Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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With Chrysler’s bankruptcy process now well and truly behind it, and the appointment of a new name and CEO taken care of, the final steps of the company’s restructuring are finally coming...
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Trio of rally-spec Ford Fiestas to tackle X Games
Ford's Fiesta small car is just beginning to make its mark in the U.S. with a trial-run for social-media types ahead of its expected American debut early next year. To help get the car's identity - if somewhat loosely interpreted - out to its target audience, Ford is taking on ESPN's X Games with a...
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Audi celebrating 100th anniversary with huge sculpture at Goodwood
Centennial celebrations have been a common occurrence of late as the industry as a whole begins to push past the 100-year mark. This year marks Audi's 100th, and it's celebrating at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, in part with the 115ft (35m) 2009 Festival of Speed Central Feature (pictured). This...
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Muscle car wars heat up as Camaro outsells Mustang in June
Ford or Chevy. Camaro or Mustang. Bud or Coors. These are just a few of the great debates of our time, and while none are likely to find a final answer anytime soon, Camaro enthusiasts just got some more ammunition for their position, with the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro outselling the 2010 Ford Mustang...
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Report: Toyota to pull Fuji Grand Prix from 2010 F1 schedule
Toyota is considering abandoning its plans to host the 2010 Japanese grand prix, a spokesman for the Japanese carmaker has revealed. The admission comes after two waves of media reports insisted the event scheduled for Fuji Speedway next year is in doubt: most recently on Wednesday, but also dating...
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BMW adds real-time fuel price and weather to in-car computer system
In-car access to real-time information is already available in some formats - traffic alerts are a prime example. But now real-time weather, fuel prices and stock indices will all be available to new BMW owners. BMW's ConnectedDrive continues to push the boundary of in-car data technology in the...
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The latest generation W204 Mercedes Benz C-Class has been on sale since 2007 and will be due for its mid-cycle facelift around 2010. As this computer generated rendering suggests, the car’s...
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Hyundai tempts buyers with promise of a year of $1.49 gas
Last year's sudden surge in oil prices sent many car buyers - and the industry - into shock. Prices over $4 per gallon were outside most people's frame of reference. This year, in the weak economy, even fewer people are prepared to fork over more money for their fuel, and Hyundai has taken note. It...
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GM ends 25-year NUMMI partnership with Toyota
General Motors has confirmed that it will dump its ownership stake in the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) joint venture that it established with Toyota more than 25 years ago. Located in Fremont, California, the NUMMI plant was last responsible for versions of the Toyota Corolla and...
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Spy shots: 2010 Opel Meriva MPV
GM’s next-generation Opel Meriva compact MPV has been caught undergoing testing once gain. Though it remains in full camouflage, many details are still discernible, including the overall shape, which remains close to the original Meriva concept from last year's Geneva Motor Show. A very...
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Toyota-GM hybrid partnership rumors stir again
Just ten days ago, General Motors denied a story that it was planning to license Toyota's hybrid Synergy Drive system, but today a new report has broken claiming Toyota could offer GM the Prius hybrid, to be re-branded as a GM product. Aside from being completely off the wall, the report doesn't...
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GM pitching Volt as sporty, green alternative to Prius, Insight
At first glance, there's very little to differentiate the main contenders for your hybrid sedan dollar - the new Insight looks remarkably like the Prius. For that matter, so does the upcoming Chevrolet Volt. Aerodynamic necessity is a harsh master. But General Motors is planning to set the Volt...
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Aggressive carbon fiber louvres, a bold engine note and the sheer speed of the thing are all that's needed to distinguish the Aston Martin V12 Vantage from its V8 sister, but sadly the super-coupe is...
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Lotus backs America’s fledgling Lotus Challenge Series as official sponsor
The Lotus Challenge Series was begun in 2008 by long-time Lotus enthusiast Jim Navarro along with support from fellow Lotus enthusiasts Jack Fried and Robb Bonanno. To help expand the Lotus Challenge Series to the East Coast and continually improve the series, Jim recently took on a fellow racer as...
Ralph Hanson -
Tesla opens European flagship store in London
Just a few days ago Tesla got a new lease on life with a $465 million U.S. government loan to build the infrastructure it needs for the mass-production of the Model S luxury-electric sedan. Today, however, the company is focusing on growing its brand overseas with the grand opening of its first...
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Report: Hummer deal on the rocks, China doesn't want gas guzzlers
General Motors' deal with China's Tengzhong to buy Hummer was thought to be as good as done in early June, but today reports of chatter on China's state radio casts the sale in a different light. The gas-guzzling SUVs just don't fit with the conservation plans in place in Beijing. So now the AP is...
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Tesla will use DOE funding for Model S and electric drivetrain factories
Despite its small size, Tesla Motor Company, builder of the famed Roadster electric sports car, is as embattled as any major manufacturer these days. Between a lawsuit from a former CEO and materials costs far beyond the asking price of the Roadster, things haven't been going well lately. Things...
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Updated Specter Werkes Corvette GTR delivers 615hp
Almost a year after the C6-based Corvette GTR from Specter Werkes was first unveiled the Michigan-based performance house has released an updated version of the modified supercar that is on sale now. A unique and flamboyant interpretation of the Corvette's basic shape, the Specter Werkes GTR mixes...
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The U.S. resurgence of diesel may finally be shifting into high gear, but some of the world's best diesels still aren't even offered here. In Europe, however, carmakers such as BMW are introducing...
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Karmann shuts its doors as last convertible rolls off the line
Last year a spate of bankruptcy threats and possible acquisitions or closures hit the coachbuilding industry, but today Karmann, perhaps most famous for the Karmann Ghia conversion, is closing its doors. Bankruptcy is the next step, and it's not clear if the firm will come out the other side. The...
Ralph Hanson -
Study: Domestic North American production outpaced by European, Asian brands by 2012
As a side effect of the current industry downturn and the subsequent realignment of capacity at America's major domestic car manufacturers, the once-Big Three could be outstripped in North American production by a combination of foreign companies by 2012, including BMW and Porsche-owned Volkswagen...
Ralph Hanson -
Nissan planning to mass produce electric vehicles by 2012
Promises about electric vehicles are a dime a dozen, and so far no one - not even Tesla - has managed to deliver a real daily-driving production car in volume. Nissan has so far promised to deliver its first electric vehicle by 2010, although initially it will be available only to commercial fleet...
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Bondurant launches rotary-powered championship series for weekend racers
Anyone looking to compete in a proper racing series but not quite prepared to invest in buying a complete race car and transporting it to different circuits will no longer have to sit on the sidelines and simply dream about it. That’s because the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance...
Ralph Hanson -
All-wheel drive BMW 7-Series due later this year
The later part of 2009 will see the introduction of AWD powertrains versions of BMW’s 7-Series, with the first models likely appearing after a debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September as 2010 models. The change is, for many, long overdue as the German competition has long offered AWD...
Ralph Hanson