Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Forty-five years after he introduced the original Ford Mustang at the 1964 New York World's Fair, auto industry stalwart Lee Iacocca today announced a new version of the famous muscle car – the...
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Mercedes updates the G-Class for 30th birthday
Adding value to a successful design that's been essentially unchanged for 30 years might seem like an unecessary fix, but Mercedes has seen fit to add a few interior updates to its G-Class for its 30th year on the road. The updates include a new set of 'ergonomically optimized' front seats which...
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BMW settles E46 3-series subframe lawsuit, promises to repair affected models
As the result of a class action lawsuit settlement against BMW, the luxury German automaker will begin an inspection-and-repair process for potentially faulty subframes in fourth-generation 3-series models. The particular model in question is the E46, and covers the complete model run from 1999...
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Ultra-rare 1936 Lincoln ‘Aero-Mobile’ modified by Howard Hughes sells for $1 million
It’s not every day that one of the rarest cars in the world comes up for auction, and it’s even rarer still when that vehicle forms part of the legacy of one of the world's most intriguing and famous individuals - Howard Hughes. Hughes may be best known for his construction of the...
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Mustang '5.0' fender badge to return with new 5.0L V8 for 2011?
The Mustang is not just an iconic pony car or a retro-modern throw-back to simpler times. It's a fan-favorite performance vehicle that has a rabid and enthusiastic base of drivers, tuners and manufacturers behind it. So news of the return of the '5.0' badge to the front fender of the 2011 Mustang...
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Three-cylinder engine planned for next Mercedes C-Class
Expect to see smaller engines and more hybrid options for future Mercedes Benz models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push buyers – even luxury oriented ones - towards more efficient vehicles. The solution for most automakers, including arch rival BMW, is to downsize...
Ralph Hanson -
It's hard to pin down the qualities of the 'ultimate' vehicle, but the new Racing Buggy from Fornasari looks to be a fair attempt. Its design, however, is as extreme as its capabilities so it's sure...
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Lexus bringing LF-A, IS-F race cars to Goodwood Festival of Speed
For the true enthusiast, there are few events that satisfy as completely as the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Both concourse and racing event, Goodwood offers the best of both worlds in an environment steeped in history and tradition. Lexus will be taking advantage of this year's Festival to show off...
Ralph Hanson -
edo Competition unveils custom 500hp Ferrari California
Unless you live in Maranello, it's not every day that you see a Ferrari on the street, much less a heavily tuned and modified one, but the carefully created black-on-black and tan Ferrari California from edo Competition makes us wish it were a more common event. A full 500hp (367kW) and 369lb-ft...
Ralph Hanson -
Lamborghini waiting times cut in half on the back of slow sales
Last year was Lamborghini’s most successful year on record but even it cannot escape the effects of the world economic crisis. Lamborghini sales are down more than 30% for the first five months of the year and the company is expecting things to stay this way until at least 2011. While the...
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Nissan prices Nismo 370Z from $39,130
Nissan brand new Nismo-enhanced 370Z has officially gone on sale, priced from $39,130 and available with just three accessories – Nismo branded carpeted floor mats ($115), illuminated kick plates ($200) and a carpeted trunk mat ($95). Like the limited production Nismo 350Z introduced two...
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GM bumps price of 2010 Corvette ZR1 up $2,910 to $107,830
Supercar performance from a 638hp supercharged V8 engine, carbon fiber bodywork and sharp styling should all add up to a price tag in the $200,000+ range if you look to the competition, but the Corvette ZR1's unmatched value put its sticker price at just $104,920 for 2009. That price will be going...
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Despite all the excitement over Ford's EcoBoost twin-turbo six-cylinder engine lineup, the company has yet to drop it into the most likely candidate: the Mustang. That's still the case, but at least...
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Lorinser Treats The Lexus LS 460 To German Fine Tuning
For a first try, the Lorinser LS460 is an excellent result. Of course, this is the first Lexus Lorinser has tuned, but it's by no means their first project. Typically tied up with Teutonic hardware, the Mercedes specialists at Lorinser decided to do something different this time. And it's...
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Chrysler resumes production post bankruptcy, starts with Dodge Viper SRT10
With the Dodge Viper business safely in Fiat’s hands for now, production at the car’s Conner Avenue plant in Michigan has finally resumed. Chrysler stopped production at all of its North American plants when it filed for bankruptcy on April 30. The information was confirmed to the Wall...
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Lexus RX crossover awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick
Anyone in the market for the new 2010 Lexus RX can rest assure they are buying one of the safest crossovers available as the vehicle has just earned the highest safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Along with the 2009 Toyota Venza, the new RX receives the...
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Report: Convertible Lexus IS-F greenlighted, soft-top SC possible
Just two months ago the new 2010 Lexus IS Convertible went on sale in Japan, and with it came talk of a coupe version as well. That started rumors that Lexus could make IS-F versions of both, and a new report today confirms those plans. The report also includes hints of a possible soft-top variant...
Ralph Hanson -
Hummer won't stop U.S. production, sale to new owners complete by October
Poor sales, growing public concern for the environment and the recession have all added up to weaken General Motors’ chances of finding many buyers for Hummer but the struggling automaker confirmed last week that at least one company was interested in the sale. That company was Chinese...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford’s Windsor 351 small-block V8 is far from dead despite its origins dating back to the early 1960s. Ford’s motorsports division, Ford Racing, has just released a new performance engine...
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New info reveals Lexus LF-A will be limited to 500 units
The supercar that almost wasn’t, and still might not be, the Lexus LF-A, was recently spotted again in prototype form ahead of a rumored debut at October's Tokyo Motor Show, and over the weekend new information about the car has emerged, confirming much of what was already suspected. The LF-A...
Ralph Hanson -
Michael Schumacher laps the Ferrari 599 GTB HGTE at Fiorano
Most people are satisfied with the performance and handling of a stock Ferrari. It is, after all, a Ferrari. But for those with even higher standards, Ferrari has created the Handling GT Evoluzione (HGTE) package, revealed in March at the Geneva Motor Show. This week, seven-time F1 champ Michael...
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World's rarest Corvettes heading to Chicago
The Chevrolet Corvette has had a historic run as America's iconic supercar, spawning imitations in the past and inspiring allegiance from Corvette aficionados around the world over the decades. With 1,500,000 Corvettes built over the years, it’s a good time to look to the past, and now, one...
Ralph Hanson -
Tax break on new cars extends to all 50 states
No one at this point doubts the country's, or the world's, economic woes, most especially those within the car industry. So the announcement today that the U.S. Treasury has expanded its offer of a tax break on new car sales to those bought in states without a sales tax comes as a welcome aid...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercedes-Benz reveals full details on ESF 2009 safety prototype vehicle
Airbag brakes, inflatable metal and seats that push the passengers around? It sounds like a car straight out of a transformers movie, but Mercedes-Benz has let loose the full details of its ESF 2009 S400 Hybrid experimental Safety Vehicle that has all that and more - even though it won't be...
Ralph Hanson