Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Previously we reported on the Nissan GT-R's 'uncrackable' speed limiter, which could only be delimited when entering circuits via a GPS link. While Nissan assured customers the encryption on the ECU... -
Ford unveils 'Cross Traffic Alert' monitoring systemFord has unveiled two new features designed to aid visibility, the first a simple blind spot side-view mirror and the second is a new radar based blind spot monitoring system. The new side-view mirror will be fitted as standard equipment from next year onwards and features an integrated convex...
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Small cars causing big headaches for carmakersWith fuel prices continuing to spiral northwards and consumers around the world adopting a new wave of environmental consciousness, sales of small economical runabouts are skyrocketing and carmakers unaccustomed to building and selling such models are starting to feel the heat. Finding it hardest...
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J.D. Power predicts U.S. diesel and hybrid sales to triple by 2015Diesel models may account for half of all vehicle sales in Europe but in the U.S. their numbers still hover around the 3% mark. Petrol-electric models, meanwhile, sell in even lower numbers with total sales in the U.S. only accounting for a meager 2.2% of the market. Despite their low popularity in...
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$200,000 Rolls Royce hood ornamentDestined to be one of the most outrageous and expensive car accessories of all time, a Manhattan luxury dealership has commissioned a one-of-a-kind Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament comprised of diamonds, platinum and other rare metals. The asking price for the jeweled mascot? $200,000 or about half...
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F1 heading for 20-race calendar - bossesThe Formula One calendar is set to expand to twenty grands prix as early as next year, team bosses suggested in Bahrain on Wednesday. Abu Dhabi is preparing to host its inaugural race next year, and South Korea in 2010. The current calendar features 18 stops. But with India, the United States...
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While the rest of the world can opt for fuel-efficient petrol and diesel four-cylinder versions of the C-Class, the entry-level model in the U.S. sports a V6 powerplant. Given the current concerns... -
Porsche files judicial review against London c-chargePorsche today officially applied for a judicial review challenging the London Mayor’s £25 ($50) congestion charge in the High Court of Justice. The sports carmaker believes the increase of the congestion charge from £8 ($16) a day, or £0.80 ($1.6) for residents, to £25 is both unfair and...
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Skoda to build Volkswagen up! minicarVolkswagen may have to call upon its Skoda subsidiary to manufacture its forthcoming production up! minicar, which many are predicting will be the next-generation Lupo compact. This way VW will be able to take advantage of Skoda’s low-cost production facilities in Vrchlabi and Pamplona to...
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Audi denies R4 plansDespite numerous reports claiming Audi’s new Cayman-rival is in development, senior officials have confirmed there is no 'baby' R8, or R4 as most sources have been calling it, currently in the works. However, before we rule out the new model, remember that carmakers are well known for their...
Ralph Hanson -
California eases quotas for zero-emissions vehiclesThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) has today agreed to reduce the number of zero-emissions vehicles carmakers are mandated to build each year by 70%, easing an earlier target that would have seen them sell up to 25,000 zero-emissions vehicles between 2012-2014. This figure has now been...
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'Avions Voisin' name revived with new supercar conceptJust as Volkswagen Group’s Veyron supercar revived the longstanding Bugatti label, Portuguese-based designer Ernesto Freitas from Luso Motors envisages his new Voisin Concept injecting some life into France’s forgotten carmaker, Avions Voisin. At the moment his new Voisin Concept...
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With the introduction of the new Gallardo LP 560-4 at the recent Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini has officially ended production of its Superleggera model. The lightweight Gallardo was only...
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BMW to build Alfa Romeos in U.S.?Earlier this week Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne revealed his desire to partner with an American carmaker over a deal to build Alfa Romeos in the U.S., but according to latest reports BMW could be the carmaker Fiat signs up with. Alfa Romeo has been planning its 2009 North American relaunch for years...
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Video: Alfa 159 GTA Spied At The 'RingAlfa’s 159 GTA sedan has been caught by a spy photographers testing near Germany’s Nurburgring circuit ahead of its sales launch pegged for early next year. Up against established leaders like the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Mercedes C63 AMG in the performance sedan market, the hotted-up Alfa...
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Hamilton promised McLaren LM supercar for title winLewis Hamilton has been promised a $4 million McLaren supercar for free - if he wins the world titles this year. The 23-year-old British driver told The Sun newspaper that he first clapped eyes on the ultra-rare McLaren LM in the team's F1 factory ten years ago. "When I first went to McLaren it was...
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Toyota shopping mall opens in JapanIn what may lead to a new trend among carmakers, the cash-rich ones at least, Toyota has opened a new shopping mall aimed at selling and promoting its cars. The new site is located in Yokohama, Japan, and features the usual assortment of restaurants and specialty stores you would find in any...
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Video: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI test driveUp against the aggressively styled Mitsubishi Evo X and Nissan GT-R, Subaru’s new Impreza WRX STI looks a little timid and ungainly. At least the hot-hatch at least has little to worry about when it comes to the track as this latest clip form Fifth Gear reveals. Follow the jump for the full...
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Now that Chrysler is in private hands the tough decisions are coming hard and fast. Last year we saw officials axe cars like the PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum, and now... -
Mileage number one priority for consumersCar buyers are faced with a number of vehicle attributes at purchase time, including styling, performance, safety and quality just to name a few of the popular ones. However, the one attribute considered above all else by consumers according to a new study conducted by America’s AAA is a...
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Chrysler asks public to help design future carsChrysler announced today that it’s recruiting members of the public for its new 'Customer Advisory Board', an online forum where individuals can voice their ideas about what they want to see in a new car. Anyone can join the forum, including consumers who have never previously owned a...
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Next Mustang And Falcon To Share New RWD PlatformIn a move similar to GM's plan to bring rear-drive Australian vehicles to U.S. shores, rival carmaker Ford is also planning to beef up its product lineup with some much needed RWD models. The new cars will be based around a single platform, in line with Ford’s new strategy of global platform...
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Kelley Blue Book 2008 Brand Image AwardsInfluential auto resource Kelley Blue Book (KBB) and its marketing research team have compiled a list of vehicles based its consumer perception data. Researchers look at carmaker’s achievements in creating and maintaining brand attributes that consumers look for when buying a new car, and is...
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Subaru announces EV partnership with N.Y. Power AuthoritySubaru used the backdrop of the New York Auto Show to announce a formal partnership between it and the New York Power Authority for the start of a new testing program of R1e electric vehicles in the U.S. Based on the R1 petrol minicar, Subaru’s new R1e has been in testing in Japan since 2006...
Ralph Hanson