales target for the North American market this year. Toyota will likely scale back its initial goal of selling more vehicles in the U.S. than it did in...
Ralph Hanson