Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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Wondering how to say “Dodge Dart” in Chinese? We’re not sure how to translate that into Mandarin, but in Fiat-Chrysler speak, “Dodge Dart” will soon be pronounced...
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Five Axis Does Up The 2013 Scion FR-S: Video
Design firm Five Axis is releasing a body kit for the upcoming 2013 Scion FR-S coupe.
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2013 Subaru BRZ Configurator Now Live
Subaru's website now includes a configurator for the highly anticipated BRZ coupe.
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Michael Schumacher Explains The Steering Wheel: Video
In a modern automobile, a steering wheel can be a pretty complex object. Gone are the days when the steering wheel was simply used to change direction and house the horn; today, it can control everything from a driver’s paired phone to cruise control and even infotainment settings...
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Rugged Ridge PowerTop Adds Convenience To Jeep’s Wrangler Unlimited
If you’ve ever owned a Jeep Wrangler or Wrangler Unlimited, you understand the simple joy of go-anywhere, topless motoring. As entertaining as the Wrangler is, owners soon learn that there are two types of convertible tops: those that are quick and easy to install and remove, and those that...
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China Overtakes The U.S. To Become Bentley's Biggest Market
Sales of Bentley automobiles in the United States grew by 40-percent in the first quarter, reaching 450 units. That wasn’t enough for the U.S. to retain its long-standing position as Bentley’s largest market, as sales in China ballooned to 578 units in the same period. Christophe...
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We’ll admit it: we’re suckers for car museums, and frequently plan vacations around hitting up collections we haven’t visited, trying to find cars we’ve never seen. Admission...
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Build Your Own Toyota GT 86, For Free
Toyota’s GT 86, like its Scion and Subaru equivalents, was designed to be an affordable sport coupe that delivers driving fun to the masses. Affordable is in the eye of the beholder, since even the least-expensive Scion FR-S will carry a U.S. list price that starts at just under $25,000. The...
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Cadillac To Begin Production Of Three Models In China
Just five years ago, in 2007, Cadillac had no sales in China. Last year, the brand sold some 30,000 vehicles in the Chinese market, despite punishing tariffs that the government places on imported cars. That unit sales number represents a growth of over 70-percent from 2010, and GM’s global...
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Ferrari F40 Prototype To Hit The Block In Monaco
Ferrari’s F40 supercar took the world by storm when it was introduced to the public in 1987. More than any other car that preceded it, the F40 looked the part of a race car, and seemed wholly out of place on the street. It’s 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V-8 engine, good for 471 horsepower...
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Swedish Automobile Changes Its Name To Spyker
In what is arguably the shortest corporate press release ever written, Swedish Automobile has announced it will change its name back to Spyker, pending approval from its shareholders, effective April 18. It’s unclear what, if anything, the move has to do with former subsidiary Saab’s...
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Niki Lauda's Infamous Nürburgring Crash Restaged For 'Rush' Biopic
In the second lap of 1976’s German Grand Prix, held at the Nürburgring, Niki Lauda’s Ferrari 312T2 suffered a rear suspension failure, ultimately resulting in a collision with a Surtees-Ford driven by Brett Lunger. The crash left Lauda’s car in flames at the side of the...
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The Nardò, Italy proving ground has a long and storied history of high-speed vehicle testing, and its biggest claim to fame is that the 7.8 mile long Nardo Ring oval track can be driven...
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Italian Coachbuilder Fornasari Shows Off Its Gigi Concept
Even in Europe, coachbuilder Fornasari isn’t exactly a household name. Best known for building somewhat oddly-proportioned crossovers and all-wheel-drive concepts, Fornasari wants potential clients to know it can build a stylish coupe and convertible, too. We’ll admit to being generous...
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2015 Ford Mustang To Gallop Globally
The 2015 Ford Mustang is being built under Ford's "One Ford" global strategy, which makes sales to European and Pacific markets all but certain.
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2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i Offers Class-Leading Fuel Economy
The 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i returns better fuel economy than any other non-hybrid luxury crossover.
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Rolls-Royce Buyers Don't Want 'Green' Cars
If last month’s sales numbers are any indication, consumers are again flocking to small and fuel efficient cars. As fuel prices climb ever skyward, automotive downsizing is seen as a sensible way to stretch the family budget. At least one demographic of car buyers is bucking this trend...
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The Tesla Model S Undergoes Winter Testing: Video
Baudette, Minnesota, is a sleepy little town at the far northern end of the Midwestern state. Its population is just over 1,100 residents, and its claim to fame is that it’s home to Automotive Enviro Testing, which specializes in extreme cold weather testing of vehicles. Cold weather can be...
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Formula 1 great Gilles Villeneuve was killed in a qualifying accident that preceded the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. At the time of his death, the Canadian driver had racked up a total of six Grand Prix...
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Ford Racing Builds A 2013 Mustang Project Car
As its name implies, the business of Ford Racing Performance Parts (FRPP) is making Ford products go faster. The group is behind such projects as the Ford Focus ST-R racer and the 2013 Mustang Cobra Jet drag car, which recently set a production car acceleration record by sprinting from 0-60 mph in...
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Land Rover To Expand Range, Reposition Defender
The overwhelming success of the Range Rover Evoque has convinced Land Rover that the brand is onto something. Instead of offering only high-dollar, luxury SUVs for a narrow portion of the market, why not expand product offerings to cover as wide a range of potential buyers as possible? That seems...
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Ferrari Creates Special Edition 458 Italia For The Chinese Market
In 1992, Ferrari sold its very first car, a 348 TS, into the Chinese market. To commemorate the event, Ferrari is opening its first long-term brand exhibition (outside Maranello, that is) at the Italia Center of Shanghai World Expo Park. The Ferrari Exhibition will include five themes, including...
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One-of-a-kind Pininfarina Hyperion found at Abu Dhabi dealership
In 2008, Rolls-Royce collector Roland Hall asked Pininfarina to build him something special from a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. The end result was a spare-no-expenses creation, penned by none other than Jason Castriota, called the Pininfarina Hyperion. After dropping out of sight in 2009...
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Car Thief Spins Donuts In Police Station Parking Lot
There’s an old cliche, perpetuated endlessly in popular culture, that says police like donuts. The cliche refers to donuts crafted from fried dough, and not from rubber tires on asphalt, since personal experience tells us that police aren’t fond of the latter kind. In what’s...
Kurt Ernst