James Martinez, Author
Articles
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Just as Chrysler previewed its next-gen 300 sedan and Jeep Grand Cherokee in its viability plan submitted to the U.S. Treasury today, General Motors, too, in its own plan, revealed the final design...
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Video: GM shows off Autobot lineup from Transformers 2
General Motors has released a new video showcasing the vehicles that will star as the Autobots in the upcoming sequel to last year’s Transformers movie. The new movie will be called Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and it is set to open across the U.S. on June 26. The latest teaser clip...
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Lexus releases F-Sport Performance Accessories for GS and IS Convertible
Lexus announced at today’s Chicago Auto Show that it will expand its F-Sport Performance Accessories line to include parts for the GS sedan, IS AWD, and the all-new IS C convertible. Previously the performance range was only applicable for the IS 250 and IS 350 sedans but Lexus has always...
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U.S.-spec Kia Forte debuts at Chicago Auto Show
Kia’s new Forte sedan has been on sale in South Korea since August of last year but the car is just making its North American debut, launching today at the Chicago Auto Show. The Forte draws heavily on the styling of the recently revealed Kia Koup concept and features a new, edgier look...
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Ford revives performance sedan heritage with 2010 Taurus SHO
Fast factory versions of frumpy family sedans are nothing new - they've been around almost as long as the industry has - but few really capture the mind of the auto enthusiast like the Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) did during the 1990s. Perhaps because it was one of the few American takes on...
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New images for G-Power’s title holder of 'World's Fastest Street-Legal Sedan'
The gloves are off in the battle to produce the world's fastest street-legal sedan, and the competition is getting hotter as German tuning giants Brabus and G-Power practice a game of one-upmanship. First, G-Power unveiled its 225mph (360km/h) Hurricane M5, based on the BMW M5. That car used a pair...
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General Motors has notified its employees that it will reduce salaried employment globally from a current level of 73,000 to approximately 63,000 - a reduction of 14% - over the course of the year....
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Kia considers production of Soul’ster pickup
Kia rolled out an oddly styled pickup concept based on its new Soul compact car at last month’s Detroit Auto Show as way to drum up excitement for the regular hatch model which is set to go sale in March. The concept, called the Soul’ster, was never intended to be produced but strong...
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Ford unveils global-engineered Transit Connect van, electric version coming in 2010
We rarely cover news about commercial vehicles on this site but Ford’s new 2010 Transit Connect has some significance as it is the first of a new range of globally designed and engineered vehicles being brought over to the U.S. market. Aimed at small business users, the Transit Connect is a...
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Chevrolet Camaro returns as Official Pace Car for 51st Daytona 500
After a 40 year hiatus the Chevrolet Camaro is set to return to the ‘Great American Race’, starring as the Official Pace Car for the Daytona 500. The annual event, now in its 51st year, is regarded by many as the most important race on the NASCAR calendar and a Camaro has paced the...
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Mission Motors Unveils Electric Motorcycle With 150-Mile Range And 150-MPH Top Speed
Today’s Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference held in Long Beach, California, saw the unveiling of a new all-electric motorcycle that its makers claim is the fastest of its kind in the world. The motorcycle is the new Mission One from American sports bike design firm Mission...
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Full Aptera 2e production specifications revealed
In March of last year, Aptera announced it had done all the development necessary to head to production, and that all it needed was to move into acquiring the right equipment and workforce to do so. Soon after the company revealed that a new infusion of $24 million in cash had been acquired, and...
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Fiat and Chrysler first released a joint statement announcing they had signed a non-binding term sheet to establish a global strategic alliance just over two weeks ago but according to Fiat's CEO the...
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BMW will focus on eight-speed automatic transmissions
BMW will soon be offering a new eight-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF that is set to appear first in the 7-series flagship saloon. The new transmission is said to be both more fuel-efficient and cheaper to manufacture than the current six-speed unit, and its performance is also claimed...
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Chrysler ‘Employee Pricing Plus Plus’ program prices revealed
The past month has been one of the busiest for struggling Detroit carmaker Chrysler, within the past several weeks receiving a $1.5 billion infusion from the federal government, revealing plans for a strategic alliance with Fiat, and announcing a range of new incentives. Under the new...
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More details emerge on Ford’s upcoming electric compact
Ford confirmed at last month’s Detroit Auto Show that it would launch an all-electric compact car in 2011, co-developed with automotive parts supplier and independent vehicle manufacturer Magna International. Today new details on Ford's efforts to but electric wheels on the ground have...
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Toyota Prius plug-in hybrids averaging 65mpg in initial testing
Major carmakers are rushing to develop a new generation of plug-in hybrid vehicles including industry giants Toyota and GM, which hope to have the technology ready for sale by the end of the decade. GM appears to have the lead at the moment, forming a partnership with LG Chem to develop and...
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Mitsubishi confirms Lancer Sportback GTS and Ralliart for U.S.
The rally-car wars just got a little hotter, as Mitsubishi has today confirmed it will be bringing the Lancer Sportback to the U.S. The hatchback bodystyle equips it to do battle on equal footing with Subaru's Impreza and WRX hatches when it arrives in the U.S. around the middle of the year...
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Less than a month after receiving the first $4 billion from the federal government’s bailout package for the auto industry, Chrysler has revealed that it needs an additional $3 billion to help...
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Ford and Shelby to release race-only Mustang ‘R-Model’
Ford and Shelby first built a limited run of 37 track-only Mustang GT350Rs more than 40 years ago, and in honor of the original cars and race driver Jerry Titus, who piloted them during the 1960s, a modern-day version will be built. Only 37 cars will be built and offered to the public with a...
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U.S. Justice Department introduces national used vehicle database
A major problem in the used car industry is the illegal practice of ‘title washing,’ a process where salvaged wrecks are rebuilt and given new title information and then sold to unknowing buyers. Three consumer groups recently attempted to sue the federal government to force it to...
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Ford reports $5.9 billion loss for fourth quarter of 2008
Despite being the only Detroit 3 carmaker to decline the federal government’s bailout offer, Ford has revealed that it is still doing it tough by reporting a substantial $5.9 billion loss for the fourth quarter of 2008. This figure roughly equates to just under $500 million lost each week or...
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Texas considering $5,000 tax credit for plug-in hybrids on top of federal incentives
With all the talk of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reconsidering allowing states to implement their own fuel-economy emissions and regulations, and the negative flow on effects this would have on carmakers that would be forced to tailor cars to meet varying standards across the country...
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Maybach sales drop 25%, company insists it’s immune to global economic crisis
Despite the global economic crisis, no customers have canceled their Maybach orders but sales last year were still down on 2007’s levels. Maybach sold just over 400 vehicles in 2007 but this dropped to 300 vehicles last year, with the United States once again accounting for the bulk of sales...
James Martinez