Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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To some, the heavier and less rigid Convertible version of the potent M3 may be a poser’s car, but BMW’s engineers are hard at work making the drop-top every bit as hard edged as its... -
Gallery: Zagato's Custom Maserati GSPictured above is the Maserati GS Zagato, a special one-off creation commissioned by Italian furniture bigwig Paolo Boffi, who took inspiration from the original 1954 Maserati A6 Zagato. Based on Maserati’s Gransport Spyder, the all-aluminum custom features a 180mm shorter wheelbase and a...
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Wanna drag? Spyker F1 vs F16 Jet-fighterThis weekend saw Spyker’s F8-VII Formula One racecar pitted against an F16 jet-fighter from the Royal Netherlands Air Force in a drag race. The event, named 'Full Throttle', saw Dutch driver Christijan Albers race his F1 car side by side against Captain Ralph Aarts in the high-tech aircraft...
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Bernie Ecclestone buys Turkish GP circuitMystery solved -- it has emerged from the venue of the Turkish grand prix that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is attending the MotoGP race in Istanbul this weekend because he has bought the circuit. We previously reported that the 76-year-old turned up on Friday at the 'Otodrom', also known as...
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Nissan "seriously" considers launching US minicarDiminishing sales both in the US and abroad is forcing Nissan to rethink its current lineup. Unlike its major rivals Toyota and Honda, Nissan doesn’t have an image of being a ‘green company’ and it’s now hoping to change all that with the release of its first clean diesel...
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HAMANN Z4 M Coupe Renn TaxiGerman tuning outfit Hamann has developed a new edition of its BMW Z4 M Coupe performance pack with its latest ‘Renn Taxi’ version. The tuner is yet to release official specs for the new model but as these latest images reveal, Hamann has added a roll-cage and Recaro seats indicating...
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Following its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show last month, KTM’s new 300bhp X-Bow roadster is now ready for production with up to 600 firm orders already in place. KTM were originally... -
Massive gallery of LUMMA’s CLR 500 RSLumma has created one of the most extravagant packages on the market today with the CLR 500 RS performance saloon based on BMW’s M5. Almost every element of the regular M5 has been enhanced or restyled, resulting in a sedan that will give supercar owners a run for their money. The standard...
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Audi Cross Coupe quattro conceptAudi is determined to launch 15 new models by the end of the decade with focus centering on the crossover-utility market, which is seen by Audi exec Wolfgang Hoffmann as “a segment that holds a lot of potential for growth.” We’ve already seen the release of the new A5 coupe and...
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Video: Mercedes Benz CL65 AMG mega-coupeThe new flagship coupe is larger than ever, packing AMG’s sledgehammer 6.0L bi-turbo V12 and the latest in Mercedes safety technology, the latest CL65 is turning out to be a real head-turner. See our previous article for more details and images or check out the official press release after...
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GM’s Zeta could get BMW/DCX hybrid and new diesel V6General Motors’ Holden subsidiary is spearheading the development of a new diesel version of the modular Zeta platform as well as an advanced hybrid system, which could eventually be sold in its VE Commodore sedan and Pontiac’s new G8. In an interview with Australia’s GoAuto News...
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GM Europe preps factories for its next-gen carsGeneral Motors’ European division has released information about the locations for the production of its next-generation of compact-sized cars. It has chosen four of its manufacturing plants, including the Ellesmere Port site in the UK, Bochum in Germany, Sweden’s Trollhättan site and...
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On the eve of his 70th birthday, Volkswagen’s Chairman Ferdinand Piëch assured reporters during an interview that a super-efficient vehicle capable of achieving mileage rates as impressive... -
Nanjing confirms development of new MG sports carNanjing Auto is set to recommence production of MG branded cars in the UK with the first MG TFs scheduled to roll off the line at its plant in Longbridge, near Birmingham, by late May or early June. The Chinese carmaker has already started building the roadsters at its home in the eastern city of...
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Suzuki Swift returning to US in 2010Suzuki is set to expand its lineup in the US with the reintroduction of its Swift small hatch that’s scheduled to hit showrooms sometime in 2010. The current model pictured above has reignited interest in the brand with its extensive standard features, distinctive styling and resurgence in...
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Italy’s 700HP Spada Codatronca supercarThe Spada Codatronca is the creation of designer Ercole Spada from SpadaConcept and Italian tuning shop UK Garage. Spada is the former styling chief of the Zagato design house and his previous works include cars like the Aston Martin DB4, Alpha Romeo TZ and Fulvia Zagato Sport. His latest work, the...
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Beckham’s stolen BMW X5 ends up with Macedonian ministerIn an odd turn of events, a stolen BMW X5 that was owned by David Beckham while he was living in Madrid, is rumored to have ended up with Macedonia’s interior minister. This is in fact the second X5 to be stolen from the soccer star, which was recovered in Macedonia and is claimed to have...
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WTCC To Be Powered By Bio-fuel By 2009Starting from 2009, all cars in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) will run exclusively on bio-ethanol fuel after the decision was approved by the championship’s governing council yesterday. From next year onwards, some of the teams will start using bio-ethanol fuel, racing...
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A change to Japan’s antitrust laws on the first of this month has paved the way for industry giant Toyota to take over Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru. Toyota has owned an... -
BMW diesel hybrid likely to feature in next-gen 5-seriesBMW has always backed economic diesels in favor of petrol-electric hybrids when it comes to building fuel efficient drivetrains, however, a senior engineer has confirmed the carmaker will launch a hybrid vehicle but only if it proves more economical in real world conditions than its diesel...
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Team Velozzi building EV vehicle for Automotive X-PrizeResearch firm Team Velozzi has presented these initial images of a car it hopes to enter into the Automotive X-Prize. Looking more like an exotic supercar than an enviro-friendly X-Prize entrant, the Velozzi design shares a striking resemblance with Ferrari’s F430 but the final car is said to...
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Audi S-Line sports pack for the new A5The new Audi A5 was launched less than two months ago and already we have two new S-Line packages for the coupe from quattro GmbH. The S-Line pack helps to improve the A5’s handling thanks to the addition of a sports suspension kit that lowers the car by 10mm as well as 18 or 19in alloys...
Ralph Hanson -
GM rethinks future RWD plansGM may pull the plug on plans to introduce a host of new RWD cars due to a proposal from the Bush administration that would raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards by 4% a year, with fleets expected to average 34mpg by 2017 – 30% higher than today’s levels. In an interview...
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Volvo introduces facelifted S40 and V50 wagonVolvo has updated its two most popular models with the introduction of the 2008 model-year S40 saloon and V50 wagon. Designed to match the larger S80 sedan, the S40 now features a sharper nose and chrome framed ‘egg-crate’ grille with a much larger Volvo badge. New headlights with clear...
Ralph Hanson