Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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The next couple of years are shaping up to be some of the busiest for German sports car specialist Porsche. The company is working hard on releasing up to ten new models by the end of the decade as... -
Video: New BMW M3 caught testing in the USHere’s a short clip of BMW’s upcoming M3 coupe due for release in the second half of next year. Quality is down for this video but we do get a feel for the car’s explosive sound and acceleration. Caution: Curse words make this video not safe for work.
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Mitsubishi planning electric vehicle for USThe age of electric vehicles are truly upon us now that mainstream manufacturer Mitsubishi is planning the introduction of an electric vehicle to the US. According to Automotive News, the president of Mitsubishi, Osamu Masuko, announced at the company’s annual dealer’s meeting in Las...
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The Sultan's Pininfarina-Designed XJ220Back in the early 90’s, the Jaguar XJ220 supercar held the title of the world’s fastest production vehicle, with a tested top speed of 212.3 mph, until it was beaten by the famous McLaren F1 in 1994. During this time, the Sultan of Brunei and his brother Prince Jefri commissioned...
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TVR announces production of 60 new TyphonsDespite major cuts in TVR’s budget and the downsizing of 300 staff earlier this year due to falling demand, the company is planning to expand its operations by building a run of 60 limited edition Typhons. Further, owner Nikolai Smolenski commented in a Swiss publication that the company is...
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Tick the side airbag option on the next car you buyIt’s been proven that cars with airbags are much safer in the event of a crash than those without. Now it appears that the number of fatalities of people driving SUVs involved in a side-impact collision has dropped over 50 percent for those vehicles equipped with curtain airbags. This style...
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Despite earlier reports that Audi was dropping plans for a high-performance TT-RS, we now have news that the company is developing two new performance versions of the recently released coupe. The new... -
The show will go onThe BBC has announced that it will not end Top Gear, despite pressure to do so from various high-profile road safety campaigners in the UK. They claimed that the 300mph crash that sent Richard Hammond to hospital was a sign that the show focused too much on speed. Television crews for the BBC have...
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Toyota cutting cost of hybrid technology in halfWhile the domestic carmakers are experiencing such terrible performance, Toyota is simply moving from strength to strength. Tokyo’s MarketWatch reports that the Japanese giant plans to cut the cost of its hybrid technology in half over the next three years. Further, Toyota’s head of...
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Borgward Set To Return After 45-Year HiatusGerman car manufacturer Borgward, which went bankrupt back in 1961, is set to make a revival according to reports from German media. Leading the company’s return is Christian Borgward, the grandson of Carl Borgward who was the original founder. Borgward, with the help of several investors...
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Venturi's Solar-Electro Hybrid AstrolabVenturi never ceases to amaze us with their eco-friendly creations. In addition to the already unique Eclectic and Fetish, we now have the world’s first commercially-available electric-solar hybrid in the form of the Venturi Astrolab. The car, which resembles a rolling wing with four wheels...
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9ff creates 912hp Carrera GTFamous Porsche tuner 9ff has created a performance package for the already highly-strung Carrera GT. Their new kit increases the power output of the regular car by an amazing 300hp up to 912hp. To achieve this result, the 9ff engineers added two large turbos, new camshafts and less restrictive...
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Boy-racers around the world will be excited to know that Renault has showcased its Mégane F1 Team R26 at the Paris Motor Show, a car that builds on the success of the original F1 edition of the... -
Official Hyundai Arnejs detailsHyundai’s entry to the C-segment market is the FD, which is shown in concept form as the Arnejs. Though the production car will probably lose most of the features that make this concept special, the basic design elements and style should remain the same. Hyundai has revealed that the concept...
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New Rolls-Royce model due in 4 yearsRolls Royce has announced that an all new model will be released within four years. The British brand is developing a new four-door model that will be positioned below the Phantom and be priced within $230,000 and $330,000. The design team, which is being headed by Rolls-Royce's chief stylist, Ian...
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Wagoner claims GM doesn’t need an allianceGeneral Motor’s CEO, Rick Wagoner, “absolutely” believes that there’s no need for an alliance between the world’s largest auto maker and the Renault-Nissan partnership. Wagoner reports that the ailing company’s restructuring plan is moving faster than expected...
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Paris: Venturi Fetish Electric CarMonaco’s Venturi Automobiles has displayed the latest version of its Venturi Fetish electric car at the Paris Auto Show. Hot on the heels of the fast-selling Tesla Roadster, Venturi is promoting the benefits of its own electric roadster. Its 31 batteries provide the electric motor with a peak...
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Paris: Volkswagen displays Iroc conceptVolkswagen has displayed its Iroc concept once again, this time at the Paris Motor Show. A production version, which will likely carry the Scirocco nameplate, has been given the green light and is slated for production in 2007 at VW’s plant in Portugal. Sales in North America may start as...
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Porsche’s race car inspired GT3 has been displayed at the Paris Motor Show in a striking yellow paint scheme. The original GT3 was built for the track, this one has a race derived engine and... -
Next generation M3 won’t arrive until September 2007M fans will have to wait until September next year to get there first glimpse of the next generation M3. The information came straight from the horse's mouth - BMW’s M division boss Ulrich Bruhnke. According to Bruhnke, the new car will be unveiled at next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in...
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Saab Boss Gives Insight On New 9-4X CrossoverAt a U.S. Saab owners meeting recently, Saab's local chief Jay Spenchian revealed a sketch of the upcoming 9-4X crossover. Images taken at the presentation have been displayed. Styling follows design cues taken from the Aero X concept with mechanicals based on a General Motors Company's [NYSE:GM]...
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2008 Audi R8 UnveiledAfter the long drawn out gestation period Audi’s first ever mid-engined sports car is finally here. With the multitude of concept car and spy shot info that’s been circulating the net for months now, there isn’t anything really new to add. Sales of the new car will start in the...
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Video: High speed supercar testing at Nardo
Here's a great video comparing the following cars: Ferrari Enzo, Porsche Carrera GT, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Lamborghini Murcielago, Aston Martin DB9, and the Bentley Continental GT. Though the test is fairly old, it includes testing at the high-speed track at Nardo, which is 12.5km and perfectly...
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Chevrolet’s Global WTCC Ultra ConceptChevrolet’s exciting new WTCC Ultra race car concept has made its official debut at the Paris Motor Show, and if early comments are anything to go by, it seems GM is onto a good thing. The WTCC Ultra was designed with the goal of creating a muscle car for European tastes and to represent...
Ralph Hanson