Sean Szymkowski, Contributor
Articles
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Mercedes-AMG is giving enthusiasts a reason to make the pilgrimage to the 2018 North American International Auto Show. Tobias Moers, head of the Affalterbach-based performance division, told ...
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Samsung SDI's latest electric-car battery cells: energy capacity up 50 percentCompanies that fabricate lithium-ion battery cells rarely stage elaborate displays at global auto shows. Korean maker Samsung, though, feels its latest advance in electric-car battery tech warranted its booth at this week's 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Samsung SDI, which supplies battery cells to the...
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Magna Powertrain adds extra motor to Tesla Model S for better handlingWhat happens when a third electric motor is added to a Tesla Model S? Not additional power, but increased handling prowess. That's according to Roadshow, which recently had a go in a tri-motor Tesla Model S. But ... surprise ... it isn't actually a Tesla Model S. It's Magna Powertrain's own...
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All it takes to total a C7 Corvette is one tiny crackTaking a quick look at this 2017 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Grand Sport reveals what appears to be no issues. It runs well and has no body damage. But, it's been totaled out by the driver's insurance company thanks to a tiny crack in the frame. According to the owner, who told the story on the Corvette...
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Bugatti to begin development of Chiron successor in 2019Bugatti only revealed the Chiron last year, but development for the potent supercar's successor is planned to begin in just two years' time. Bugatti will sell the Chiron for six years total, and since deliveries began earlier this year, that pegs the French marque's Chiron sequel to likely arrive...
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Mercedes boss says Formula E tech could fuel Project One successorThe 1,000 horsepower-plus Mercedes-AMG Project One is merely days old, and like each year's iPhone we're already talking about the next greatest thing. Specifically, a successor to the Project One. Yes, AMG is already thinking about its next hypercar. This is good news for those who missed out on...
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From the sound of it, the Bentley Bentayga will soldier on as the luxury brand's sole SUV for the foreseeable future.
Brand boss Wolfgang Dürheimer made this clear when he recently said an...
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Volkswagen readying flagship electric sedan concept for 2018 Geneva Motor ShowThe Volkswagen Phaeton never quite reached the potential VW likely felt it had, but the German automaker is preparing a flagship sedan comeback—and it's going to be completely electric. Volkswagen confirmed it will show an all-electric flagship sedan concept vehicle at the 2018 Geneva motor...
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Toyota interested in building performance-oriented hybridsToyota wants to redefine how a hybrid can be perceived—well, maybe how its hybrids can be perceived. The Japanese automaker announced it will introduce a performance-oriented line of hybrid vehicles in the near future, an area it's been a bit late in the game. The announcement coincided with...
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2018 Mercedes-Benz S560e plug-in hybrid joins updated S-Class rangeMercedes-Benz has revealed its newest member of the 2018 S-Class family: the S560e plug-in hybrid. After revealing the updated S-Class range in April, Mercedes debuted the S560e on Tuesday at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. With Mercedes' third-generation hybrid unit at its core, the 2018 S560e is...
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Japanese electric supercar you've never heard of promises 0-60 in under 2 secondsOnce a week it seems another new electric car company announces plans to introduce its own interpretation of a zero-emission future. Some of them even promise incredible, world-beating performance. Aspark, a Japanese firm involved in everything from medical devices to robotics, promises both...
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Renault Symbioz concept shows how home and car become oneRenault has used the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show to reveal what it believes transportation in the year 2030 might look like. Spoiler alert: the car isn't just a means of transportation, but an extension of the home. It's called the Renault Symbioz, and it's chock full of futuristic concepts and...
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Borgward emerged in the early to mid-1900s as an underdog German automaker that would, after some great successes, fold in the early 1960s.
However, the storied brand was reincarnated in 2008 and...
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BMW M8 GTE racecar debuts in Frankfurt, ready to battle at Le MansWhile BMW holds off on unveiling the production version of its new 8-Series a while longer, the Bavarian automaker is whetting our palettes with the debut of the BMW M8 GTE racecar at this week's 2017 Frankfurt motor show. It's not the "8" we'll see on the street, but the M8 GTE program has run...
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Tesla taking Supercharger network to city centers, starting with Chicago and BostonTesla has largely focused its Supercharger charging station network on highways and popular roads, but the Silicon Valley automaker will soon change that. Tesla announced it will begin to expand its Supercharger charging network to city centers, with downtown Chicago, Illinois, and Boston...
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Ferrari Portofino arrives as the California T rides off into the sunsetThe sun has set on the Ferrari California T and a new V-8-powered grand tourer has arrived to carry its torch. In August, Ferrari revealed the sharper, more defined Portofino to replace the California T. Now the car's made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. We use adjectives such as...
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Someone paid $2.25M for a Ferrari LaFerrari prototype that can't be driven legallyThe Ferrari LaFerrari consistently commands big bucks no matter when one rolls across the auction block, but this example is slightly different. That's because it's one of Ferrari's prototype LaFerraris and can't be registered or legally driven at all. That didn't keep bidders away from dishing out...
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The McLaren F1 was almost all Formula 1 technologyIt's hard to believe it's been a quarter of a century since the McLaren F1 took the world by storm. The now-legendary F1 has been heralded by car enthusiasts of multiple generations thanks to its world-record setting top-speed run and cutting-edge technology. Mind you, this car was built long...
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While some automakers have plenty of expertise in electric powertrains, others haven't entered the realm. Bosch is hoping automakers will see past developing their own electric powertrain technology...
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4-door BMW 8-Series Gran Coupe reportedly coming in late 2019BMW is busy readying the revival of its storied 8-Series nameplate and we know for sure it will first begin with a two-door variant. However, the 8-Series' future lineup may include a four-door Gran Coupe model as well. The latest information comes from BMW Blog, which reports a BMW 8-Series Gran...
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Electrified Rolls-Royce and BMW M cars are comingBMW revealed it has big plans to begin introducing electric cars for mass production in the near future—and yes, they even include Rolls-Royce and its BMW M-division cars. The German automaker revealed it has 12 new fully-electric vehicles under development and plans to start producing the...
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Bollinger plans a 4-door version of the coolest electric car you've never heard ofBollinger already showed off its all-electric B1 sport utility truck, but now the electric truck builder has returned with the first sketches of a four-door version, and we're excited. At the core of Bollinger is the desire to fill a niche in the electric vehicle space. That is a no-frills electric...
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Lilium flying taxi company secures $90M in fundingGerman flying taxi company Lilium is determined to reinvent the way humans are transported. To help it take flight, the company announced it has secured $90 million in new funding. The $90 million figure is much higher than its first round of funding, which raised $10 million, according to Tech...
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Ferrari may have built a 458 Italia with a LaFerrari V-12When the Ferrari 458 Italia debuted, it sung a sweet song via its 4.5-liter V-8 engine. However, it appears the iconic Italian sports car maker fitted one 458 Italia with a 6.3-liter V-12 engine. Not just any V-12 engine, but the LaFerrari's V-12 engine. We know the car is real thanks to a Ferrari...
Sean Szymkowski