Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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For decades, suspension tuning was a matter of compromise. The components and settings that delivered the best ride quality also returned sloppy handling as cornering forces got higher. Conversely,... -
MINI And PUMA Partner On Clothing, Shoes And AccessoriesIn today’s retail-driven world, vehicle manufacturers can make a significant amount of money selling branded goods like clothing and accessories. Ford, for example, makes an average of $1.5 billion per year selling swag, and it’s been said that Harley-Davidson makes more selling...
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Poland's Supercar, The Arrinera, Gets A New LookA few months back we brought you news that the final specifications and pricing of Poland’s own supercar, the Arrinera, had been set. While we know what powers the car and how much it will cost, we really didn’t know what the finished product would look like. Arrinera’s original...
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OnStar Partners With RelayRides On Peer-To-Peer Car Sharing: VideoIt’s no secret that, aside from high-dollar collector models, cars are a depreciating asset. Worse, you’re paying for your car even when you’re not using it, which is why peer-to-peer car sharing services like RelayRides are growing in popularity. The concept behind RelayRides is...
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Mansory's Aventador Carbonado Is Surprisingly TastefulWe’ll admit it: we haven’t always been fans of the vehicles produced by high-end tuning firm Mansory. Its rendition of the McLaren MP4-12C, for example, left us speechless and not in a good way. Its remake of the Lamborghini Aventador was better, but it still had far too much tacked-on...
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The Evolution Of The Batmobile: VideoComic hero Batman has been around since 1939, and almost from the beginning there has been a Batmobile. Unlike other caped super heroes, Batman has no special powers; that makes the armored and heavily-armed Batmobile that much more important to the story of Batman. Warner Brothers knows this, so...
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In the gospel according to Audi, the traditional MPV is a “boring concept,” likely purchased out of resignation, not desire. The exception to this rule, according to Audi’s sales... -
Marussia Completes Analysis Of Maria De Villota's Testing AccidentOn July 3, Marussia F1 Team test driver Maria De Villota was critically injured while testing the team car at Duxford Airfield in England. As De Villota slowed to approach the pits, the car suddenly accelerated, striking the back of a support truck parked near the temporary paddock area. De...
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Does Fiat's New Ad Tease The 500T? VideoWhile we here in the United States often complain that Europe gets better cars than we do, sometimes the opposite is true. In Europe, for example, the Fiat 500 Abarth comes standard with just 135 horsepower, while we in the United States get 25 more ponies for a total of 160 hp. The Fiat 500 Abarth...
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David Higgins Clinches Second Consecutive Rally America TitleIn July of 2011, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins took second place at the New England Forest Rally, which was good enough to propel the Manx driver to the top of the championship standings for the 2011 season. For 2012, history has repeated itself: Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew again...
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Land Rover Allocating More Evoques For The U.S. MarketReviewers almost universally love it, the public generally lusts for it and Land Rover dealers in the United States simply can’t get enough supply of the Range Rover Evoque to meet demand. While that’s a good problem to have, it’s still a problem, particularly for a brand looking...
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Bugatti Spaceship Crash Lands For Comic-ConAutomaker Bugatti already has a lengthy history in building some of the finest (and fastest) vehicles, aimed at buyers for whom money is not a concern. If the upcoming science fiction saga Elysium is accurate, Bugatti appears to have quite a future, too. Set in the year 2159, Elysium tells a...
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When it comes to shopping for a new car, the most enjoyable part of the whole process (for us, anyway) is the test drive. While most of us have learned how to do the dance with car salesmen, we... -
Lotus Exos Type 125 Is The F1 Car For Mere Mortals: VideoTrack days are growing in popularity worldwide, and there’s no shortage of track-only cars to choose from. If your budget is modest, a used-but-serviceable SCCA racer may suit your needs. If you’ve got more money to spend, cars like the Caterham 7, Ariel Atom or KTM X-Bow will provide...
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McLaren Launches Configurator For MP4-12C SpiderWe love new car configurator sites (especially on Friday afternoons in the summer), but lately the newly-launched configurator sites have been less than captivating. Aston Martin’s configurator for the Vanquish amused us for all of two minutes, thanks to its limited functionality. The...
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BMW's ConnectedDrive Updates, Explained: VideoBMW’s defines its ConnectedDrive as “the innovative connection between you, your BMW and the rest of the world.” That’s a more poetic way of saying that ConnectedDrive blends apps, navigation, smartphone integration, infotainment and telematics to create an improved driving...
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SRT's Viper GTS-R Gets Ready For Its Mid-Ohio Debut: VideoWhen the new Viper was unveiled at this year’s New York Auto Show, SRT revealed both road and race versions of its performance icon simultaneously. Since the racing pedigree of the original Viper was so impressive, SRT felt it was necessary to launch a race version of the car even before the...
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Hyundai Shows Off Its Zombie-Proof Elantra CoupeWhen it comes to choosing a ride for the upcoming zombie apocalypse, we’ll admit that a Hyundai Elantra Coupe isn’t the first option that springs to mind. While it can deliver up to 40 mpg on the highway (an important consideration when there are no more gas stations), its lack of...
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If you think that Ford Mustangs are only fast from stoplight to stoplight, chances are good you’ve never driven a Mustang Boss 302 equipped with the Laguna Seca package. Not only is the car... -
The History Of BMW's 3 Series, In Under Four Minutes: VideoBMW’s 3 Series range was launched in 1975 as a replacement for the “Neue Klasse,” or “New Class” cars that had served BMW from the introduction of the 1500 in 1962 to the end of 2002 model production in 1976. Since then, BMW has produced six generations of 3 Series...
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Lotus Explains Its Track-Focused Exige S: VideoLotus revealed its sharp-edged Exige S coupe at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, and since then has occasionally teased the car in videos. Now the Hethel-based automaker is doing a full-court-press video release on the car, covering both its design and testing. The recipe for the Exige S is...
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BMW North America CEO To Drive In Rolex Monterey Motorsport ReunionWhen we say “company president and CEO,” what kind of suit comes to mind? Chances are it’s made of wool, tailored for a precise fit and best worn with a carefully-knotted silk tie and shiny shoes. While BMW’s North American president and CEO, Ludwig Willisch, wears that kind...
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New Tech Blocks Drivers' Cell Phone Calls, Not Passengers'According to researchers at India’s Anna University of Technology, up to 20-percent of fatal traffic accidents involving trucks or heavy commercial vehicles may be linked back to driver cell phone usage. That’s a global number, not one specific to India, and the threat of fines and...
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2013 Ford Focus ST Fuel Economy Numbers PublishedThe EPA has certified the 2013 Ford Focus ST at 32 mpg highway, 23 mpg city and 26 mpg combined.
Kurt Ernst