Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Earlier this week we reported about BMW offering a range of new factory-backed performance parts and now we can confirm Lexus will be releasing its own range of accessories at the end of next month.... -
Video: Seat Tribu conceptSeat has been suffering financially however the Spanish subsidiary of Volkswagen hopes that a raft of new models will allow it to improve sales. It has confirmed the Seat Tribu concept shown at this month's Frankfurt IAA will enter production in 2009 complete with an edgy exterior designed by...
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Video: Mini Cooper petrol vs dieselDiesel is the choice of fuel in most parts of Europe whereas petrol is favored in most other parts of the globe, but which one is better? One way to find out is by testing both engine types using the same car and judging criteria. Find out which comes out on top by clicking ahead for a full video...
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MTM Birkin Edition Bentley Continental GTCHot on the heels of last week's reveal of the Le MANSory Conti GTC at the Frankfurt Motor Show comes the new Birkin Edition GT convertible from rival tuner MTM. Not wanting to distort the classic lines of the standard model, tuners added only a few minor touches to the exterior such as the new boot...
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No love between the FrenchThe alliance between Renault and Nissan has been very beneficial to both companies and it’s no secret the CEO of the French-Japanese duo, Carlos Ghosn, is looking for a tie-up with a third partner. We can report that French rival PSA/Peugeot-Citroen is unlikely to be that partner, despite a...
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Video: Lamborghini's new ReventonThe Lamborghini Reventon turned out to be one of the showstoppers at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, managing to overshadow the launch of Ferrari’s new F430 Scuderia and the similarly priced Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang. Check out what all the fuss is about in this new video after the...
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As suggested earlier, Volkswagen's Spanish subsidiary Seat has confirmed that it will be entering their Tribu concept from Frankfurt this year into production in 2009. The news has failed to surprise... -
GM Holden mulls production Efijy conceptGot a spare million or two and not interested in a Bugatti Veyron or the new Lamborghini supercar? General Motors’ Australian division may have something for you. The company released the Efijy concept back in 2005 as a modern interpretation of the hot rods of yesteryear, however this is one...
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Toyota boss wants low-cost car to be cheaper, production model arrives in 2009After driving a prototype version of Toyota’s new minicar, the carmaker’s President Katsuaki Watanabe came away content with the design but sought more in terms of cost reduction. The new model is aimed at emerging markets such as India, China, Russia and Brazil and, despite its...
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Prodrive boss also in helicopter crashJust 24 hours after former rally world champion Colin McRae was killed, Prodrive chief David Richards survived a helicopter crash when returning from the Belgian grand prix. Richards, McRae's former boss at Suburu, was returning to Essex (UK) from Spa-Francorchamps with his wife when the helicopter...
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Rolls Royce Phantom Conquistador by MansoryFor some individuals, a car like the Rolls Royce Phantom is still not exclusive enough but, fortunately for them, there are tuners like Mansory. Accustomed to modifying cars from the likes of Bentley and Aston Martin, the German tuner has now worked its magic on the popular Rolls Royce saloon. For...
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Report: Super Aguri F1 team 'saved' by part-buyerAguri Suzuki has sold a stake of his formula one team to a mystery backer. The Japanese started searching for an investor when major backer SS United failed to make due payments in 2007. The Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten said a powerful Japanese businessman has plugged the budget hole...
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One of the potential bidders for Jaguar and Land Rover has pulled out of the race, citing uncertainty over the supply of components from Ford post sale as well as fears the brands won’t meet... -
Hamann Thunder BMW 3-series coupe with V10 powerBMW 3-series coupes powered by the M V10 seem to be the flavor of the month with no less than three different models from three different tuners released in the last couple of weeks. Already we’ve had the G-Power M3 CSL and the more recent AC Schnitzer GP3.10, and now we can add another...
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GM could have Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid by 2009GM doesn’t plan to have a dedicated plug-in hybrid on the market until 2010 when it releases a production version of its Volt Concept car, however, there could be a Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid on sale one year before that. GM brand manager Jill Lajdziak has hinted that a Vue plug-in that can...
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Preview: 2010 Audi A1 hatch and cabrioThe minicar segment is about to explode, with new models planned from most of the major carmakers including, for the first time, premium labels such as Audi, which is planning to launch the new A1 hatch in 2009. A concept version of the car will be displayed at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show...
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Confirmed: Porsche 911 GT2 Will Do The Nürburgring In 7:31The new 911 GT2 is fast. How fast? When we reported that it would lap the famed Nordschleife circuit in just 7 minutes and 32 seconds many of our regular readers expressed their disbelief and doubt. The image came from a leaked brochure but we were unable to get official confirmation on this. Well...
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Land Rover Planning Coupe-CrossoverLand Rover has announced plans to launch a new sporty coupe-crossover smaller than its current Freelander/LR2 model to rival premium small SUVs like the upcoming Audi Q3. At a press conference held during the Frankfurt Motor Show, Land Rover’s design chief Gerry McGovern previewed several new...
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One of the stranger unveilings at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show was an oddly shaped coupe from Germany’s Wiesmann. The retro-styled coupe, dubbed the GT MF 5, packs the same 5.0L V10... -
India signs F1 track deal in LondonIndia has now signed a commitment to build a grand prix circuit in Delhi. Reports in the country said the deal was signed by promoter Suresh Kalmadi, of the Indian Olympic Association, and F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, in London on Monday. The agreement is conditional only on the payment of...
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Land Rover adding stop-start systems from 2009Bowing to public pressure to make its vehicles more environmentally friendly, Land Rover has announced today it's planning to launch an engine stop-start system for all its Freelander 2 TD4 manual vehicles from 2009 onwards. The system turns off the engine when the vehicle is stationary and...
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Revealed: Lamborghini's Reventón supercarLamborghini’s new jetfighter-inspired supercar has finally broken cover and we can now reveal that the €1 million supercar will be called the ‘Reventón.’ The car will be manufactured in a limited run of just 20 copies and is powered by a 650hp 6.5L V12 engine. Peak...
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Seat goes green with new Ibiza EcomotiveYet another carmaker has unveiled its strategy for fighting emissions, this time it’s Seat which is presenting the most economical and lowest-emissions model it’s ever released. The new car is dubbed the Ibiza Ecomotive and is set to go on sale early next year. Official figures for the...
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Renault’s new Kangoo Compact ConceptRenault will be showcasing six new production models as well as two brand new concept cars at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show, one of which is the new Kangoo Compact Concept. Designed as preview of a possible new Kangoo variant, the new concept car is built around a roller-skating theme and is...
Ralph Hanson