James Martinez, Author
Articles
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Despite widespread safety campaigns and harsher penalties for not abiding to seatbelt laws, a new study has found that more than two thirds of all teenagers killed in vehicle accidents at night were... -
Audi reveals Nurburgring 24-hour endurance R8As this year’s Nurburgring 24 hour endurance challenge approaches several more carmakers have announced plans to enter the comp. The latest is Audi, which plans to enter a race-prepped version of its R8 super-sports car in the grueling event. In keeping with race regulations for its class...
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Audi A3 TDI Clubsport quattro conceptAudi has prepped its second Clubsport quattro concept in just two years with the reveal today of the all-new A3 TDI Clubsport quattro concept, which is set to go on show at this month’s 27th annual Lake Wörther tuner show in Austria. Last year Audi presented the TT Clubsport quattro concept...
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GM to present Delta family of cars at Paris Motor ShowGM’s Delta compact FWD platform, currently used in cars Opel (Saturn) Astra, Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5, is due for an update this year and the first new-generation model is set to appear at October’s Paris Motor Show. Some of the cars expected to be based on the revised platform...
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Alfa Romeo builds special edition 'Mille Miglia' SpiderAlfa Romeo has created a special edition of its Spider convertible in order to commemorate the historic Mille Miglia 1,000 mile race that takes place in Italy annually. The carmaker will build just 11 examples of the 'Spider Mille Miglia' to mark the 11 victories it's had in the famous Italian...
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BMW to decide on electric car this yearSince the release of its official strategy in September last year, media sources around the world have been speculating that BMW is looking at either launching its own new brand or acquiring one to help its expansion. CEO Norbert Reithofer previously revealed BMW would establish a new environmental...
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Influential magazine Consumer Reports has picked the Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit) as the winner of its latest group test, rating it the highest in the small four-door hatchback category. Judges picked... -
GM buys Detroit headquarters for $626 millionDespite GM's massive $3.3 billion dollar loss for the first quarter of 2008, the General has gone ahead with the purchase of its previously leased headquarters in Detroit. The deal went through for GM to purchase the Renaissance Center for a cool $626 million as well as forking out another $200...
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Volvo V70 R-Design and flex-fuel police carVolvo has revealed the latest addition to its sporty R-Design line-up with the introduction of the all-new V70 R-Design wagon. Set to go on sale in Europe in August, the regular V70 estate has been spruced up with a specially tuned lowered sports chassis and a distinctive bodykit. The sports...
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Toyota Q1 profit drops 28%It appears even Toyota, the industry’s top-selling carmaker by volume, couldn't avoid the combined profit gouging effects of an economic downturn, rising material costs and a slowing global economy that have negatively affected most major carmakers. We’ve already seen GM post a $3.3...
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AC Schnitzer ACS1 BMW 1-series CabrioGerman tuner AC Schnitzer has released its latest creation, the ACS1 Cabrio based on the BMW 1-series. AC Schnitzer have modified the droptop 1-series both externally, internally and under the hood, with the top of the range 135i getting a hefty 360hp - up from 306hp – and the 120d managing...
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Carrozzeria A8 GCS Berlinetta ConceptRecently we featured a stunning Maserati Quattroporte wagon concept by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, an Italian coachbuilder that gained some fame in its hey day. It seems as though Carrozzeria is staging a comeback at this years 'Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este' with the introduction of yet...
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If GM has any hope of regaining its title of world’s biggest carmaker from Toyota its vehicles must not only sell well but they should also regain market share lost to rivals. Until recently,... -
Video: BMW's Head Designer Details The M1 ConceptRevealed at the 2008 Concorsa d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the M1 Concept shows BMW can reinterpret its classics in a modern and daring way. The concept was created to mark the 30th anniversary of the original M1 supercar and was penned by the carmaker’s new design chief Adrian van Hooydonk...
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BMW first quarter profit down 17%, Daimler's drop 32%Profit levels for most of the major carmakers were down this quarter, with many including BMW and Daimler seeing their profits fall by double digit figures. BMW announced today that its first-quarter profit fell 17% to $761 million, while Daimler’s profits dropped by a hefty 32 points to end...
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Ford builds 9 millionth MustangFord announced today it had built its 9 millionth Mustang, a GT convertible that will be delivered to a dealership in Iowa. The announcement comes less than a week after the Pony Car celebrated its 45th anniversary and at a time when the Mustang is one of the top selling sports cars in the world...
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Spy video: 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec-VNissan has finally revealed its new GT-R SpecV. Click here for all the images and details. Just when you thought there was nothing more to see or read about Nissan’s GT-R super-coupe, a brand new prototype turns up at the Nurburgring and allegedly scorches the time set by previous test-mules...
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Carroll Shelby Takes Delivery Of Custom Cobra Daytona CoupeThe original Daytona Coupe was a race car based loosely on the AC Cobra roadster that was produced in an extremely limited run of just six cars during the 1960s. The cars were created in collaboration with a number of racing legends including Carroll Shelby, Peter Brock and Bob Negstad and there...
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Buick’s next-generation LaCrosse has been spotted testing at GM proving grounds both in the U.S. and Germany and as these latest images reveal the new car sports a similar shape to the Invicta...
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UK 'green levy' increases revenue but does little for environmentNew taxes planned for motorists in the UK, which aim to reduce emissions by forcing owners of heavy polluting vehicles to pay extra in registration costs, have been criticized as being just another source of revenue for the government and for having little to no effect on reducing emissions. The...
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Keating unveils SKR and TKR supercarsBritish sports car manufacturer Keating has taken the wraps off a pair of new supercars and is already boasting that one of the cars is capable of outpacing the Bugatti Veryon in the top speed arena. The two new additions are the high-performance TKR racer and the more livable SKR tourer, and both...
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Guangzhou Coupe-Cabrio ConceptThis week’s Beijing Auto Show is coming to a close but there are still a few surprising vehicles coming out even after most of the motoring journalists and industry officials have packed up and left. Take for example the new Guangzhou Auto Coupe-Cabrio concept – one of China’s...
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BMW's U.S. chief appointed as Rolls Royce CEOBMW and its subsidiaries have had a bit of a management reshuffle with the biggest change being the appointment of the carmaker’s U.S. chief, Tom Purves, as the new CEO of Rolls-Royce. Purves, 59, will start his new role on the first of July, succeeding Ian Robertson, 49, who is replacing the...
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2009 Subaru Forester gets IIHS Top Safety PickThe redesigned 2009 Subaru Forester has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award, earning the highest rating of ‘good’ in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests. The tough criteria of the tests of the IIHS safety rating has been designed with the...
James Martinez