Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Volkswagen has released full details for its new Touareg R50 high-performance SUV just days ahead of its world premiere at the 2007 Australian auto show in Sydney.
We can now confirm that it will be...
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Alpine brand revivedDespite the millions spent by Renault on its Formula One team and its recent success in the competition, translating these efforts to its production cars is a moot point because Renault’s lineup is lacking in the sports car department. Management is hoping to change all that and is keen to...
Ralph Hanson -
EU wants brake-assist to be standard by 2009Not content with mandating carmakers to curb emissions the EU has now focused its attention on ensuring all new cars be equipped with brake-assist systems. Officials proposed today that such systems be made standard by 2009 to help reduce the number of pedestrian accidents and are predicting that...
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Video: BMW M3 Sedan takes to the hillsThe four-door M3 has a good chance of being more popular than its coupe sibling despite BMW deeming it unworthy to produce during the last generation. This latest video shows that the new sedan is every bit as stylish as the coupe and the fact that it’s more practical could just give it the...
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Video: Clarkson drives the W12-powered GolfTop Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson gets a chance to drive Volkswagen's Golf GTI W12 650 concept car on the latest episode of Top Gear, and as you'd expect the 6.0L bi-turbo W12 shoe-horned under the bonnet is nothing short of amazing. This hot little hatch pumps out 650hp and 750Nm through the rear...
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Porsche rewards every employee with €5,200 bonusPorsche may be a niche label but it remains one of the most profitable carmakers in the world and expects to see profits lift even further than the record levels of 2006. Officials said sales rose 3.4% to €7.4 billion for the last financial year, while sales grew by 0.7% to 97,515 units in...
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As fuel prices continue to rise and governments take heed to concerns of climate change, carmakers are being forced to introduce more fuel efficient and cleaner engines a lot quicker than they're... -
FPV prepping new Territory FX6 and Cobra sedanFord’s Aussie subsidiary and its FPV performance division were set to unveil two new models at next week’s Sydney Motor Show but images of the new cars were leaked ahead of the reveal. The cars are based around Ford’s Falcon sedan and its Territory SUV but both have undergone...
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Daimler drops Chrysler for good, Benz name stays on at MercedesShareholders of DaimlerChrysler have approved the company’s new name ‘Daimler AG’ and have also agreed to rename the car division ‘Mercedes-Benz Cars.’ Following the split of DaimlerChrysler earlier this year, shareholders were required to vote in a new name for the...
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PAL-V Flying Car Nears ProductionThere’s no shortage of entrepreneurs and snake oil salesmen promising the roll-out of personal flying vehicles despite the inherent dangers present in selling such vehicles to the general public. Joining the likes of the Moller Skycar and X-Hawk flying vehicles comes the PAL-V (Personnel Air...
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SsangYong prepping 5.0L luxury sedanMost readers would probably recognize SsangYong for its range of odd-looking SUVs but the South Korean carmaker also is responsible for a luxury sedan called the Chairman. SsangYong is now working on a successor for the Chairman to be launched next year and exported to markets outside of South...
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Gallery: Porsche’s 911 GT2 Super CoupePorsche’s new GT2 isn’t even officially on sale yet and already it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting sports cars, or should we say supercars, of the decade to come out of Stuttgart. The excitement surrounds confirmation that Porsche test-driver Walter Rohrl can circle...
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It appears the up! concept car unveiled in Frankfurt last month was not the only minicar concept Volkswagen was planning. As previously reported, VW will be unveiling a new five-door minivan version... -
Spy Shots: BMW Z4 faceliftThe 2010 BMW Z4 has officially been revealed. Click here for all the details and images. This new prototype seen driving around the streets of Munich was initially rumored to be a new BMW-badged rival for the Mercedes-SL as well as the next-generation Z4 Roadster. It’s now thought to be just...
Ralph Hanson -
Subaru releases second teaser for new WRX STIThe debut of the all new 2008 Impreza WRX STI is still several weeks away but in the meantime Subaru has released another teaser shot of the car, this time from the rear. Like the first teaser, the new shot shows the car in barely any light. In addition to the flared wheel arches, we can see that...
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China’s Brilliance launches new BC3 coupeThis odd looking and slightly stylish coupe is the new BC3 from Brilliance and has just gone on sale in China with a starting price of just under $15,000. Brilliance is BMW’s partner in China but the new BC3 is said to be an all-Chinese designed and manufactured vehicle, the first for the...
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Video: Lexus IS-F at Laguna SecaLexus will be taking on two of its most coveted rivals, Mercedes’ C63 and the BMW M3, with its all new IS-F performance sedan. This latest video shows the car going through some high-speed antics down at the Laguna Seca speedway, and, by the looks of things, IS-F owners will have nothing to...
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Strike at GM is overGeneral Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement, bringing the two-day strike of 73,000 workers to an end. Under the new deal, UAW members will receive part of a comprehensive health care trust fund and guaranteed jobs in North America. UAW President Ron...
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Hoping to share in the success of the European minicar segment, Toyota is planning to release a production version of its iQ concept car as early as 2009. According to the Nikkei business daily, this... -
Bentley to build lighter carsWithout doubt, Bentley builds some of the biggest and heaviest cars on the planet. Its Continental GT Coupe, for example, tips the scales at a hefty 2350kg, which is up there with fully loaded limousines and luxury SUVs in terms of kerb weight. To move all that heft, the Bentley requires a...
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BMW considers U.S. powertrain productionBMW has enjoyed great success with the production of vehicles in the U.S., so much so that it plans to lift current production levels at its Spartanburg site from 140,000 vehicles a year to roughly 230,000. The depreciating U.S. dollar against the Euro makes it more cost effective for BMW to...
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Ferrari accepts constructor's crownFerrari has now accepted that it "has won" the 2007 constructors' world championship. Following news that McLaren will not appeal the World Motor Sport Council's sanctions for espionage, the Maranello based team announced in a statement: "Ferrari will now invest all its efforts over the final three...
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Spyker agrees to F1 team saleSpyker announced on Thursday that an "initial agreement" to sell the Dutch formula one team to Vijay Mallya and the Mol family for 88m euros has now been reached. It emerged earlier this month that Spyker Cars' board had granted the consortium, which offered 80m euros, 30 days of exclusive...
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Porsche to build cars in India?Porsches have traditionally been built in Germany but even an exclusive marque like the Stuttgart-based sports carmaker is not immune from the forces of globalization. Already we’ve seen it move production of its Cayenne SUV to a plant in Slovakia and now there are reports that it could even...
Ralph Hanson