Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Acura is planning to inject some life into the slow selling RL flagship saloon by giving the car a major overhaul in time for next year's summer sale period. Several dealers were given information... -
Video: From the Audi 80 to the new A4Audi's entry-level sedan is now in its eighth generation, 35 years after the launch of the original B1 Audi 80 back in 1972. Since then the car has seen the launch of quattro AWD, direct injection technology and a name change to 'A4.' Follow the jump for a video outlining the progression of each...
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Renault Logan breaks emissions recordEnvironmentally friendly cars have been becoming increasingly popular ever since the introduction of the ground-breaking Toyota Prius. Renault is now pushing the boundaries of how clean an eco-friendly car can be by creating a version of its Logan sedan with record-breaking emission levels and...
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Lamborghini rides clear of the stormThreats from a strong euro and a U.S. market downturn have most of the car company execs a little worried but not the people working at Lamborghini. In fact, CEO Stephan Winkelmann sees no threat from these market factors whatsoever. With sales on track to reach record levels this year and...
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Kleemann’s 800HP Mercedes ML63K Bi-turboThe idea of a super-fast SUV usually arouses thoughts of the infamous Porsche Cayenne Turbo but with a little help from a tuning company Mercedes’ ML63 has been turned it into a 4WD powerhouse. By fitting two Garrett turbochargers Kleeman was able to lift output to the tune of 800hp and an...
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BMW now with Brembo brakesItalian auto supplier Brembo has announced today that it had started supplying braking systems and brake discs to BMW. Over the past quarter some of BMW’s high-performance models swapped to a new set of six-piston caliper brakes manufactured by Brembo and more models are expected to follow...
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Toyota is developing a small SUV positioned below its RAV4 to capitalize on one of the fastest growing segments in Europe. Between 2005 and 2006 the compact SUV market in Europe grew by 63.6% and... -
Preview: 2010 Skoda YetiSkoda will be launching several new models over the coming years to help reach its targeted sales growth rate of 50% by the end of the decade, and one of these new models will be the Yeti SUV arriving in mid 2009. First displayed in concept form back at 2005’s Geneva Motor Show, the Yeti will...
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Renault Laguna Coupe engine specsRenault’s new flagship coupe is still roughly a year away from making its debut but as the passage of time creeps on more and more of the car’s specifications are being revealed. Already we know the Laguna Coupe will be the first model to feature Renault’s new Active-Drive four...
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UK considering tougher penalties for speedingMotorists in the UK are already faced with some of the highest fuel prices and road taxes in the world and now they could be facing much tougher penalties for speeding. The latest proposal could see drivers banned for just two offences and face fines of up to £100 ($209). In fairness to the policy...
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TTAC picks the 10 worst autos of 2007We’re sure most readers will have their own private list of hated cars but we bet few and far between would have every car on that list be from one of the Detroit 3. The same can’t be said for the guys who claim to be all things honest about the auto industry, so let’s take a look...
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Preview: 2009 Volkswagen SciroccoWhen VW first lifted the covers off the Iroc concept at last year’s Paris Motor Show our first thoughts was here is a car that would look stunning just the way it was. Unfortunately VW’s new CEO Martin Winterkorn didn’t agree and he subsequently sent designers back to the drawing...
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There’s been so much news surrounding GM’s upcoming RWD models that you’d think developers were no longer focusing on building FWD cars anymore. We’ve heard plenty about the... -
Lexus IS-F hints at the design of all F carsThe new IS-F sedan has shown that engineers at Lexus can build performance cars that can go head-to-head with sport saloons from their German rivals, but convincing buyers the new ‘F’ brand can equal the more established ‘M’ and ‘AMG’ marques is a much tougher...
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GM planning limited edition 427 ZL-1 Big-Block V8It looks like no one told the guys at GM Performance Parts that oil prices are now at record highs because early next year they’ll be launching a modern interpretation of the classic 427 ZL-1 V8 engine. The new big-block will have a price tag of $20,000 and only 427 examples will be made. The...
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BMW planning 12 new models by 2011The recent introduction of the new 1-series Coupe and Cabrio and the reveal of the segment starting X6 ‘Sport Activity Vehicle’ is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of new models for BMW. As outlined in its official future strategy document released in late September, BMW is...
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Fiat could partner with Mercedes for new Alfa 169Earlier this month Fiat Chief Sergio Marchionne revealed Mercedes-Benz was one of a number of companies Fiat was in talks with over a possible alliance, but apart from the confirmation of the talks we don’t really know much about the negotiations. Earlier reports suggested Fiat and Mercedes...
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Video: Test driving the Ferrari 599 GTB FioranoThere’s no shortage to the exotic metal the lucky guys at Top Gear get to drive. This time ‘round presenter Jeremy Clarkson is testing Ferrari’s gorgeous 599 GTB Fiorano and after he’s done with it the enigmatic Stig gets a chance to take it for a spin.
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Toyota’s main showcase for this year’s SEMA Auto Show involved its budget Scion xB, which was transformed into an odd looking pickup truck with a definite jungle theme. To convert the... -
Roush pays homage to WWII fighter with P-51A MustangTuning company Roush has taken the covers off a new version of the Ford Mustang called the P-51A, which was debuted at the SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas today. The car was designed along the lines of the legendary WWII fighter with which it shares its name, and with 510hp and 691Nm (510lb-ft) of...
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SEMA 2007 Vehicle Design Award winners announcedIn the midst of all the chaos that is the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual show, there are four cars each year that stand out as the very best in their categories. Rated on ease of customization, the Vehicle Design Awards are given for the best car, SUV, truck and hybrid. The...
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Ultima GTR Unofficially Fastest Around Top Gear TrackThe Ultima GTR may not look a world beater but the British-built supercar has racked up a string of first place titles over the years with the latest being the fastest lap time set by a production car for the Top Gear circuit. The time posted for the standard production Ultima GTR720 road car was...
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Volvo brings five new concepts to SEMAVolvo is celebrating its fifth straight year at SEMA by unveiling five highly modified concept vehicles ranging from the all-new XC70 to a high-performance version of the S80 T6, a sporty version of the C30 to a C70 convertible, and a one-off fully custom hot rod. To develop the cars Volvo worked...
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Toyota suspends sales of RAV4 V6 because of engine faultToyota’s reputation for building reliable cars is continuing to crumble with news today of yet another engine problem, this time with officials in Australia holding back sales of the V6-powered RAV4 SUV. The latest problem surrounds an issue with regard to models equipped with Toyota’s...
Ralph Hanson