Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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If you own a newer Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 6, you probably already know how helpful Siri can be. Though far from flawless, Siri is like a virtual assistant standing by to answer... -
Steve McQueen's Last Big Screen Ride Hits The BlockSteve McQueen’s final movie before his death in 1980 was The Hunter, in which he portrayed real-life bounty hunter Ralph “Papa” Thorson. In it, McQueen’s character drove a 1951 Chevy Styleline DeLuxe Convertible, which Wheels tells us McQueen purchased for his own collection...
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Amidst A ‘Strategic Review,’ Fisker Hires A Consultant To Manage CashAs struggling plug-in hybrid automaker Fisker broadens its search for investors or partners, it’s hired Huron Consulting Group to manage its day to day operations and cash flow. Bloomberg says that Huron Consulting’s Hugh Sawyer has been put in place as a chief administrative officer...
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Does Mercedes’ Super Bowl Ad Explain Justin Bieber’s Popularity? VideoWe tip our hats to Mercedes-Benz, who admittedly had us beyond puzzled with the build up to its Super Bowl XLVII ad. While we certainly don’t mind reviewing footage of Kate Upton, we couldn’t see where she fit into the grand scheme of things - until now. While we can’t say...
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Chrysler's Revised Product Plan Mixes Good News And BadIf you were holding out hope for a new Mustang and Camaro-fighting SRT Barracuda to debut in the next few years, you may want to sit down. According to the latest product plans released by Chrysler this morning, the SRT brand won’t see a new model before the 2016 model year. If that’s...
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Inside Koenigsegg Goes... Inside The Koenigsegg: VideoAs we’ve seen in previous installments of the Inside Koenigsegg video series, the Swedish automaker overlooks no detail with the Agera R’s paint, suspension and carbon fiber body. Given the supercar’s high-end price point, you’d expect nothing less on the inside, which...
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The Alfa Romeo 4C set hearts racing upon its debut in concept form at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show: gorgeous design met with an extremely lightweight package, and a potent turbocharged engine mounted... -
VW Celebrates 50 Years Of Racing With Formula Vee ReunionVolkswagen’s debut in motorsports officially began in Daytona, Florida, in August 1963. That’s when the first sanctioned Formula Vee race was held, launching a series that, in the beginning, was founded by racing enthusiasts for racing enthusiasts. Formula Vee was born with one simple...
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GRID 2’s Latest Teaser Stars... Chris Harris: VideoHere’s what we know about Codemasters’ latest racing game, Grid 2: it promises realistic graphics, includes both track and street racing environments and promises to deliver an entertaining array of cars, including the Pagani Huayra, the Chevy Camaro, the Ford Mustang and the McLaren...
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Chinese Firm Buys Fisker Battery Supplier A123 SystemsWhen lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123 systems declared bankruptcy last October, the move left Fisker Automotive without a battery supplier for its Karma plug-in hybrid luxury sedan. Fisker downplayed the drama, insisting that it had sufficient inventory for the near future, and that the sale...
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Top Gear Season 19 Airs In The U.S. On February 4: VideoIn years past, those of us living on this side of the Atlantic were forced to wait months for the debut of a new Top Gear season, leading us to believe the episodes were shipped by the BBC via tramp steamer to save money. Sure, we could have streamed them off the internet, but that isn’t...
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A Tale Of Two Aston Martin DB5sTie-ins to James Bond aside, the Aston Martin DB 5 is one of the most stunning luxury sport coupes of all time. That helps to explain the ongoing demand for the car, which went out of production in 1965. Original examples are getting harder to find with each passing year, which is what makes a 1964...
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Mercedes-Benz offers its customers the AMG Driving Academy, Porsche offers driver training at its “Experience Centers” and Jaguar staffs its own Performance Driving Academy.
It stands to... -
Volkswagen's 'Happy' Super Bowl Ad Stirs Controversy: VideoVolkswagen’s upcoming ad for Super Bowl XLVII doesn’t feature scantily clad bikini models, singing dogs or an adorable pint-sized version of a famous movie villain. There are no pyrotechnics, driving stunts or rock bands, either. Instead, it centers on the quest of a lowly office drone...
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Lotus E21 2013 Formula One Car Revealed: VideoIn the highly competitive world of Formula 1 Racing, Lotus has already won the very first race of the year. With today’s unveiling of the Lotus E21 chassis, the team becomes the very first Formula 1 constructor to show its wares for the upcoming season. Those expecting to see a big change...
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A Few Minutes With Jost Capito, Head Of Volkswagen MotorsportsJost Capito has spent nearly 30 years making cars go faster. His impressive career began at BMW in 1984, where he worked as an engineer on the brand’s high-performance engines. Next came a stint with Porsche, which ultimately led Capito to head all of Porsche’s branded racing efforts...
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Is Audi Planning A More Powerful RS 6 Plus?In Audi-speak, its S models are somewhat of an equal blend of performance and luxury, while its RS models favor acceleration and handling above all else. Only the R designator (currently reserved for the Audi R8) sits above the RS models on Audi’s pyramid of performance, but a refreshed...
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Forbidden Fruit: Subaru BRZ RA RacingIf you believe that Europe and Japan get all the cool cars while we’re relegated to sloppy seconds, the newly-announced Subaru BRZ RA Racing probably won’t make you any happier. Like stripped tuner and racing versions already announced by Toyota and Subaru, the Subaru BRZ RA Racing...
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Volkswagen will reportedly show its upcoming Golf R Cabriolet at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which kicks off with press days on March 5. You won’t have to wait that long to see...
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German Brands Sweep All Three Classes In The Rolex 24 At DaytonaIf you’re of German descent, today is a great day to break out the lederhosen in celebration of German automaker dominance at this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. BMW took a win in the Grand-Am DP class, followed by Audi’s win in the GT class and Porsche’s sweep of the new GX...
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Porsche Explains The Significance Of The Rolex 24 At Daytona: VideoThe secret to endurance racing is the same as the secret to all other forms of motorsport: to finish first, first you must finish. In the Grand Am series, nowhere is that task more difficult than at the Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24. It’s the first race of the season, which...
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Local Motors Brings Its Rally Fighter To Jay Leno’s Garage: VideoIf you asked us to describe what Local Motors’ Rally Fighter was, we’d have a hard time filling in the blanks after the phrase “a coupe.” While it’s designed primarily for off-road fun, it’s still plenty capable on road, and it can be licensed in all 50 of the...
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14 Different Mercedes Models Star In New Die Hard Movie: VideoThese days, we find ourselves asking how much is too much when it comes to product placement spots in movies and on television. When is a movie or television show nothing more than a script steered around beauty shots designed to sell product? Based on the latest press release from Mercedes-Benz...
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Time Capsule 1973 Datsun 240Z Hits The BlockOn February 15, the vehicles of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum, located in Madison, Georgia, will be sold by RM Auctions. Among its inventory is a car that certainly doesn’t fit into the “microcar” realm, but instead helped to shape how Americans view both Japanese cars and...
Kurt Ernst