Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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Automakers are in the midst of a love affair with the continuously variable transmission (CVT). The gear-eliminating transmissions boost fuel economy, improve performance and are less complex (and... -
Driver Tweets Pic Of Dying Hit And Run Victim Instead Of Calling PoliceLegal obligations aside, let us throw out a moral question: if you saw someone motionless in the street, critically injured following a hit and run accident, would you phone for police and render aid, or would you snap a pic of the dying victim and Tweet about it? A nineteen-year-old driver in...
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Mercedes' AMG Driving Academy Offers More Than Just Track Time: VideoWhile most of us here would argue that there’s no such thing as too much track time, we also understand that high speed lapping, under the watchful eye (and occasionally, the harsh criticism) of an instructor isn’t for everyone. Mercedes-Benz understands this, too, which is why it...
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Last Porsche 911 GT1 Straßenversion built turns up for saleIf you’re looking for an exotic, limited-production supercar from a mainstream manufacturer, it doesn’t get much more exclusive than one of 20 built. To homologate its 911 GT1 for FIA competition, Porsche was supposed to build 25 road-going examples, called Strassenversion, and the 20...
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MINI Leaks Its New Paceman On FacebookNot to be outdone by the legions of spy photographers who’ve captured the upcoming MINI Paceman and Paceman S in testing, MINI has posted these “spy shots” on its Facebook page of the Paceman (in all-wheel-drive, apparently) undergoing on-the-road testing. The Paceman, previously...
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Lexus Shows Off The 2013 LS Series With A History Lesson: VideoIn 1983, Toyota made a corporate decision to create a luxury brand that would produce automobiles on par with any of its mainstream rivals. Six years later, Toyota launched the Lexus brand with the introduction of its flagship LS400 sedan. Since then, Lexus has pioneered many innovations on its LS...
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For outsiders looking in, Hong Kong is the land of opportunity. A global financial hub, Hong Kong has long attracted foreign workers with impressive salaries and reasonable job security.
Its booming... -
Jay Leno Shows Off His 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint: VideoWhile most of us lust after the more exotic cars in Jay Leno’s collection, the comedian himself has a broader range of automotive interests. We’re sure he appreciates driving his McLaren MP4-12C, or his Lamborghini Muira, but Leno’s “one that got away” had much more...
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2013 Camaro 1LE Laps VIR Within Six Seconds Of Camaro ZL1: VideoThe first salvo in the current affordable-pony-cars-you-can-track wars was fired by Ford, with the launch of the 2012 Boss 302 Mustang. For little more than the price of a loaded Mustang GT, you could buy a car already set up for track driving, that didn’t punish you on there way there and...
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IntelliLink Now Standard On All 2013 Buick ModelsWhen it comes to customers demanding the latest in high-tech infotainment systems, Buick probably has more leeway than many luxury automakers. While its demographic is changing, the average Buick shopper is still concerned more with ride comfort than with streaming music via Pandora. That’s...
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Driver Totals New Ferrari FF In NashvilleTo make Ferrari’s FF shooting brake more civil for everyday driving, the automaker incorporated its first-ever all-wheel-drive setup in the 651-horsepower grocery-getter. Combined with its sophisticated electronic stability control systems, the Ferrari FF is arguably one of the most forgiving...
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Harman Reveals Gesture-Based Automotive ControlsThere’s a clear trend towards simplification in automotive control design, even as telematics and infotainment systems get more complex. Cadillac’s CUE system, debuting in the ATS and XTS sedans, operates much like a tablet computer and is even capable of recognizing hand gestures...
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It’s human nature to want what we’re told we can’t have. On this side of the pond, we’re blessed with the Cadillac CTS-V Sportwagon, a 556 horsepower grocery-getter than can... -
Is A Hotter Hyundai Veloster Turbo R-Spec In The Works?If you’ve had a chance to sample the new Hyundai Veloster Turbo, you’ve probably come to the same conclusion that we have: as a sporty car it’s fine, but it’s still not ready to run with the big dogs of the hot hatch world, performance-wise. Put another way, the Veloster...
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Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Mega-GalleryIntroduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari’s F12 Berlinetta is just about ready to hit the market. The Italian automaker is marking the occasion by releasing a new batch of images of its fastest and most powerful production car ever (for now, anyway). Under the F12’s flowing hood...
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Jay Leno's Fiat 500 Prima Edizione Hits The Block For Charity: VideoLast year, Jay Leno took delivery of the second Fiat 500 imported into the United States, and you’ll soon get a chance to bid on that very same Prima Edizione car at an upcoming Gooding & Company auction. Leno is giving the limited-edition Fiat up for charity, with the proceeds from the...
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Porsche Ponders A Panamera Wagon: ReportGiven the buzz surrounding the Mercedces-Benz CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake and the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, it’s pretty clear that wagons aren’t losing popularity among buyers in Europe. In fact, it appears that wagons are to European customers what SUVs are to American buyers. It stands to...
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Toyota Going High-Tech With Its InteriorsAccording to trademark applications filed by Toyota, customers may soon enjoy a touch-sensitive dashboard and inductive charging for mobile devices, which could potentially increase the Japanese automaker’s appeal among tech-savvy new car shoppers. Touch sensitive displays are nothing new, as...
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If MINI Cooper models were Mexican food, the Cooper would be mild, the Cooper S would be spicy, and the Cooper S John Cooper Works (JCW) would be extra-spicy. The limited-edition MINI Cooper JCW GP... -
Finally, A Credit Card For Car GuysCredit card reward programs are nothing new, and most reward cardholders with airline miles, hotel stays or even (modest amounts of) cash back. Now, UMB Financial Services is launching a Visa Platinum Rewards credit card that may prove interesting to anyone with 10w30 in his or her veins. Tied to...
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Carroll Shelby's Wife And Family Reach Agreement On His RemainsIt’s oddly fitting that a man as iconic as Carroll Shelby would continue to be the center of controversy even after his death. When Shelby passed away on May 10, a legal battle over his remains quickly erupted between his wife Cleo and his children, leaving Shelby’s body in limbo at a...
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This Is What An 850-HP Pikes Peak Hill Climb NSX Looks Like: VideoThe 2012 running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was delayed from its original July date due to the severe forest fires plaguing the area surrounding Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rescheduled for August 12, the event is shaping up to be a memorable one. Purists will cry “foul,”...
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On August 1, Lexus Unleashes The LFALexus’ LFA supercar has been on the market for about a year and a half now, and aside from unusual paint and the performance-enhancing Nürburgring package, there isn’t much new to talk about. That’s not a complaint, since there really isn’t much about the V-10 powered...
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2013 BMW 7-Series Model Range PricedBMW has released pricing details on its 2013 range of 7-Series sedan models.
Kurt Ernst