James Martinez, Author
Articles
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More images of the 2008 Porsche Boxster have turned up, this time with the car undergoing performance testing at Germany’s Nurburgring track. Like the facelifted 911, which is due to hit the... -
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 by Edo CompetitionGerman tuning house Edo Competition has taken a look under the hood of the Lamborghini Murcièlago LP640 supercar and worked its magic to the tune of 663hp, 23 horses up on the factory model. Torque from the 6.5L V12 is increased from 660Nm to 675Nm at 5,600rpm, which results in final acceleration...
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Boat with Ferrari F430 power breaks two world recordsA Granturismo boat powered by a Ferrari [NYSE:RACE] F430 V8 engine has established two new world water speed records on Lake Como in Italy. At the helm was Eugenio Molinari, who navigated the boat in two separate categories, managing the fastest average speeds for the running kilometer both times...
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Porsche to launch ‘PDK’ dual-clutch gearboxPorsche is set to launch its own DSG-style dual-clutch gearbox that will be called ‘PDK’, short for Porsche Doppel Kupplungen or Porsche Double Clutches. Though Volkswagen was one of the first carmakers to offer dual-clutch systems on its cars, Porsche was actually one of the pioneers...
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Spy Shots: 2009 BMW 7-seriesDue for introduction late next year, BMW’s 2009 model-year 7-series saloon has been spotted once again undergoing testing at Germany’s Nurburgring. More of an evolution of the current model rather than a complete redesign, the new 7 should feature a smoother more muscular look...
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Volvo planning R-line sports packsBack in April we reported that Volvo would be dropping its ‘R’ performance range at the end of the 2007 model year due to lackluster sales. However, fans of the R range may not have to be sad for long if rumors about a new Volvo sports package prove true. Similar to Audi’s S-Line...
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Organisers of the Indianapolis race want a long-term deal but Bernie Ecclestone said this week that formula one can live without the US. Associated Press reports that the famous Motor Speedway's boss... -
Toyota develops next-gen Valvematic engine techToyota has announced that it has developed a new variable valve lift mechanism named ‘Valvematic’, which combines the previous VVT-i technology with a new mechanism that continuously controls the intake valve lift volume. While conventional engines control air intake using a throttle...
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Bosch ready to sell diesel-hybrid techAuto parts manufacturer Bosch already has a contract with one of Europe’s carmakers for the supply of diesel-hybrid technology. Its developers claim the system could be on the road by 2010 and that it would be the new benchmark in fuel consumption, with carbon-dioxide emissions levels below...
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Toyota overtook GM in sales last yearLatest findings show that Toyota actually surpassed General Motors in the global sales race last year with a lead of roughly 128,000 vehicles. There had been rumors that Toyota had in fact understated its figures so as to avoid a backlash from American consumers but this latest report goes some way...
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More Ford PAG brands up for saleRecently it was revealed that BMW had considered buying Volvo from Ford’s Premier Auto Group, and had gone so far as to order in a set of the Swede carmaker’s latest financial reports. Now it is reported that Ford has been in talks with Fiat Group over a possible sale of Jaguar and Land...
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Hamilton wins in Canada, Kubica crashes at 280KM/HLewis Hamilton dominantly won his first grand prix in a dramatic Canadian grand prix at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday, but the biggest relief of the day is that Robert Kubica survived a sickening crash. BMW-Sauber's Pole was clearly knocked unconscious when his car slammed into a...
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Earlier this week we reported that the Renault-Nissan was keen to form an alliance with one of America’s Big Three, with either Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] or Chrysler the most likely contender...
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Who has the best interior?Influential auto resource Kelley Blue Book and its marketing research team have compiled a list of the brands with the best interior styling according to the results of its consumer automotive perceptions study. Toyota brands have topped the rankings for four vehicle segments, with two of...
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Brake energy regeneration in F1 by 2009Formula One is set for a dramatic change with the announcement today that a deal has been struck between two British engineering firms for the development of an energy recovering gearbox slated for introduction into F1 by 2009. The goal is to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions by...
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Bernhard back at ChryslerWolfgang Bernhard, an influential advisor during the sale of Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management, is expected to take up permanent residency in the offices of the Auburn Hills based carmaker. Although LaSorda will remain as CEO, Bernhard is expected to take an active role in turning around...
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Updated: VW-Proton deal <del datetime="2007-06-01T15:11:06+00:00">called off</del> still possible, GM back in the pictureUpdated: Just yesterday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister made comments that Volkswagen was not willing to make a suitable offer and that Proton should look elsewhere for a suitable tie-up. Today, AFX News is reporting that Government investment arm Khazanah Nasional has said that Proton is still in...
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Mercedes ceases production of W203 T-Modell C-classProduction of the W203 series Mercedes-Benz C-class wagon, referred to as the T-Modell, has finally come to an end after a six year run. Mercedes has built more than 360,000 C-class wagons since 2001, with the last vehicle being a right-hand-drive model to be delivered to a customer in the UK. In...
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Carmakers in the US have considered implementing fuel economy standards as high as 36mpg for cars and 30mpg for light trucks as an alternative to new regulations that could be voted in by the full... -
Bertone Developing New Sports Car For U.S.Following the demise of Fiat Group’s rescue plan for Bertone, a deal that would have seen the struggling Italian coachbuilder build several new Lancia models for Fiat, senior management were forced to come up with a new survival plan to present to investors at a meeting last month. Part of...
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Can Mercedes overtake BMW in the sales race?BMW has outsold its main rival Mercedes-Benz since 2005 but analysts predict that Mercedes could take back the lead as early as next year. BMW is already ahead of Mercedes for the first four months of the year, and is estimated by Morgan Stanley to top 1.236 million vehicle sales this year with...
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Buick May Add New Entry-Level Sedan To U.S. RangeGeneral Motors [NYSE:GM] might sell a new model in the United States that it’s planning to launch in China by early 2009. The compact Buick sedan is designed to replace the current Excelle, a rebadged version of the Daewoo Lacetti that’s sold in China. Execs are still considering if the...
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Updated: GM’s fuel-cell Sequel drives 300 miles on a single tank, production versions by 2012Updated: General Motors is likely to have fuel-cell vehicles in showrooms by 2012, according to its vice president of R&D Larry Burns. "I don't know how many of them we'll make at the time, but we should have them in showrooms by early next decade, around 2011 or 2012," he said during an interview...
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Suzuki introduces its Euro-inspired SplashSuzuki’s has given us a preview of its new Splash minicar, a sporty little hatch with European styling that will expand the Japanese brand’s presence in Europe when it’s finally released in the first half of next year. Packed to brim with a bevy of standard features, the Splash...
James Martinez