Stephen Edelstein, Contributing Writer
Articles
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Many 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...
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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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Geneva's 'flash charge' electric buses recharge in 15 secondsLong 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 it recently contracted with local firm ABB to set up a "flash-charging" network that can charge those...
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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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Being 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...
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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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LAPD picks BMW i3 over Tesla Model S: Here's whyThe 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 [NSDQ:TSLA] Model S for testing. It turns out officers preferred the i3. ALSO SEE: 2017 Volvo S90 first...
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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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Tesla 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...
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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...
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Usain Bolt still a fan of the Nissan GT-RWhen you've got a sports car to promote, having the "world's fastest man" on hand isn't a bad thing. Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt is Nissan's "Global Director of Excitement," and he's also a fan of the GT-R. So what does he think of the refreshed 2017 model unveiled last week at the 2016 New...
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IIHS says most cars need better headlightsWhen seeing at night becomes difficult, many people blame their own eyes. But car headlights may really be the problem, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which just released its first-ever headlight ratings. Headlights are getting more advanced, with LEDs and other new...
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FTC sues VW over "Clean Diesel" advertisingVolkswagen can add one more lawsuit to the growing list resulting from the ongoing diesel scandal. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is now suing the embattled German carmaker because of allegedly false claims in years of "Clean Diesel" advertising. VW used the Clean Diesel tagline for years...
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The debut of Spyker's C8 Preliator during last week's 2016 New York Auto Show included the announcement of pricing for the Dutch firm's latest sports car in the United States.
Spyker says the...
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2017 Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid coming with 449 hp, 37-mile electric rangeCadillac's CT6 Plug-In Hybrid was unveiled a year ago at the Shanghai Auto Show, but full details on the sedan's advanced powertrain are only now being released. As previously reported, the CT6 borrows some components from the second-generation Chevy Volt, adapting them to a rear-wheel-drive...
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2017 Buick Enclave gets Sport Touring Edition trimBuick now offers Sport Touring versions of nearly every model it makes. It started with the Encore, then jumped to the Regal, Verano, and LaCrosse. Apparently wanting to complete the set, Buick is now offering a similar treatment on the Enclave. Like the other models, the 2017 Buick Enclave Sport...
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Bosch, Panasonic among potential battery suppliers for production Porsche Mission E: ReportPorsche plans to put its Mission E electric car into production by the end of the decade, but to do that it will need a company to supply batteries for the car. The company is considering two potential candidates and may make a decision soon, reports Bloomberg. Panasonic and Bosch are both...
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First full-scale Hyperloop could be built in EuropeSince Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] CEO Elon Musk first proposed the "Hyperloop" concept in 2013, multiple companies have arisen to try to make this futuristic transportation system a reality. But the first commercial Hyperloop may not be in the United States. The Hyperloop debuted with the tagline "San...
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Borgward brings BX5 and BX6 TS plug-in hybrid SUVs to GenevaRevived German carmaker Borgward unveiled two new models at this week's 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Like the BX7 unveiled last fall at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show, they're both crossovers, and are likely aimed at the Chinese market. Both have plug-in hybrid powertrains. The Borgward BX5 is a smaller...
Stephen Edelstein