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Vizualtech, a Swedish design and engineering firm that specializes in constructing virtual 3D models of cars and boats, has just released a new set of images of a futuristic hot-rod. Depicted is a computer generated rendering of the company’s Delithium, a speedster designed to run on all-electric power or a highly efficient petrol-electric hybrid system. The name Delithium is a portmanteau of “delirium” and “lithium” and as indicated by this name the vehicle is capable of lightning quick speeds with zero emissions. Vizualtech has designed a vehicle with similar...
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Lumma Design to show CLR X 650 GT at Geneva Motor Show
Sometimes more isn't a good thing, and that's often the case with aftermarket mods. Even BMW's own factory designs have come under fire for adding needless elements - the recently-released 5-series Gran Turismo being a prime example. But none of that has fazed the likes of Lumma, which has moved...
Ralph Hanson -
Rinspeed shows off dual power mode E2 concept car
As carmakers strive to improve the fuel efficiency of their powertrains, more and more innovative and technical solutions are coming to light. Take Rinspeed’s latest E2 concept car based on the sporty Fiat 500 Abarth. Instead of opting for a complicated and expensive hybrid or electric...
Alex Kaufmann -
Gold plated Aston Martin up for sale
The transmutation of base metals into gold has been the centuries-long quest of the alchemist and now tuning company Alchemist has achieved the goal - after a fashion. Painstaking work and attention to detail, not to mention a great deal of gold and platinum leaf, went into the final result, and...
Ralph Hanson -
Europe’s carmakers show off four-cylinder engines with V8 performance
In Europe, where fuel prices are often more than double or triple what they are here in the U.S., customers typically favor compact, fuel efficient engines. While many Americans may scoff at the idea of driving a reasonably sized car with an engine not much bigger than that found on a motorbike, it...
Jeremy Weber -
GM scraps plans for Volt engine plant in Flint, Michigan
Earlier this month General Motors announced that it was putting plans for the construction of a new engine plant in Flint, Michigan, on hold. The plant was to build a new range of 1.4L four-cylinder powertrains for cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Cruze, but a company spokesperson has now revealed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Europe's love affair with - and America's envy of - hot hatches knows almost no bounds, with makers from all quadrants throwing out spiced-up versions of just about everything imaginable, from Skodas to Peugeots to Fiats. One of the latest to join the club is an updated version of the Fiat Grande Punto Abarth SS, due to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. Like the 500 Abarth SS and Grande Punto SS package before it, the new car uses a 16-valve 1.4L petrol turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 180hp (134kW) to scoot it to 62mph (100km/h) in just 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed...
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Volvo adds four more cars to efficient DRIVe lineup in Geneva
Slashing the cost of ownership is a good strategy in today's car market, especially in Europe where emissions taxes are a large part of the yearly expense. Volvo's DRIVe line of cars, expanded with four more models today, is therefore not just smart in an environmental sense, but a business sense...
Nelson Ireson -
Subaru’s sporty WRX STI now available with automatic gearbox
Subaru’s WRX STI has always been about extreme performance. The car itself was developed by the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division, the same group responsible for development of Subaru’s World Rally Championship cars, and thus next-to-little compromises to performance were...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan to showcase production NV200 at Geneva Motor Show
Designed at Nissan’s European design studio in London, the NV200 was a striking van concept that made its debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Nissan now plans to show off the production version of the NV200 at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The new Nissan van is described as a light...
James Martinez -
Grab your tinfoil hats, BMW is developing a navigation system that tracks your habits
Imagine a future where you don't have to drive yourself to work, the market or even home from a night on the town. Convenient, but to some a nightmare of lost control. Even worse: imagine a future where your car chooses your destination for you. That's what BMW is working toward with its new...
Ralph Hanson -
Obama's car industry task force shuns domestic cars for personal use
The resurgence in domestic car quality (it's real) hasn't quite caught up with the members President Obama's newly-formed Task Force on the Auto Industry, or at least so it would seem from their personal car choices: 18 of 20 members and senior aides drive imports. It's not a surprise the majority...
