Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Chrysler has been negotiating with China’s Chery Auto for more than a year over a deal to source Chinese built vehicles for sale in the US. The deal was close to being pulled earlier this year... -
Toyota reveals new Auris/Corolla three-doorToyota’s new three-door Auris hatchback has been launched in Europe, a car that will eventually be sold in other markets as the Corolla hatch. The three-door model offers similar levels of interior space to the five-door thanks to the identical 2.6m wheelbase, and comes standard with...
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Nine points and £400 fine after crashing a VeyronThe UK man who crashed his brother’s Bugatti Veyron back in March will have his license endorsed with nine penalty points, three points away from being totally suspended. He will also receive a £400 fine but we suspect the trashing he would have received from his older brother would have...
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Future of Ford’s global vehicle developmentIn a push to streamline the number of platforms it uses and at the same time save costs, Ford will develop its future models using a single global engineering team. The first car to be spawned from the new program will be the next Fiesta, which the carmaker’s development Chief Derrick Kuzak...
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More details on Alfa Romeo’s new modelsAt a recent presentation Alfa Romeo CEO Antonio Baravalle revealed details about two new hatchback models that are in development, an entry-level three-door and a C-segment five-door. The first car will be the replacement for the 147 hatch, which will be dropping the numeric naming pattern and...
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Production Ford Flex to look like conceptA near-production test-mule of Ford’s upcoming Flex crossover has been spotted testing, which reveals that designers have created an almost exact copy of the concept car (pictured), which appeared at April’s New York Auto Show. The only major difference will be a slight alteration to...
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Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking has denied rumors that there’s a new Porsche SUV in development positioned below the Cayenne. Speaking at the general meeting in Stuttgart on Tuesday, Wiedeking... -
Efficient Dynamics for BMW 3-seriesBMW’s 3-series range is next in line to get the carmaker’s Efficient Dynamics fuel saving technology, and preliminary tests are showing that some models are reducing carbon emissions by up to 23%. The first cars equipped with the system will appear in showrooms from September, and will...
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Spy Shots: Undisguised Mini ClubmanNew images of the Mini Clubman have turned up, with the car captured by spy photographers without any disguise as it was being filmed for a commercial. The images reveal that the Clubman will have a split-opening tailgate, a single suicide-style rear door on the passenger side only, and a...
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2009 Nissan GT-R spy shotsVisitors at this month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed were treated with a rare sighting of the 2009 GT-R prototype, with test drivers doing a couple of laps to entertain the crowd. The annual Goodwood event has definitely proven itself to be one of the most exciting car shows of the year, with...
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Fisker Coachbuild delivers first carAfter establishing his company Fisker Coachbuild in sunny California back in 2005, former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker has delivered his first car at a ceremony at the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance in Beverly Hills. The car in question is a 2007 Fisker Latigo CS V10 coupe, number one...
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Ferrari unveils eco-friendly FXX Millechili studyFor Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary celebration at its headquarters in Maranello this week, the supercar company has unveiled its future strategy for improving its image in the eyes of environmentalists. Apart from the official formalities and the release of the 60th anniversary edition of the 612...
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Michael Schumacher will compete once again in this year’s Race of Champions (ROC) at Wembley Stadium on the 16th of December. The unique event will see the stadium transformed into a... -
Volvo sports line to be called R-designOn Monday we reported that Volvo would be introducing a range of sports packs for its cars, emulating what Audi has done with its S-line package. Not wanting to completely lose any street cred its ‘R’ performance range may have earned, Volvo will be calling the new sports line...
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Renault and Volvo trucks consider buying Volvo carsAB Volvo is the second largest truck manufacturer in the world and is the former of owner of Volvo cars before selling it to Ford back in 1999. According to Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri, the truck company may join Renault in a potential buy-out of Volvo from Ford’s Premier Auto Group...
Ralph Hanson -
Saab ending 9-7X production next yearSaab will cease production of its 9-7X next year with just three years of sales under its belt because of the model’s lackluster sales performance. The 9-7X shares its underpinnings with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and is currently manufactured at a GM plant in Moraine, Ohio. The TrailBlazer is...
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Cheaper V8 Lamborghini Gallardo in the works?Lamborghini is rumored to be developing a new entry-level model powered by the Audi R8’s 4.2L FSI V8 engine. A suspicious looking Gallardo test-mule has been spotted by spy photographers circling the Nurburgring with a modified exhaust outlet, which suggests that there could be a different...
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Lancia to get new Aurelia flagship and Delta hatchLancia’s portfolio is set to expand with several hot models supposedly making a return. Names like Aurelia and Delta are currently being tossed around the rumor mill, and AutoExpress is reporting that the brand will return to the UK with a new flagship model based on Maserati’s new...
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Porsche was first to the market with an SUV model based on the vehicle architecture developed jointly between Volkswagen, Audi and itself. The original Cayenne was released back in 2002, one year... -
Toyota delays next-gen PriusThe 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid has officially been revealed at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Click here for all the details and images. Despite being at the forefront of hybrid technology, even Toyota is having trouble bringing next-generation models to market using lithium-ion battery technology. It...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford releases Shelby GT ConvertibleAmerica’s top selling convertible is about to get another variation with the announcement that Ford and Carroll Shelby will be launching a new GT Mustang drop-top for the 2008 model year. Though the first cars aren’t expected to hit showrooms until August, Mustang fans will be able to...
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Nanjing to resurrect Austin and Healey brandsWhen Nanjing Automobile bought the MG Rover brand back in 2005 it also picked up the rights to many of MG’s ‘heritage brands,’ including the Austin Motor Company. Now it’s reported that the Chinese carmaker has reached deal with Healey Automobile Consultants Limited to...
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Rolls-Royce Considers Bertone Or Zagato PartnershipRolls-Royce may turn to Italian coachbuilders such as Bertone or Zagato to construct ultra-luxurious versions of its Phantom saloon for individual customers who desire extra levels of personalization. Under the proposal, once a rolling chassis is produced at the Goodwood facility in the UK the...
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Official images of the 2008 Saab 9-3 faceliftEarlier spy shots of the facelifted Saab 9-3 didn’t show the new car in its best light. The rear wheel arches looked two small for the rest of the car, which made its rump look oversized. It didn’t take long for officials to release these latest press shots of the car, which coincide...
Ralph Hanson