SUVs
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SsangYong, on the brink of collapse, has revealed a pair of new concept vehicles at the Seoul Motor Show, previewing a new production model the company will hopefully release before the year is out. The latest show cars are an evolution of last year’s striking C200 crossover concept vehicle and are described as “almost production-ready”. Expected to carry the C200 name, SsangYong’s latest crossover concept has been styled by Giugiaro’s legendary ItalDesign studio and is about the same size as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V – two of its prime competitors...
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Volvo cuts XC90 pricing by 8% for 2009
The poor car market has led many carmakers to take drastic action with their workforces, to ask for government assistance or to offer unprecedented incentives, but so far most carmakers haven't taken the knife to their base pricing. Volvo bucks the trend today by cutting the price of their XC90 SUV...
Alex Kaufmann -
New Kia Sorento debuts at Seoul Motor Show
Soaring fuel prices and shifting demand towards smaller cars hasn’t deterred Kia from developing a range of new SUV models. Last year the South Korean carmaker introduced the Borrego seven-seat SUV, and now Kia has revealed official details for its all-new 2010 Sorento SUV, which debuted...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Cadillac now offering Escalade Hybrid in Platinum trim
When it comes to maximizing fuel savings, a vehicle like the Cadillac Escalade is probably one of the best platforms for a hybrid drivetrain. The SUV’s are big and heavy and are mostly found in and around city suburbs. This means mostly slow traveling speeds and plenty of stop-start...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Heico Sportiv upgrades full Volvo XC60 lineup
Specialist Volvo tuner Heico Sportiv has just come out with what it’s claiming is the world's first complete upgrade program for the Volvo XC60. The program alters both the internal and external features of the car, with various engine upgrades for the different trim levels of the XC60. When...
Alex Kaufmann -
U.S. raises fuel economy floor to 27.3mpg for 2011
You might disagree with his methods, but you can't deny President Obama's determination to improve the U.S. car industry's situation and to remedy the nation's current energy policy. Part of both plans is a rise in the fuel economy requirements to 27.3mpg fleet-wide by 2011. It's actually a step...
Ralph Hanson -
German tuner G-Power is known for its lack of restraint when it comes to modifying BMWs – the firm’s modified M5 currently holds the title of the world's fastest street-legal sedan. Now, G-Power has turned its focus to another BMW stablemate, the X5 SUV. Known as the Typhoon, the modified BMW X5 has had a number of both aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades installed to make it match the other G-Power creations we've seen over the years. On the aerodynamic front, new fender flares and strikingly styled aprons and spoilers feature at the front and back. The curved fender flares on...
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JE Design takes the wraps off Progressor Cayenne
Porsche itself has recently gotten into the game of modifying its Cayenne SUV, so it's no wonder the vehicle has been a favorite of the tuner crowd for years. Though JE Design's latest creation may not have the exclusivity of the GTS Design Edition 3 revealed today, it does have a flavor all its...
Alex Kaufmann -
Spy shots: 2010 Range Rover facelift
Land Rover’s third-generation Range Rover was first introduced in 2002 and was updated in 2005 with some minor styling revisions as well as a range of new V8 engines sourced from Jaguar. The luxury SUV is set to undergo another minor update, with a camouflaged prototype caught testing once...
Kenneth Hall -
Porsche ups the exclusivity of the Cayenne GTS with new Porsche Design Edition 3
Compared to the regular Porsche Cayenne models like the S and Turbo, the GTS is just that little bit sportier and more exclusive. After all, it features an enhanced 4.8L V8 engine, has been lowered 24mm, and comes with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system as standard. Porsche has...
Alex Kaufmann -
Small car, hybrid sales taking a long drive off a short pier
The short-sightedness of the car-buying public is breathtaking. It was just months ago that fears over $4 gas prices had people scurrying about, dumping loaded SUVs for a fraction of their purchase price and replacing them with smaller, more efficient vehicles. But today, with fuel well under $2...
Nelson Ireson -
Wald adds Black Bison styling kit for Toyota’s Land Cruiser
Japanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every major luxury car brand on the market, but this time the company has focused its attention on a humble Toyota, albeit one of the biggest Toyota’s ever produced. The car is the latest...
