Stephen Edelstein, Contributing Writer
Articles
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Volvo Trucks in 2016 unveiled a concept vehicle it claimed could achieve 30 percent better fuel efficiency than a conventional semi truck. Now, the Swedish company is testing an updated version...
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Report: Mazda to launch HCCI engine in 2018Not all gasoline engines need spark plugs to ignite their fuel. A process called homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI) uses compression to ignite the fuel, just like in a diesel engine. Several automakers have experimented with HCCI engines over the years, but Mazda may be the first to...
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This company builds real-life TransformersThe Autobots and Deceptions may be able to produce an impressive amount of destruction in Michael Bay's Transformers movies, but in reality they're little more than a collection of computer-generated graphics. But now a company in Turkey claims to have built a real-life Transformer. Letvision...
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Porsche planning less powerful 718 Boxster and Cayman models for ChinaWhen it comes to sports cars, less power usually isn't a good thing. But Porsche thinks less powerful but more affordable versions of its new 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will help boost the attraction of the cars in the lucrative Chinese market. These models will have a 250-horsepower 2.0-liter...
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BMW 330e ads poke fun at Tesla Model 3 wait timesThe 2017 BMW 330e i Performance may be a plug-in hybrid rather than an all-electric car, but BMW hopes to snag some customers who don't want to wait for the Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] Model 3. The 215-mile, $35,000 electric car debuted to much fanfare earlier this year, but production isn't scheduled...
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Hackers steal more than 30 Jeeps in TexasAs cars become more connected, hacking is becoming more of a concern. Last year, researchers took control of a Jeep Cherokee in a highly-publicized hack, but it seems hackers can cause other kinds of mischief as well. A pair of hackers were arrested last week in Texas after stealing more than 30...
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Elvis Presley may have left the building, but his BMW 507 is making a comeback.
Following a two-year restoration by BMW's Classic division, the sports car will appear at the 2016 Pebble Beach...
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Buy grill master George Foreman's LamborghiniWhen selling a car at auction, a little star power never hurts. This 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster is already pretty striking on its own, but it also has a notable former owner. When he wasn't selling grills, George Foreman was driving this Lambo from new. Now the classic supercar is heading...
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Mercedes-Benz mulls electric Sprinter vanMany automakers are focusing on electric cars, but what about an electric van? Mercedes-Benz is reportedly considering an electric version of its next-generation Sprinter. The electric Sprinter could arrive by the end of the decade, coinciding with the arrival of the next-gen van, according to...
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Jay Leno drives a rotary-powered Volkswagen BeetleYou never know what's going to turn up at Jay Leno's Garage. Leno is a fan of Wankel rotary engines and has featured a couple on the show in vehicles like a Mazda Cosmo 110S and a modified 1973 RX-3. This time, though, he featured a rotary engine in something a bit more unorthodox. This 1966...
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Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid delayed again, to Summer 2017The Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid made its U.S. debut at the 2016 New York auto show, and at the time Mitsubishi said the eco-friendly SUV would go on sale here before the end of the 2016 after multiple delays. But the launch has been pushed back once again. The Outlander Plug-In Hybrid won't...
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Genesis to offer 5-year warranty and 3-year complimentary maintenanceHyundai's new Genesis luxury brand hopes to woo customers with a generous warranty and attentive dealers. It's a strategy followed by other carmakers, but might be more important for Genesis as it tries to break away from a parent brand known for more value-oriented cars. Genesis will offer a...
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Long charging times can be a drag for electric vehicles, whether they're private passenger cars or city buses. The Swiss city of Geneva wants to put more electric buses into service, and to do that...
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Arrival of 2017 Continental marks start of more personalized service from LincolnLincoln's attempt to reassert itself as a true luxury brand rather than just a peddler of re-badged Fords isn't just about the cars. When the 2017 Continental launches this fall, it will usher in a new, more personalized service customer-service program that Lincoln hopes will distinguish it from...
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Comedian Kevin Hart poses with his Mercedes-AMG G65Being a celebrity definitely has its perks. The rich and famous collect cars the rest of us can only dream about, like the Mercedes-AMG G65, a G-Class SUV stuffed with a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-12. Not satisfied with merely securing one of these rare beasts, comedian Kevin Hart decided to...
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2,000-hp Nikola One electric truck racks up thousands of pre-ordersTesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] is no longer the only company out there named after inventor Nikola Tesla. But Nikola (pronounced Neek-oh-la) Motors has a very different product line in mind. The Nikola One is a 2,000-horsepower electric semi truck that uses a natural gas turbine as an onboard generator...
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Tesla to sell its electric cars at NordstromInstead of traditional franchised dealerships, Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] sells its electric cars directly to customers through a chain of company-owned retail stores. These stores are usually located in shopping malls alongside upscale department stores and boutiques, but now Tesla plans to actually...
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'Forza Horizon 3' heads to AustraliaThe Forza Horizon series of Microsoft-exclusive racing games gets its third installment later this year, and Forza Horizon 3 is going Down Under. While the related Forza Motorsport series focuses on ultra-realistic driving on racetracks, Forza Horizon games are open-world free for alls that take...
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The Los Angeles Police Department will buy 100 BMW i3 electric cars for non-emergency use.
The LAPD announced plans for this order last year, when it took delivery of an i3 and a Tesla Motors...
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An original Mini fits inside today's Mini CountrymanNew vehicles are getting bigger, and no car brand illustrates this point better than Mini. Current Mini models are still smaller than most other new cars, but they're not exactly "mini," especially compared to the original version that debuted in 1959. On top of that, Mini keeps adding larger...
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Report: VW looking to build battery plant, electric car platform for larger carsAs it tries to dig itself out of the diesel scandal, Volkswagen is paying more attention to electric cars. The German automaker has already discussed an all-electric version of the next Phaeton, and a dedicated platform for small electric cars called MEB. Now it seems there are other VW...
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Tesla targets 90,000 cars this year, 500,000 as early as 2018Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has said multiple times it plans to produce 500,000 electric cars per year by 2020, but now the company believes it may hit that goal a little earlier. In its latest shareholder letter, Tesla said it plans to move the 500,000-unit goal up to 2018. And in a conference call...
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VW trainees unveil GTI, Golf R Variant concepts at WörtherseeEvery year, Volkswagen unveils a barrage of concept cars at the Wörthersee GTI love-fest in Austria. Since 2008, that's included at least one car built by a group of apprentices. This year, two groups of trainees turned up with a modified GTI and Golf R Variant wagon. The GTI is called...
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Hyperloop firm taps auto industry to develop transport techOne of the companies looking to turn Elon Musk's "Hyperloop" dream into reality wants to tap into the auto industry for experienced engineers. "This is real. This is happening," said Brogan BamBrogan, CTO and co-founder of Hyperloop Technology Inc, in a talk at the 2016 SAE World Congress...
Stephen Edelstein