Author Archive for Editor
High court asked to block Chrysler sale to Fiat
WASHINGTON Three Indiana state pension and construction funds want the Supreme Court to block Chrysler’s sale to Fiat so they can pursue an appeal in hopes of getting a better deal. Also filing emergency papers at the high court Sunday were lawyers representing consumer groups and individuals with product-related lawsuits. An appeals court in New [...]
Hyundai gives KDM facelifted Accent – is the U.S. next?
Hyundai’s released a handful of images of the redesigned Verna Transform, or, as it’s known in markets outside of Korea, the Accent. This 2010 model receives a thoroughly redesigned front fascia that’s strikingly similar to the recently released Subaru Legacy, with a deep air dam, oversized front grille, foglights, and sculpted bumper that accentuates the [...]
2009 Ford Edge Sport: A bit of kit, lots of convenience
Ford, on the other hand, wants everyone to have an Edge – the company’s well-designed crossover vehicle. The Ford Edge is a five-passenger family hauler available in four trim levels (SE, SEL, Limited, Sport) and as either a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle. Prices start at $26,635. Our test car was a top-of-the-line Sport version with [...]
2009 Jaguar XK: Muted muscle
All right, I admit it – I like looking at myself driving in the reflections of buildings, and get absolutely giddy when I’m behind the wheel of something flashy. It’s the sort of vanity guys at the gym indulge in, watching themselves do arm curls in T-shirts two sizes too small. “Yeah, that’s right, this [...]
1957 Ferrari sells for record $12.1 million at auction
A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa once again blew away the competition, setting a world record for cars sold at auction when it fetched an eye-popping $12.1 million on Sunday at an event on the grounds of the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. The Testa Rossa was one of just 22 produced from 1957 to [...]
REPORT: Mitsubishi launches production of the iMiEV in Japan
Mitsubishi has launched series production of its iMiEV electric car at its Okayama, Japan factory. That makes the tri-diamond brand the first major automaker to kick off full scale production of a new EV, though it will be followed by many other automakers over the next two years. The automaker plans to build about 2,000 [...]
Hyundai Releases Redesigned Verna Transform images
Some nice chanting images of the revamped Verna Transform has just been released by Hyundai, in the other parts of the world (besides Korea) the Vehicle is quite popular with the name of the Accent. The coming 2010 version is going to get a complete front fascia redesigned that is quite similar to Subaru Legacy [...]
Detroit Could Lose Auto Show
A city steeped in uncertainty surrounding the bankruptcy of General Motors has something else to worry about: loss of the North American International Auto Show. Detroit has been the premier international show for vehicle debuts, but if the debate over the ownership and renovation of Cobo Center, where the show is held, is not resolved [...]
A Rolls-Royce Knock-Off From China
While Rolls-Royce did have some news at the Shanghai auto show, it was largely overshadowed by the debut of a Chinese automaker’s interpretation of a Rolls, the Geely GE. If and when the GE comes to market in China, it would be sold under Geely’s Englon luxury marque. By all accounts the limo is a [...]
Toyota F1 Team Sells Parts Online
Forget about a boring baseball cap, a tacky polo shirt or a chintzy key ring. There are better ways to show your affection for Toyota’s Formula One team. For example, consider the purchase of a rear wing from one of Toyota F1’s racecars. Or perhaps a genuine front-nose piece. Both are available at Toyota F1’s [...]
Bargain Hunting on General Motors and Chrysler Lots
Because of the Chrysler and General Motors bankruptcies, people looking for car bargains might find a few treasures. But they have to be prepared to act quickly and forgo considerations like resale value and vehicle reliability, and also ignore the uncertainties around warranty repairs and the availability of spare parts. Feeling lucky? A good place [...]
G.M. and Chrysler Defend Dealer Closings to Senate Panel
Under sharp questioning from a Senate panel, executives from General Motors and Chrysler defended their plans to whittle down the number of dealerships on Wednesday, calling it a painful but necessary part of creating leaner, more competitive companies. The chief executive of G.M., Fritz Henderson, and the vice chairman of Chrysler, James E. Press, said [...]
In Overhaul, G.M. May Look to Its Far-Flung Arms
GURGAON, India — What will New G.M. look like? Part of the answer may be found at the India headquarters of General Motors, a new sandstone and tinted-glass building surrounded by dirt roads and corrugated tin shacks. On the walls are reminders of the company’s past, including photos of the 1953 Corvette. But sports cars [...]
2009 Lexus IS-F
The Lexus IS-F formula is pretty simple: stuff the big 5-liter V-8 from the mammoth LS 600h L into the midsize IS sedan. The suspension and brakes are also upgraded, but the IS-F is defined by that engine. The exhaust is cover-your-ears loud, and full-throttle upshifts are executed with all the subtlety of an M80 [...]
2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged
While the XF Supercharged is unlikely to contend seriously with its competitors at the track, it is arguably the most well-rounded luxury performance sedan. The XF looks more Japanese than Jaguar at first glance, with bold, modern lines and myriad details. On the road, Jaguar’s midsize sedan is fast, graceful and quiet. The interior glamour [...]
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
The greatest achievement of the new CTS-V is its transformation from an exhilarating brute into a legitimate, polished luxury sedan. Aside from big wheels and a chrome grille with enough chain link to wrap a penitentiary, you’d never guess this Cadillac was Ferrari-fast, a 556-horsepower Motown missile that reaches 60 m.p.h. from a stop in [...]
2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
Porsche has been experimenting with automatics since the days of the 356 models. The new PDK (its full name is Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, or double clutch gearbox) uses two wet clutches to shift its seven forward gears with minimal interruption in the flow of power to the wheels. The new technology adds 66 pounds to the [...]
Detroit’s Woes Wound an Army of Suppliers
For nine years, the Strong brothers, Mark and Tim, made tools in their machine shop to maintain the giant presses that stamped steel sheets into fenders and hoods at a nearby General Motors factory in Lansing, Mich. Aircraft parts were a sideline, but when auto work dried up last November, the brothers managed to get [...]
Chinese Company Buying G.M.’s Hummer Brand
General Motors has reached a preliminary agreement for the sale of its Hummer brand of large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks to a machinery company in western China with ambitions to become a carmaker. The buyer is the Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company, based in Chengdu, G.M. said Tuesday. The price was not [...]
Chrysler Sale to Fiat Moves to a Higher Court
A federal appeals court agreed late Tuesday to hear an appeal of Chrysler’s sale to Fiat, after a lower court judge approved the move to help expedite the process. The United States Appeals Court for the Second Circuit in Manhattan has scheduled a hearing for 2 p.m. Friday after Judge Arthur J. Gonzalez of the [...]
Report: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Super crew start at $44,315 *.
Report: PSA may onward transfer hybrid vehicles in China
First Drive: 2010 Volkswagen Golf evolves the German hatchback
Bentley earns green credentials with Geneva show car
Spy shots: 2012 caught Hyundai Sonata (i40) car again test