Sean Szymkowski, Contributor
Articles
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The latest General Motors patent underscores how busy the automaker's powertrain engineers have been. The automaker received a patent approval for a high-compression, twin-charged hybrid powertrain...
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Watch an Apollo Intensa Emozione do burnouts on the streets of Hong KongApollo's utterly mad supercar, the Intensa Emozione, was recently filmed on the streets of Hong Kong where the driver decided a few quick burnouts were in order. It's also one of the few times we've heard the supercar running, and the closest we've gotten to hear the throttle mashed to the floor...
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UK insurer first to offer discount for self-driving car techTesla drivers in the United Kingdom have all the more reason to engage the car's AutoPilot system when in the appropriate situation. Direct Line, a British auto insurer, will now offer a 5 percent discount on premiums for drivers who use the self-driving technology. The system's use is actually in...
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Idaho man upset with court system does donuts in front of courthouseAn Idaho driver served up a batch of donuts to showcase his displeasure with the court system before wrecking his Honda Accord into the Boise courthouse's fountain. That's one way to grab attention. The Idaho Statesman reported on Sunday that 37-year-old Jonathan Joseph Locksmith drove into the...
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2018 Jeep Wrangler priced from $28,190Jeep Wrangler faithful will face an uptick in pricing for the new JL-series off-road SUV. Due in showrooms early next year, the new Wrangler has been priced from $28,190 in 2-door Sport trimmings, up from $25,090 for the previous JK model. Note, Jeep will continue to sell the JK Wrangler alongside...
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The sky's the limit: flying car racing series under developmentAustralia bid goodbye to local automobile manufacturing this past October as the final Holden Commodore rolled off the assembly line, but perhaps the country will be at the forefront of another transportation sector: flying cars. One Aussie's idea isn't an unmanned transportation pod, however...
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Aston Martin envisions a redefined LMP1 class at Le Mans if the FIA changes regulations to allow race-modified versions of hypercars to compete. If that were to happen, it would include the Aston...
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Ford acknowledges Focus RS coolant consumption issueAfter many horror stories from owners, Ford admitted early production units of the Focus RS model's 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine suffer from a coolant consumption problem. The issue produces misfires and white smoke before the engine reaches its optimal operating temperature. Autocar...
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Porsche will make decisions on coupe-like crossovers, electric SUVs in 2018Plans for a coupe-like crossover at Porsche aren't finalized yet, but a decision is coming soon. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said the brand will make a final decision on crossover coupes next year. Such a body style would rival the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. Blume said the final decision...
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Custom 1968 Dodge Charger RTR visits Jay Leno's Garage from SwedenOne special 1968 Dodge Charger RTR made its debut at the 2017 SEMA show this past October, but somehow, it flew under the radar and got little press attention. Now, Johan Eriksson, the car's creator, has dropped by Jay Leno's Garage—all the way from Sweden!—with the custom Charger and...
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Dutch coachbuilder working on the Tesla Model S wagon of your dreamsIt's almost strange to think Tesla doesn't produce its own Model S wagon, since the Silicon Valley-based carmaker has a way of doing things differently. Alas, Tesla does not in fact build a wagon—but Dutch firm RemetzCar will. The coachbuilder, based outside of Amsterdam, has begun production...
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Budweiser brewer orders fleet of Tesla SemisBudweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch wants its beer delivery process to be just a smidge more green. The company announced on Friday that it placed a pre-order for 40 Tesla Semis and proclaimed it's one of the largest orders to date. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that the trucks will start from as low...
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The rise of the robots cometh...to the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show next month. We've already seen a handful of other robot concepts coming to the show, but Honda has revealed what it has in...
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Dodge tapped Chrysler's missile division for the Daytona and Plymouth SuperbirdSome of the world's most interesting cars have the greatest stories behind them. The Dodge Daytona and the Plymouth Superbird are no different. At their core, they were built to shame Ford and Chevrolet in NASCAR, but Dodge was so adamant to ensure the car's success that it went through great...
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Engineers had a fun code name for the new Corvette ZR1's LT5 engineChevrolet's new Corvette ZR1 bowed with an incredible 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque last month with a noteworthy engine under the car's shaker hood: a 6.2-liter supercharged LT5 V8 engine. Like most awesome projects, the new LT5 engine had a special code name to ensure others didn't...
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Polestar 1's difficult assembly process will lead to low production numbersPolestar, now its own brand within Volvo Cars Group, unveiled its first production car this past October, the Polestar 1. Although the car possesses a stunning design and impressive performance specs, it won't be a mass-market vehicle, thanks to difficult production processes. The brand plans for...
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Audi and Porsche: Formula E pair may have tenuous bondAudi has been a part of Formula E since the inaugural 2014-2015 season, and now fields its own team. Soon Porsche will enter the field and the two brands will effectively compete against one another in the 2019-2020 season. Rather than outright rival one another, both brands will hold discussions...
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Jaguar isn't planning a V-8 for XE or XFWell, color us a shade of bummed. After long speculation, Jaguar confirmed we won't see a V-8 engine under the hood of the XE or XF anytime soon. Save for the wild XE SV Project 8, of course. Road & Track reported on Wednesday that the decision partially rests on production volumes. Ian Callum...
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General Motors has made efforts to slash weight from its vehicles, and its next-generation full-size pickup trucks might get the most surprising lightweight solution yet. They might be in line for a...
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BMW plans barrage of M Performance models by 2020BMW won't be short on M Performance models in the near future after a new report from Autocar published on Thursday revealed plans for 26 new or refreshed cars by 2020. The long list of new M Performance cars, which will expand outside thoroughbred M vehicles, will help BMW retaliate against a slew...
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Bugatti's $2.61M Chiron recalled over faulty seat reclinersEven the most opulent vehicles sometimes can't avoid a recall. Case in point: the Bugatti Chiron. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration announced a recall for 2017 and 2018 model year Chirons in late November due to faulty seat recliners. In total, the NHTSA said the faulty seat...
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The Boring Company publishes map of proposed tunnelsThe Boring Company, one of many projects under Elon Musk's watch, has released a map showing where it imagines its first network of tunnels to run, if and when it receives government approval. The map depicts two major arteries which follow Interstate 405 and 101 in California. It also shows that...
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Fisker reveals Orbit self-driving shuttleHenrik Fisker is yet to launch the first product from his revived Fisker automotive brand, the much-hypered EMotion electric sport sedan, but he's already hinting at another model for the brand. Fisker tweeted this first image of what he's calling the Orbit, an electric self-driving shuttle for...
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Head Faraday Future designer resignsFaraday Future won't necessarily end 2017 on a high note. The company's chief designer, Richard Kim, tendered his resignation on November 27, The Verge reported last Friday. Kim is a former BMW designer and one of the earlier hires at the fledgling electric-car company. The report said Kim had...
Sean Szymkowski