James Martinez, Author
Articles
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Ford and its motorsports division have launched a new website aimed at connecting performance enthusiasts with the scores of enthusiast clubs around the world as well as providing a forum for the... -
South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement in the works?The imminent arrival of South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak at Camp David may finally raise an issue that has been overlooked in recent times - a free trade deal between South Korea and the U.S. Myung-Bak's two-day visit to meet with George Bush has economists speculating a free trade agreement...
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Carmakers need common solution for future mobilityCarmakers are faced with a number of options for alternative fuel motoring but at this stage it’s still anyone’s guess as to what will be the dominant fuel source of the future. That’s why most of them are hedging their bets, developing a number of different technologies in the...
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Super Aguri sale called offSuper Aguri confirmed on Wednesday that the previously agreed sale of the Japanese team to the investment company Magma Group has fallen through. Earlier reports said the Leafield based team had received a letter from Magma, headed by Martin Leach, explaining that the expected backing - thought to...
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Carrozzeria Touring Returning With New SuperleggeraOne of Italy’s oldest coachbuilders is set to revive its car making business after several decades in hibernation despite the troubled times of many of its closest rivals. The company is Carrozzeria Touring, a coachbuilder first established in 1926 and responisble for a number of cars from...
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Magna sues Tesla over unpaid billIt seems electric car manufacturer Tesla is having trouble keeping its nose clean these days - just a day after our report on Tesla suing Fisker Automotive for deliberately stealing designs, the electric-sports-car startup is now embroiled in another lawsuit and this time ‘round it’s...
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BMW has unveiled a new internal combustion engine design that not only produces near zero emissions, but it apparently absorbs and burns ambient air pollutants as well. The ultra-clean engine debuts... -
Rare collection of Ferraris to be auctioned at Maranello factoryOne of the biggest collections of past and present Ferraris is set to be sold off next month at a special event at the Maranello factory dubbed the ‘Ferrari: Leggenda e Passione’ auction. Ferrari fans will have the opportunity to buy some of the marque’s rarest and oldest cars...
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AC Schnitzer restyles ACS6 BMW 6-seriesBMW-specialist AC Schnitzer has released its latest aero kit for the facelifted 6-series coupe and cabrio and has added a host of performance upgrades as well. Like its predecessor, the new front skirt of the ACS6 mirrors the famous kidney design of the grille but gets a more aggressive look with...
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Update: Tesla confirms 2009 Euro launch, planning Top Marques Monaco revealUpdate: From next year onwards the Tesla Roadster will no longer be a U.S. only model as the company has confirmed it will start selling its all-electric car in Europe in just over 12 months. Tesla had always planned to make its Roadster a global model but with the U.S. dollar falling sharply...
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Preview: Mercedes-Benz CLK Shooting BrakeMercedes-Benz isn’t set to reveal its all-new 2010 CLK until early next year but new reports coming out of Germany claim a ‘shooting brake’ concept version will be on display at the Paris Motor Show this October. The concept, previewed by the rendering above, is said to combine...
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Detroit 3 looking at U.S. exports to boost profitsCarmakers may be finding it tough importing cars into the U.S. because of the weak dollar but on the flipside exporting cars outside of the States is proving to be very lucrative. Combine this with last year’s revised labor contracts and U.S. carmakers are now faced with a tremendous...
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BMW has enjoyed some success with its CSL range of stripped out ready-to-race M3s and Mercedes-Benz is on the verge of delivering its third lightweight Black Series model. That leaves the third major... -
1934 Ford concept sells for $1.76 MillionAfter being hidden away for decades in a Florida garage, an original Ford concept car designed by the son of Henry Ford, Edsel Bryant Ford, has sold at auction for $1.76 Million. The car is the 1934 Ford Model 40 Speedster and is regarded as one of the Blue Oval’s first ever concept cars...
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Lexus exec details future model roll-outWith sales expected to top more than a million units worldwide within the next two to three years, Lexus is planning a host of new models to help keep the momentum going. First up is the replacement for the RX crossover, due early next year, but after this comes a host of new ‘F’...
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F1 carmakers denounce sex scandal, Mosley respondsIn a joint statement distributed by the carmakers on Thursday, they slammed the revelations in the British tabloid media at the weekend as "disgraceful", even though Mosley has denied that his escapades with prostitutes did not have a Nazi element as reported. "As a company, we strongly distance...
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Toyota denies claims Japan government funded Prius developmentReports emerged this week claiming the Japanese government helped fund the development of the first generation Toyota Prius more than ten years ago. Toyota has since denied all claims, which were originated from a recent interview with Chrysler exec Jim Press who was working for Toyota at the time...
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Blast From The Past: Jaguar XJ220It’s hard to imagine but not that long ago Jaguar laid claim to building the world’s fastest production car with its XJ220 supercar, which during the early 1990s was speed king until it was knocked off its throne by the McLaren F1. The car featured a turbocharged mid-mounted V6...
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One of the weirdest concepts from the recent Geneva Motor Show wasn’t from a major a carmaker but from independent manufacturer Magna-Steyr. The concept was the Mila Alpin hybrid and it served... -
BMW ends V8 diesel productionWith emissions and fuel-economy regulations getting tougher on both sides of the Atlantic, BMW has decided it no longer needs to offer V8 diesel engines in its lineup. Officials feel modern turbocharging and direct-injection technology has reached the point where smaller capacity six-cylinder and...
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Wald Sports Line Black Bison Edition Mercedes S-ClassWe’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. Wald International is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, with...
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Fiat still interested in Jaguar and Land Rover technologyWith the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata Group expected to be announced within days, Italian giant Fiat may finally gain access to premium RWD and AWD technologies it’s always dreamt of. Fiat was one of the first carmakers rumored to be interested in buying Jaguar and Land...
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Milner Plug-In And Flying Car Concepts At New York Auto ShowMilner Motors unveiled its ElectriCar plug-in hybrid concept and its AirCar advanced-composite flying car today at the New York Auto Show. The new plug-in hybrid (pictured) features a modern petrol engine mated to an electric motor and features its own unique battery technology and computer...
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Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team up for saleRed Bull's second formula one team Scuderia Toro Rosso is for sale, co-owner and main backer Dietrich Mateschitz has revealed. The 63-year-old billionaire told the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell that his energy drink company plans to approach the 2010 season with only one team. Mateschitz...
James Martinez