MINI Scooter E Concept Brings Brand To New Markets [Paris 2010]

MINI Scooter E Concept Brings Brand To New Markets [Paris 2010]
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MINI’s Scooter E Concept is the polar opposite from the brand’s other Pairs debut, the Countryman WRC, but it represents an important new direction, with MINI focusing on “mobility” as well as cars. The MINI Scooter E is all-electric, with an electric motor in each wheel hooked up to a lithium-ion battery. A smartphone can… Continue Reading...

BMW 6 Series Concept Shown In The Metal [Paris 2010]

BMW 6 Series Concept Shown In The Metal [Paris 2010]
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BMW let the public catch a glimpse of their 6 Series Concept, a car that’s been widely previewed online in advance of its debut. Although it’s been labeled a “design study”, you can be sure that 95% of what’s shown here will make it to the showrooms. Technical details are scarce, but BMW touts full… Continue Reading...

MINI Countryman WRC Debuts With A Rally Legends In Tow [Paris 2010]

MINI Countryman WRC Debuts With A Rally Legends In Tow [Paris 2010]
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MINI‘s long awaited WRC entry debuted at the Paris Auto Show Thursday as the MINI Countryman WRC, flanked by rally heroes such as David Richards (founder of Prodrive) and Jean Todt, president of the FIA, flanked the car as it revved its engine for all to hear. The sounds of a rally-built 4-cylinder filled the… Continue Reading...

Ford Fiesta RS WRC Revealed For Competition Duties [Paris 2010]

Ford Fiesta RS WRC Revealed For Competition Duties [Paris 2010]
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Ford’s new challenger for the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship, the all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car, made its first global public appearance at the Paris Motor Show today. The Fiesta RS WRC will make its competition debut in Rally Sweden, the opening round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship, on 10 – 13… Continue Reading...

Nissan Townpod Is A “Pure Concept” [Paris 2010]

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Nissan Townpod Is A “Pure Concept” [Paris 2010]
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Nissan‘s Townpod is a “pure concept”, but we wouldn’t be surprised if something like it ended up debuting from Nissan in the near future. A zero-emissions vehicle designed to meet the needs of young urban buyers (a familiar theme at this year’s show), the Townpod has rear doors that swing like an old Chevrolet Suburban, and the… Continue Reading...

Ford Focus ST Is A Hot Hatch For All [Paris 2010]

Ford Focus ST Is A Hot Hatch For All [Paris 2010]
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While many North American enthusiasts lust after European hot hatches, we were privy to one somewhat ignored car in years past. The Ford Focus ST170, better known as the Ford Focus SVT, was sold here earlier in the decade, and it’s back after an prolonged absence. The previous generation Focus ST, not sold in North America,… Continue Reading...

Audi 1.4TFSI Teases Us With Hot Hatch Goodness [Paris 2010]

Audi 1.4TFSI Teases Us With Hot Hatch Goodness [Paris 2010]
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In the long line of hot hatchbacks we wont get comes another enticing product, the Audi A1 1.4TFSI. Based on the more accesible Volkswgaen Polo GTI, the A1 gets the same 1.4TFSI twincharged engine and DSG gearbox, in a much more upscale package. An S-Line bodykit and bigger wheels help set it apart from lesser… Continue Reading...

Audi E-Tron Spyder Isn’t Germany’s Tesla [Paris 2010]

Audi E-Tron Spyder Isn’t Germany’s Tesla [Paris 2010]
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Audi‘s E-Tron Spyder debuted at the Paris Auto Show today, and surprised observers by departing from the purely electric setup seen in previous E-Tron concepts. The Spyder will use a 3.0L TDI V6 and a DSG transmission to power the rear wheels, while the fronts get a pair of twin electric motors. An aluminum space… Continue Reading...

Audi R8 GT Breaks Cover At Paris Auto Show [Paris 2010]

Audi R8 GT Breaks Cover At Paris Auto Show [Paris 2010]
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Audi‘s R8 GT, the most hardcore version of its R8 sports car, got its first public premiere at the Paris Auto Show. Sporting a 40 horsepower bump from its 5.2L V10 engine (up to 560 horsepower) and a host of weight reductions thanks to the use of carbon fiber, polycarbonate windows and thinner glass, the… Continue Reading...

2011 Volkswagen Passat Unveiled [Paris 2010]

2011 Volkswagen Passat Unveiled [Paris 2010]
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Volkswagen‘s Passat had its official unveiling today in Paris, and while the car boasts sharp, Phaeton-inspired lines, it won’t be coming to North America. Our side of the Atlantic will get a market-specific sedan, but the Passat soldiers on in Eurpoe and the rest of the world. With a whole new range of engines, both diesel and… Continue Reading...

2011 Volkswagen Passat Debuts At Paris Auto Show

2011 Volkswagen Passat Debuts At Paris Auto Show
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Volkswagen‘s Passat was unvieled in advance of the Paris Auto Show today, and for the first time in years, North America won’t be getting it. Instead, we’ll be receiving a an all new car designed to compete with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The rest of the world gets the Passat seen here. Underneath… Continue Reading...

Audi Quattro Concept Commemorates 30 Years Of Quattro [Paris 2010]

Audi Quattro Concept Commemorates 30 Years Of Quattro [Paris 2010]
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Audi‘s Quattro Concept was revealed ahead of the Paris Auto Show today, ending speculation that this car was actually the long rumored R4 baby sports car. Harkening back to the light-weight Ur-Quattro of the 1980’s, the Quattro concept weighs in at around 3,000 lbs and features a 5-cylinder turbo motor, pumping out 408 horsepower and… Continue Reading...

