James Martinez, Author
Articles
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Average vehicle weights across the industry have increased significantly over the past twenty years, increasing the burden of tires and brakes and of course reducing fuel economy. Automotive News... -
Volvo’s new V70 wagonVolvo’s update of its popular mid-sized station wagon has just arrived, with our friends from Auto Motor & Sport Sweden tipping us off on some key details about the new car. The vehicle picks up many of its styling cues and accessories from the larger S80 sedan. Rear-end styling carries over...
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The 560HP CLR M5 by LUMMA DESIGNGerman tuner Lumma Design has taken a donor BMW M5 saloon and turned it into the LUMMAnator Spectacular CLR 500 R-S by adding a comprehensive bodykit, racing exhaust system and a new interior. Final output thanks to the revisions is a very healthy 560hp, which is enough to send the Bavarian beast...
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Subaru Impreza Replacement Coming, WRX Being Dropped?UPDATE: Previous rumors that Subaru might be dropping its WRX and sedan bodystyle when it launches the next-generation Impreza are claimed to be false, according to Subaru officials. The new Impreza range is still expected to be unveiled at the 2007 New York Auto Show in April. Subaru’s not...
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It’s war on the German carmakersNew emissions standards being proposed by the European Commission to limit the amount of carbon-dioxide levels emitted by cars manufactured in Europe will hurt German carmakers more severely than their French and Italian counterparts. That’s the warning given by Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking...
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Audi’s bold strategy for the USAudi is keen to expand its sales in the US, easily its biggest market, and it plans to do so using a three-pronged attack. Automotive News reports the company will be increasing the number of models on offer, adding more exclusive dealers and advertising more, especially on the Internet...
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Fiat will launch a station wagon version of its recently introduced Bravo hatch due halfway through the new car’s life-cycle. It will appear alongside a face-lifted Bravo sometime in 2010,... -
AV Design Forte conceptInspired by the classic lines of the Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg sports cars of the 1930’s, Coventry Transport Design student Andrew Varnish has drawn up his own take of the classic sports coupe in the form of the 2007 AV Design Forte concept. The proposed specs read like those of a modern...
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Ford posts $12.7 billion loss for 2006Ford’s fourth quarter loss of $5.8 billion has pushed the company’s deficit for 2006 to a massive $12.7 billion, the worst result in its 103-year history. Automotive News is reporting that declining sales of its pickup range and restructuring costs are the main reasons behind the dismal...
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Two supercharged XF models in the pipelineJaguar’s upcoming XF lineup will feature two force-fed models for the first time, breaking with the tradition where a supercharger was reserved for the potent ‘R’ series of vehicles only. UK’s Autocar is reporting that the S-type replacement will be launched with a 420bhp...
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Spy Shots: 2010 BMW 5-seriesThough the updated version of the current BMW 5-series was just revealed last week, the all new model is due to arrive by late 2009 for the 2010 model year. Test-mules have already been caught by spy photographers in Munich resembling the current model, but with pumped fenders to accommodate a...
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Carmakers using more aluminumA recent study has shown the use of aluminum in cars manufactured in Europe is on a steady rise and has also grown substantially over the past two decades. In 1990, cars on average used about 50kg of the lightweight metal. By 2005, this figure had grown to 132kg, and is expected to grow another...
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Italdesign’s Fabrizio Giugiaro gives a quick walkthrough of all the design elements that went into making the Giugiaro Mustang the stunner that it is. Displayed once again at last week's... -
Champ Car returns to Europe in SeptemberThe Champ Car World Series will return to Europe later this year for the first time in four years, starting on the 2nd of September at a track in Holland followed by a second event in Belgium one week later. The events are being promoted by Dutchman Bart Rietbergen, and were confirmed by Champ Car...
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Spy Shots: 2008 Mercedes C-Class brochure leakedImages from the official brochure for Mercedes' long-awaited C-Class sedan have leaked onto the web, revealing what the final car will look like ahead of its launch on the 18th of this month. Taking styling cues directly from the more expensive S-Class saloon, the new C has grown in all dimensions...
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Infiniti sketch previews 2008 G CoupeInfiniti today released the sketch which previews the look of the all-new 2008 Infiniti G Coupe. Along with a new luxury crossover concept, the next-generation G Coupe will be unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show in April. This announcement follows a record setting sales trend led...
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Spy Shots: 2008 Volvo XC70Scores of images of Volvo’s upcoming XC70 have been taken during the cars testing phase outside Volvo’s factory in Sweden over the past several months. These latest images show the final version captured as the completed car came off the actual production line. Unlike the current model...
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Bahrain Government Buys 30 Percent Stake In McLaren GroupThe Bahraini government-owned Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, chaired by Sheik Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the country’s finance minister and royal family member, has bought a 30 percent shareholding in the McLaren Group. This would make the Bahraini Kingdom the second largest owner in...
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This is an official sketch released by Infiniti that depicts the 2008 G35 Coupe. The sketch remains true to the previous concept car, pictured below, that appeared last year but with subtle changes... -
Toyota doubts diesel cost savingsDiesel powered cars have already proven to be just as efficient as hybrid-electric vehicles, and in some cases better, but until now the oil burners haven’t been available because of strict clean-air regulations in some countries. Reuters is reporting that one of Toyota's top engineers has...
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2008 Dodge Avenger unveiledThe new Dodge Avenger was originally revealed at the Paris Motor Show in concept form, but it was really just a production model shown early to gauge interest. The Avenger replaces the aging Stratus as Dodge’s new midsize sedan and will be produced at Chrysler’s Sterling Heights plant...
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2008 Dodge Magnum R/T and SRT8Chrysler has taken the wraps off its new 2008 Dodge models, with the first being the Dodge Magnum, which has had a minor restyling as well as the introduction of an updated SRT model. The 2008 Dodge Magnum SRT8 is more menacing than ever with a completely redesigned hood, grille, front fascia and a...
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Mazda Ryuga Concept Breaks CoverMazda has finally dropped the embargo on its Ryuga concept and we can now present to you the vehicle in all its glory. Following on from the Nagare, which was displayed at the L.A. Auto Show, the Ryuga is, according to its designers, “the next step in the evolution of Nagare.” Japanese...
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Chery expects one million sales by 2010China’s Chery Automobile Co. has announced that it will reach a million sales by as early as 2010. Reuters reports that last year the company managed to move just over 305,000 units, a jump of 61 percent over its 2005 figure. Chief executive Yin Tongyao stated that "in 2007, Chery will...
James Martinez