Nelson Ireson -
This year’s Geneva Motor Show will see the launch of two new Lancia Delta variants: a new range-topping version and a sports model with a powerful turbocharged engine. For those unfamiliar with Lancia, the brand is a division of Fiat Group that offers a range of distinctive hatches and sedans. Lancia has more recently been promoted as Fiat Group’s mid-level luxury offering but the brand’s roots lie in motorsport, especially in rallying. As for its current models, like the Delta hatchback, Lancia is launching the new ‘Executive’ flagship aimed at customers seeking...
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A1GP Chairman: F1 is copying all my ideas
Keeping motorsport relevant, affordable and interesting is a tricky balancing act. In the U.S. NASCAR has done an admirable job of luring and keeping millions of rabid fans, but times are tougher for the road-racing leagues found elsewhere in the world. Formula 1 in particular is searching for new...
Nelson Ireson -
Scorpion Motorsports releases new three-wheel terror
There’s no shortage of lightweight sports cars hitting the market, but the new Prodigy P6 from Scorpion Motorsports is a very different animal. Instead of two rear wheels it’s got just the one fat center hub, which in this trike configuration allows the Prodigy to manoeuvre much more...
Jeremy Weber -
New focus on R&D expected at Honda with announcement of new CEO
Honda, like most major carmakers, is experiencing one of its worst performance slumps in decades. Shrinking demand worldwide for new vehicles and a strengthening yen have had disastrous effects on the company’s bottom line, with the most recent profit warning predicting a $3.7 billion...
Jeremy Weber -
FPV combines performance with luxury for new F6 E Concept
While back in the U.S. Ford is canceling its future RWD program, powerful, rear-drive sedans are the order of the day for the company’s Aussie division and its Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) offshoot. With the Melbourne Motor Show approaching, FPV has now taken the wraps off a new concept...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
First six cars tested under new Euro NCAP system, Toyota iQ rates 5 stars
Starting this year, all new cars assessed under the Euro NCAP scheme will have to be fitted with some form of electronic stability control (ESC) in order to gain a rating of five stars. This puts the Euro NCAP scheme at the forefront of crash testing, though some other regions are also making...
Nelson Ireson -
If you have €3,900 ($4,900) in your pocket and the desire to put an Italian exotic through its paces around a track, then you’re in luck as Lamborghini is once again running its annual Driving Academy. With courses open to all performance enthusiasts - not just Lamborghini owners - the Driving Academy provides a unique opportunity to test a number of different models and be taught by the company’s own professional instructors. Before you grab your phone and start calling the local Lamborghini dealer, note that only European locations have been announced so far. However, as...
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Chrysler still sees GM merger as best bet
Desperate times call for desperate measures and at Chrysler it appears every option is on the table. The Auburn Hills carmaker has been tied with at least five major carmakers in the past six months, even coming close to a merger with Detroit rival General Motors. While such a move may seem a...
Ralph Hanson -
Sand-X extreme performance offroad vehicle mates snowmobile with ATV
Sometimes an idea comes along that's so awesome, yet so obvious, you just smack yourself on the forehead and ask, "Why didn't I think of that?" This is one of those times. Get ready for the Sand-X. The Sand-X ATV, built by a Swiss company of the same name and designed by Platune - the company that...
Nelson Ireson -
Rolls-Royce releases official details for 200EX concept
Rolls-Royce is currently developing a brand new model positioned below the Phantom for launch in 2010, which is expected to double the number of vehicles built by the ultra-luxury carmaker each year. The new car carries the internal name ‘RR4’ and a concept version of it will be...
Jeremy Weber -
New Hyundai Equus Flagship Sedan Emerges
Hyundai has developed a new large luxury saloon to replace its Equus flagship and now the first official images of the car have leaked following the launch of the vehicle at a press event in South Korea earlier this week. The new model continues the Equus name in its home market but latest reports...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Barnard supercar born in South Africa
Right now the finishing touches are being put to South Africa’s latest supercar in a secluded factory outside Bloemfontein in the nation’s heart. The car is the new Barnard, and while its name may not generate the kind of excitement as names such as Zonda or Veyron, its expected...
Ralph Hanson