Ralph Hanson, Author
Articles
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Ford has cemented its position as the most viable carmaker out of the Detroit 3, with the company’s first quarter financial results showing some very promising figures. Ford is the only Detroit... -
Chevrolet Corvette gets launch control for 2010Chevrolet is planning a series of updates for the Corvette for the 2010 model year, with changes affecting the entire lineup, from the base model all the way up to the scorching ZR1 supercar. First and foremost is the introduction of the Grand Sport Model, which returns for 2010 with widebody...
Ralph Hanson -
3 Chrysler plants under consideration for Fiat re-toolingNegotiations between Chrysler and Fiat regarding an alliance have now turned to production capabilities, and an anonymous source has revealed that three Chrysler plants are under consideration for possible re-tooling, at which point they will build Fiat vehicles, as well as Chrysler-badged vehicles...
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Changan Auto seeking American, European empiresWhile the Detroit 3 and the rest of the established automotive industry reel from the blows dealt by the poor world credit market and nosediving economy, smaller, newer companies like Chongqing Changan Auto Company (Changan Auto) are ramping up their plans for world conquest. Taking advantage of...
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Crooked Lamborghini dealer sold $400,000 Lambo Murcielago LP-640 for just $60,430Some of you may remember our story about the downfall of Lamborghini's star Orange County dealership, which was at one time responsible for selling one out of every twenty Lamborghini models in the world. Now that the court case of its owner Viken Keuylian has been wrapped up, with the crooked...
Ralph Hanson -
Last hurrah for Corvette GT1 race carThis Saturday at Long Beach, Corvette Racing will mark the end of an era with the final U.S. appearance by the Corvette C6.Rs in the GT1 category for the American Le Mans Series. The series will give a send-off to the GT1 Corvettes in a special post-qualifying ceremony in the Long Beach winner's...
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The original Fast and the Furious movie was pretty decent. Sure, it had the odd cheesy line (“I live life a quarter mile at a time”), but it’s safe to say most car fans would have... -
Toshiba's SCiB batteries leap forward to 90-sec recharge timeSolving the problem of storing enough energy in a dense enough package without undue cost, weight or danger is the primary hurdle facing hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) today. Toshiba has already developed a battery technology that could make significant strides toward solving that problem, and...
Ralph Hanson -
Nissan sends Infiniti EX to Japan as Skyline CrossoverRe-badging has stereotypically been the domain of U.S. carmakers, especially when crossing national borders, but Nissan/Infiniti are engaging in a bit of their own shell game with the Infiniti EX. Sending the vehicle to Japan as the Skyline Crossover, the car receives almost nothing in the way of...
Ralph Hanson -
Bondholders consider increased debt-for-equity-swap as GM bankruptcy loomsGM's decline over the course of this year wasn't enough to convince bondholders and the UAW to grant any concessions, but recent reports that the carmaker was in precautionary preparations for filing a Chapter 11 may have galvanized action on the part of the bondholders. Allowing GM to go to...
Ralph Hanson -
Michigan to become battery technology hub with new $1.7 billion investmentMichigan may be most widely recognized as the home of the troubled Detroit 3, whose past ignorance of creating efficient cars and embracing SUVs has landed them in hot water. Now, the state wants to change this image and create a reputation as a future base for greener cars, an initiative that has...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: Toyota may lose up to $5 billion in 2010After a nearly flawless company history - over 70 years of profits - Toyota posted its first-ever loss for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. And a new report from Japan today says Toyota is already predicting a loss of up to $5 billion for the coming year as well. The report, which originates...
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just come to a conclusion that we suspect many motorists have known for years - when it comes to car safety, size does matter. Conducting tests... -
Chrysler previews 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8With Chrysler confirming last month that its Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division is safe from the company’s current budgetary cutbacks, we can expect to see new models sprout from the performance arm over the coming years. The first of these could be a replacement for the Jeep Grand...
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Mopar Underground unveils two new Jeep off-road conceptsMopar, Chrysler's affiliated tuning and accessories arm, has a special group within its ranks called Mopar Underground - late last year we reported on one of the division’s more memorable projects, a V10-powered Dodge Challenger. Now, Mopar Underground has brought us some new concepts, this...
Ralph Hanson -
Cadillac exec confirms sub-CTS model and STS/DTS replacementIn late 2007 Cadillac general manager Jim Taylor revealed that the current STS and DTS models would be dropped at the end of their respective product cycles in favor of a single luxury sedan. While General Motors’ financial woes led many to believe that the new Caddy flagship model had been...
Ralph Hanson -
Roewe prepping N1 Concept for Shanghai Auto ShowJust a couple weeks ago, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) revealed new details about their upcoming MG lineup of cars, and now Roewe, also owned by SAIC, has let slip a few teaser sketches of its upcoming N1 Concept for the Shanghai Auto Show. Little is known about the N1 thus far...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: NHTSA pulls the plug on part of GM's plan to auction Heritage cars at Barrett-JacksonGeneral Motors’ cash struggles are widely known by now, but the Detroit carmaker's accountants had found a creative way to produce some income - auctioning off more than 250 new and old production models and concepts that up until now have been admired in the company’s Heritage Museum...
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Chrysler on Wednesday unveiled a brand new V6 engine called Pentastar that the carmaker plans to launch in its redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee due next year and eventually most of its lineup. This new... -
2010 Mazda CX-9 Debuts At New York Auto ShowMazda has been very busy in the past couple of months, with updated versions of the MX-5 and CX-7, as well as the all-new 2010 Mazda 3 all making their respective debuts recently. Mazda’s new model roll-out shows no sign of slowing as the company has just unveil an updated version of its CX-9...
Ralph Hanson -
Mitsubishi confirms i-MiEV for U.S.Already angling for sales in excess of 20,000 units annually, Mitsubishi took the opportunity of the New York Auto Show to announce it will be selling the i-MiEV electric car in the U.S. and other global markets. The car is already in testing in California, Oregon, Tucson and elsewhere, but the...
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Subaru's new Outback gains size, featuresThe Subaru Legacy (Liberty for non-U.S. markets) sedan's design has sparked a lot of hatred in both Subie fans and foes alike, but today's debut of the Outback has the potential to quell some of the uproar. Wearing the new face somewhat more elegantly than its four-door sibling, the 2010 Outback...
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New Buick LaCrosse priced from $27,835 in U.S.Buick today announced pricing for its 2010 LaCrosse luxury sedan, which will arrive in showrooms in the middle year with a starting price of $27,835 for the base CX model (plus $750 in destination charges). Standard equipment includes a new 3.0L direct-injected V6 driving the front wheels, premium...
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Acura unveils ZDX four-door sport coupe at New York Auto ShowThe latest entry to Acura's range is a curious one, taking cues from the BMW X6 and 5-series GT school of design thought, seeking a way to combine the sport of a four-door coupe with the utility of a slightly taller vehicle. Whether it's a success or not rests entirely in the eyes of the beholder...
Ralph Hanson