Jeremy Weber -
As further evidence that the sky isn't on as fierce a downward trajectory as some would have you believe, Mercedes-Benz is working on a planned $290 million Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant expansion. The new 200,000 sq ft addition will produce SUVs and other new models for American tastes. Mercedes hasn't been immune from the global economic downturn in its sales or profit figures, but it continues to plan for the future. And that future includes more M-Class and GL-Class vehicles, and their successors, the company told the Tuscaloosa News. “There is no doubt that we are going through the...
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Fiat keen to draw SUV know-how from Jeep
Earlier this week Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli mentioned how the proposed $10 billion deal with Fiat could be just what the company needs to bring it back from the brink of bankruptcy. While Chrysler would be gaining Fiat's vast global distribution network, as well as new technology to boost...
Kenneth Hall -
B&B Tuning gives the Volkswagen Tiguan a little more bite
Volkswagen's Tiguan SUV may not be designed for performance, but that hasn't stopped German tuners B&B conducting an extensive tuning program on the compact off-roader. With the range-topping Tiguan fitted out with all of B&B's modifications, customers are looking at a 300hp (225kW) SUV with around...
Alex Kaufmann -
Report: Mini Planning John Cooper Works Crossover
Heating up the hot hatch world has become a game of diminishing returns - finding a way to fit 300hp, smart looks and a roomy interior all into an affordable price tag is not easy. But Mini has decided to take a new tack: turning the Cooper into a crossover, and maybe even adding diesel into the...
Nelson Ireson -
Jeep unveils three-pack of Rocky Mountain Edition models
Adding value to a vehicle intended for dual-duty city and offroad use isn't a hard thing to do. Doing it in this economy, and actually selling vehicles, is another. Chrysler is hoping it's hit the right balance with the new Rocky Mountain Edition Jeeps, released today. The packages combine a set of...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford builds 100,000th hybrid SUV, reaffirms electric future
When it comes to hybrids, it’s usually Toyota and Honda that get all the good press but American carmakers are just as active in the segment though their efforts mostly go unnoticed. Not this time, however, as Ford wants everyone to know that it has produced its 100,000th hybrid SUV. The...
Ralph Hanson -
It's got a snazzy title, it's controversial, and it's already popular. No, it's not Britney Spears' new 'Circus' tour. It's a plan - called the 'Hummer Tax' - to increase the registration fee on SUVs, and it has the backing of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Car dealers and SUV owners are already up in arms over the proposal, though exactly how much money the increase would be isn't yet clear. "It's a penalty for driving an SUV, which currently is not the popular choice. Or you're being penalized for a lifestyle choice, or maybe the fact that you have a large family and you need that...
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GL-based Lagonda Concept confirms Aston Martin and Mercedes partnership
Talk of Aston Martin and Mercedes Benz entering a partnership dates back almost two years but until last week’s Geneva Motor Show no evidence of such a deal existing had ever materialized. We bet you’re all scratching your heads and wondering what happened at last week’s Geneva...
Kenneth Hall -
Porsche sells its 250,000th Cayenne
Love it or hate it, the Porsche Cayenne SUV forged new territory for the brand when it debuted in 2002, and the Stuttgart company has ridden that success to production of 250,000 of the vehicles since. The magic quarter-million mark was passed today at the plant in Leipzig, Poland. Perhaps...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ford boosts safety of Escape SUV for 2010 model year
Beating Toyota and Honda at their own game is no easy thing, but Ford's done it with the Escape, taking top rankings in safety and fuel efficiency against the RAV-4 and CR-V. For 2010, Ford's taking steps to help expand that lead by adding five new safety features to the Escape. Keeping teens from...
Ralph Hanson -
Pontiac axes Torrent SUV, shifts focus to cars
General Motors has confirmed that Pontiac's struggling Torrent SUV will be canned this week due to poor sales and a need to remarket the brand as a lineup that specializes in cars. The news comes from the company’s North American vice-president of Buick, Pontiac and GMC, Susan Docherty, who...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Aston Martin Lagonda Preview
Aston takes an unusual translation of "Lagonda": now, it means SUV.
Martin Padgett