Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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The trend towards smaller and more fuel efficient cars has caused DaimlerChrysler to consider importing Mercedes’ small A and B-class small cars to the US. Mercedes doesn’t sell these... -
Mercedes Unveils Four-Door ConvertibleThe convertibles of today are generally known as little two-seat roadsters like the MX-5 and S2000. But it wasn’t long ago that a different kind of beast cruised the ocean promenades - the four door luxury convertible. Now, with barely any signs of life in this sector, Mercedes has designed a...
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Toyota: No. 1 in 2007?Could 2007 be the year that Toyota finally surpasses GM as the world’s largest car maker, a title it’s held on to for more than 75 years? A report from Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun seems to think so, citing unnamed sources. While GM is busy cutting back on production and...
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Chrysler: We won’t build FirepowerDespite previous reports that Chrysler was seriously looking at a production version of the Firepower concept it showed at the 2005 Detroit show, it won’t be building the Hemi-powered GT sports car. In an interview with trade publication Ward’s Auto, Trevor Creed, senior vice...
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Hamann hacks E92 3-series CoupeGerman tuning haus Hamann has released its new 3-series coupe modifications, which encompass everything from power upgrades to aero parts and interior options. Currently, the kits are available for the 325i, 330i, 330d, and 335d coupes, with a kit for the 335i in the pipeline. The six-cylinder...
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Volvo releases official information on XC60 ConceptThat didn’t take long, did it? Just a day after German magazines leaked pictures and details of the XC60, Volvo has now sent out the official press release and images to accompany it. Click ahead for two press releases (what's up with that?), and here for our original post. Full image gallery...
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With only a few weeks left to go until the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the last W203 series sedan is rolling off the assembly line today at the Sindelfingen plant. The milestone... -
Ford gets a product czar, tooFord will be following GM’s move of having a single person behind global product development, reports the Detroit News. The job of a “product czar” is to ensure that models are created as quickly and efficiently as possible as well as picking up on global car trends. GM’s...
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eBay watch: One of a kind 880hp TVR Cerbera Speed 12What happens when you put a V12 engine developing more than 880hp in a car that weighs less than a ton? If you want to find out, the owner is now selling his one-of-a-kind Speed 12 on eBay, and available for dispatch anywhere in the UK. Only five Speed 12s were ever built, with this one being the...
Ralph Hanson -
Vauxhall to ditch Vectra nameVauxhall has decided to kill off the Vectra nameplate for its next mid-sized family car to be released in 2008. GM Europe head-honcho Carl-Peter Forster leaked deals of the plan to BusinessCar magazine in a recent interview and claimed the main reasons for the move were to reflect the...
Ralph Hanson -
VW close to taking over ProtonNewspaper sources have confirmed that VW is about to embark on a due diligence audit of Proton before acquiring a 51% stake in the troubled Malaysian car maker. The PSA group comprising Peugeot and Citroen were also interested in Proton, but their focus was finding a development partner, not a...
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Project Kimber AC Smart unveiledWe previously reported the news that UK engineering firm Project Kimber was planning to build a new version of the discontinued Smart roadster with the help of designer Gordon Murray. Project Kimber had released an earlier sketch of the car, but have now released a new sketch showing some of the...
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A senior Nissan executive has stated that hybrids are still not a “viable economic proposition.” Dominique Thormann, Nissan North America's senior vice president for administration and... -
Freelander may be rebranded as a Range RoverLand Rover is considering rebranding its recently launched Freelander 2 (A.K.A. LR2) SUV as a Range Rover to improve its perception as a luxury vehicle. Land Rovers are considered to be utilitarian vehicles in all countries, but more so in some than others. In parts of Europe, for example, a buyer...
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Porsche on VW: There will be some changesThat’s about as detailed as Porsche’s chief executive is willing to get about their plans to take over VW. Like a complex game of chess, Porsche is making all the right moves as a lead-up to takeover VW including plans to issue share to raise capital. Porsche is looking at offering 8.75...
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Toyota tops retention rates, Mazda strugglingToyota has edged out its own luxury division when it comes to retaining customers. Almost 64% of Toyota buyers replaced their cars with another from the same brand, compared with 63% for Lexus. The study, carried out by J.D. Power and Associates, found that average retention rates had dropped in...
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Ford looking to import Euro models to the US?Ford is evaluating plans to import models built by its European operation to the US for next year. Ford’s European range is generally considered to be better built and designed than its car in the US, especially when competing against in the lower-luxury segment. The models being evaluated...
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New direction for Bricklin’s Visionary VehiclesMalcolm Bricklin’s dream to import Chinese cars with the help of Chery may be over, but he hasn’t given on up his plans to bring an affordable luxury car built in China to the US. Bricklin’s company, Visionary Vehicles, today confirmed that the deal was over but said that it was...
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With cities getting ever more populated and people buying more and more cars, it’s no wonder that traffic jams are out of control in some places. Honda’s wacky solution is to place tiny... -
Next-generation HUD from BMWWe’ve always found heads-up displays to be incredibly cool, giving us the feeling of being in a fighter jet without any of the long hours of training or the threat of being killed. The one built into the latest BMWs not only shows you the speed, but can also convey satellite navigation...
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Volkswagen's CrossTouran lifestyle vanVolkswagen has finally unveiled the long expected CrossTouran, a “lifestyle” version of its popular Touran compact van, to be unveiled at the upcoming Bologna Motor Show. Being a true lifestyle vehicle, there are not many mechanical differences between the standard Touran and...
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Shareholders seek Chrysler spin-offMajor shareholders in DaimlerChrysler are asking for Chrysler to be removed from the DCX group, stating that the company has basically zero value on its own and that the synergies expected from the two groups have failed to materialize. In a scathing news report from Reuters many well known...
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Holden lends a helping hand on the CamaroGM’s Australian arm, Holden, will be helping develop the Chevrolet Camaro before its official release in 2008. Holden has had experience developing the Pontiac GTO (called the Monaro downunder) for the US market, and will be finetuning the chassis that underpins the Camaro. The Camaro is...
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Corvette-based Callaway C16Though there’s no shortage of modified Corvettes around, Callaway’s C16 is one such car that’ll make you do a double take. Callaway has tweaked the 6L LS2 V8 engine to develop a massive 616hp and 582 lb-ft of twist, allowing it to run 0-60 times of around 3.3 seconds. The standing...
Ralph Hanson