Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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If Max Mosley, president of the FIA, gets his way, Formula One will switch to V6 engines in 2011.
The 2.2 litre turbo-charged formula, with powerplants limited to just 10,000 rpm and running on... -
VW unveils the Golf GTI Pirelli editionThe Wörthersee 2007 tuner show was the site for the return of the Volkswagen Golf GTI Pirelli. First released in 1983 as a limited edition model, the original Pirelli featured specially designed alloy wheels with the “Pirelli P” on their outer edges and sold over 10,000 units in the...
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Kia drops development plans for cee’d cabrioExecutives at Kia have decided to shelve plans for a drop-top version of the cee’d hatch, despite the project already being in an advanced stage. Product planners cite poor profitability and Kia's small market presence as reasons for axing the plans. During a recent visit to Kia’s...
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Kia keen to reduce emissions, looks to hybridsDespite its budget image, Kia fully intends to outdo its rivals in the green stakes by improving the fuel efficiency of its fleet by 20% over the next five years. At the same time, it hopes to see carbon dioxide emissions levels fall from its fleet average of 163g/km to around 140g/km in 2009 and...
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Renntech Performance Armored Mercedes S-ClassWhen it comes to armored cars we’ve seen everything from Rolls Royce Phantoms to Range Rover SUVs, but the most recognized armored vehicle is the Mercedes Benz S600 Guard. That’s fine if you just want protection, but Renntech boss Hartmut Feyhl soon realized that the heavy bulk of the...
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Brabus presents the 730HP SV12 S Bi-turbo CoupeBrabus has taken the wraps off its latest mega-Mercedes with the introduction of the CL-based SV12 S Biturbo Coupe. Taking a donor Mercedes-Benz CL600 as their starting point, engineers then got to work on turning the standard car into what its makers claim is the world's fastest and most powerful...
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The Cadillac lineup is in for possible shakeup with a basic case of in with the new and out with the old. The first to go would be the FWD DTS. Despite being one of its best sellers, the DeVille... -
Weak US dollar forces carmakers to rethink Euro importsThe US will have to wait longer to see the introduction of some of Europe’s hot sellers because of a weakening in the US dollar against a strong euro. Ford bosses have had to drop plans to import a new European crossover to be sold under its premium Lincoln label because it simply became too...
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Toyota cutting hybrid costs, claims every car produced will be hybrid by 2020Toyota has always backed its hybrid technology as the key to reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions, but as advanced as the technology is, diesel powered cars manage to offer similar levels of eco-friendliness but with more performance to boot. It doesn’t help that hybrid vehicles are...
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Spy video: Porsche PanameraThe eagerly awaited Porsche Panamera is set to be delivered in 2010, which is some time away, but for now you can check out a few prototypes captured during cold weather testing. You can see the long slender body clearly in this video, which is one of the best spy shots available. Via German Car...
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World record attempt for largest parade of FerrarisFerrari will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the “largest parade of Ferraris” at a special event it’s hosting at Silverstone on the 8th of June. Labeled the Ferrari Racing Days, the event will see UK Ferrari owners take to the track for the three day meet, which...
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Report: ”Intelligent” cars just as efficient as hybridsA recent study has found that “intelligent” cars could be just as efficient when it comes to saving fuel as regular electric-hybrid vehicles. An "intelligent" car is basically an ordinary vehicle fitted with an array of sensors known as telematics, which monitor and predict traffic...
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General Motors’ European arm will be dropping its unsuccessful Signum hatchback by the middle of next year due to lackluster sales and the need for extra capacity at its Ruesselsheim plant in... -
More details on Audi R8's world's first all-LED headlightsThe Audi R8 already has more LEDs than most other cars but come year’s end and the R8 will have even more thanks to the addition of the super-efficient diodes for its headlights. Already LEDs are used for the daytime running lights, brake lights and engine cover, but as previewed by...
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US Senate proposal targets 35MPG by 2020In what could prove a disastrous blow to the US auto industry, a Senate committee has approved a bill that would force carmakers to improve average fuel economy levels of their fleets by 4% a year starting in 2011. At that rate, fuel efficiency levels will average 35mpg by 2020 but no long-term...
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A1GP's Hulkenberg set for F1 test with RenaultNewly crowned A1GP champion and teenager Nico Hulkenberg will test a formula one car for the first time later in 2007. That is the promise of the German's manager, Willi Weber, who is famous for steering the career of the most successful and highest earning grand prix driver of all time, Michael...
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Want to buy a Ferrari? Join the queueThe Ferrari brand is synonymous with desirability and exclusiveness, a combination that leaves buyers often waiting up to 24 months just to take delivery of one. Remember, people who can afford to spend a couple hundred thousand dollars on a car aren’t used to waiting more than five minutes...
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Video: VW Iroc concept takes to the skid panVW gives us a glimpse at the performance potential of its upcoming Scirocco hatch with this video of the Iroc concept car running through its paces out on the skid pan. The Iroc was one of the hottest cars displayed last year so let’s pray developers stick to the concept’s sleek lines...
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Three years after the launch of the SLR coupe, Mercedes has finally revealed the Roadster version. Mercedes has worked hard to ensure the Roadster is a ‘no compromise’ sports car. Unlike... -
Ford exec looks to future, sees smaller enginesInside any major carmaker, there are executives trying to predict what kind of cars we’ll all be driving ten, twenty years into the future. When Ford’s Susan Cischke looks into the future she still sees internal combustion engines powering cars, but they are smaller, weigh less and are...
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Toyota to display new minicar at Frankfurt Auto ShowToyota is set to unveil a new minicar aimed at European markets at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show later this year. The new model will be similar in size to DaimlerChrysler’s Smart Fortwo and will be able to seat two passengers up front with space available for a small child behind the...
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Another step forward for Indian GPNew Delhi has moved another crucial step closer to arriving on a formula one calendar of the very near future. With a project that is already supported by Bernie Ecclestone and private investors, it is reported that the exclusive designer of grand prix circuits recently made a visit to the Indian...
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Lexus confirms new supercar will be hybridLexus is near to completing development for its first ever supercar and although top brass are remaining extremely tight-lipped on the subject, we can reveal that the new car will most likely feature a newly developed 5.0L V10 engine pumping out in excess of 500hp. We can also confirm that there...
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2008 Corvette gets LS3 engine and power upgradeThe spy shots last week told us what to expect and now GM has unveiled the 2008 Corvette, fitted with a new 6.2L LS3 V8 engine developing 430hp and 575 Nm of torque. Other changes include the option of a new dual-mode exhaust system, improved manual and automatic transmissions, better steering...
Ralph Hanson