Jaguar C-X75 Concept Rumored to be Official Name of Jag’s Paris Auto Show Debut

Jaguar C-X75 Concept Rumored to be Official Name of Jag’s Paris Auto Show Debut
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Rumors have been circulating that Jaguar is going to bring a new concept to the Paris Auto Show, dubbed the C-X75 – and that’s all the information we have. Despite a supposed rollout of new product, including a small sports car and a BMW 3-Series rival, the C-X75 will be a design study first and… Continue Reading...

Lincoln To Terminate 200 Franchises, Mostly In Urban Areas

Lincoln To Terminate 200 Franchises, Mostly In Urban Areas
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Lincoln, Ford’s luxury brand, has a problem; too many dealers hocking not enough product. While recent Lincoln’s have been well received by critics, it’s not necessarily translating into sales. Lincoln moved 83,000 cars last year, while class leader Lexus sold about 216,000 – a pretty substantial gulf. And while Lexus only has 230 dealerships in the United… Continue Reading...

Chrysler Fires 13 Workers At Jeep Plant Over Workplace Intoxication

Chrysler Fires 13 Workers At Jeep Plant Over Workplace Intoxication
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It’s a common truism that unionized auto workers have the most secure jobs in the world. But 13 Chrysler line workers caught drinking and smoking marijuana during their lunch break better start looking for new jobs. Chrysler has announced that the dirty dozen (and one other poor shmuck) have been fired for their actions. Their… Continue Reading...

Hyundai Recalling 2011 Sonatas Over Defective Steering, 140,000 Cars Affected

Hyundai Recalling 2011 Sonatas Over Defective Steering, 140,000 Cars Affected
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Hyundai’s seemingly unstoppable rise to the top has hit as stumbling block, as the company is forced to recall 140,000 of its mid-size Sonata sedans over a steering issue. The Sonata, which recently hit third place in the mid-size sedan sales charts, is being recalled due to “the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connections… Continue Reading...

Lamborghini Releases Yet Another Teaser In Advance Of Paris Auto Show

Lamborghini Releases Yet Another Teaser In Advance Of Paris Auto Show
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Lamborghini has released yet another teaser of their so-called “technology concept”, with this photo showcasing the carbon fiber technology that’s said to feature prominently in future Lamborghinis. Previous photos have highlighted things like smaller engines (a relative term, of course, when you go from a V12 to a V10) and discussed the importance of light… Continue Reading...

Subaru Forester Gets Minute MPG And Price Bump For 2010

Subaru Forester Gets Minute MPG And Price Bump For 2010
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Fans of the Indigo Girls and flannel shirts rejoice! The Subaru Forester gets a one mpg bump for 2010, turning out 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The price is up by $200, so you’ll have to decide whether the increase is worth the money. A new Touring model is… Continue Reading...

Toyota To Build Small Hybrid In France

Toyota To Build Small Hybrid In France
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Toyota announced today that they will build a small hybrid car in France, apparently based on the Yaris compact. Toyota already builds the Auris hatchback in Europe, which is available with a hybrid system. In a statement released by the company, the Japanese manufacturer said “This decision fits in Toyota’s strategy to extend the full… Continue Reading...

Nissan Stops Taking Leaf Reservations After Hitting 20,000 Pre-Orders

Nissan Stops Taking Leaf Reservations After Hitting 20,000 Pre-Orders
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Nissan has finally hit the magic number of 20,000 Leaf pre-orders, and will not be taking any more pre-orders for the time being. An announcement posted on the website MyNissanLeaf states that “Nissan aggressively anticipated reaching its goal of 20,000 consumer reservations by December 2010 and we are excited to announce that we have reached… Continue Reading...

Turbocharging To Become More Prolific In Coming Years

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Turbocharging To Become More Prolific In Coming Years
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Turbocharging is moving away from the performance sphere and into the mainstream as companies seek to get more power and fuel economy from smaller displacement engines. Honeywell, a leading automotive equipment supplier and turbocharger company, estimates that by 2015, 35 million new vehicles with turbochargers will be sold annually, up from 17 million right now…. Continue Reading...

2012 Ford Focus Hits The Track (Video Inside)

2012 Ford Focus Hits The Track (Video Inside)
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Ford‘s 2012 Focus has kept a low profile since it’s debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. While we heard endless stories about the Chevrolet Cruze in the run up to its launch, the only news coming out from the Ford camp is the admittedly big announcement about the Focus ST. Now comes another nugget… Continue Reading...

BMW To Launch EV Trial Programs In Coastal Cities

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BMW To Launch EV Trial Programs In Coastal Cities
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BMW will allow consumers to try out their ActiveE electric car, based on the 1-Series Coupe, in certain markets, prior to a broader rollout of electric vehicles, culminating in the Megacity EV’s debut in 2013. The ActiveE will be offered for lease starting next summer. The ActiveE will be offered in New York City, Los… Continue Reading...

Report: Next Holden Commodore To Switch To Front-Wheel Drive

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Report: Next Holden Commodore To Switch To Front-Wheel Drive
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Today’s shocking bit of news comes from a Motor Trend article on the future of Cadillac. While discussing future plans for the big rear-drive Zeta platform, MT claimed that the next generation Holden Commodore would switch to the Epsilon II platform that currently underpins cars like the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick Lacrosse. Performance versions of… Continue Reading...