Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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It's the news Jeep fans all across the country have be waiting years for. That one little tidbit execs at Jeep love to deny but no longer can--that the Jeep Grand Cherokee will be offered with an...
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Redesigned Audi A3 Getting New Sedan Model, Six Different Power SourcesAudi is currently working on a new generation of its A3, a preview of which we got at last month’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show in the form of the Audi A3 Sedan concept. Since then we’ve received these official sketches showing the design of the production version due early next year. While...
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Ferrari Shows Biggest CO2 Cut Amongst Supercar Brands, But Is There More To The Numbers?Governments around the world are bowing to public pressure to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases their respective countries produce, and more often than not, the first sector they look at is the auto industry. Here in the U.S. the government has imposed a tough 34.1 mpg fleet-wide fuel economy...
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Audi Presents Battery-Powered A3 e-tron PrototypeThe growth of Audi’s ever-expanding family of ‘e-tron’ electrified concept cars and prototypes shows no signs of slowing with two more additions joining the fold this month alone, the latest being the battery-powered A3 e-tron revealed this week. The newest addition brings the...
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Land Rover’s First Hybrid Coming In 2013, Plug-In Hybrid One Year LaterLand Rover’s ongoing pledge to become more environmentally friendly is starting to result in some interesting developments, with the automaker’s brand director recently confirming the launch of the first Land Rover hybrid in 2013. Speaking with Inside Line, Land Rover’s John...
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Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class Previews New U.S.-Bound CompactMercedes-Benz is working on a family of new small cars, several of which will be heading to the U.S., possibly by the end of next year. Designed to compete with BMW’s 1-Series range, the new Lexus CT 200h and even the Audi A3, the new family of small cars will serve as the replacements for...
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BMW has taken the wraps off a new plug-in hybrid prototype based on its long-wheelbase 5-Series sedan, which it will be showcasing in just a few weeks at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show. Built in... -
Pinnacle Engines Promises Superior Mileage With New Opposed Cylinder EngineThroughout the history of the internal combustion engine there have been a multitude of scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs shouting claims about revolutionary new engine designs promising greater efficiency, more power, fewer emissions and lower production and running costs. However, to this...
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Ford Boosting Mileage With Lightweight Construction Inspired By Chocolate BarTightening fuel efficiency and emissions regulations all around the world are pushing automakers to find any way they can to make their cars greener, downsizing engines, reducing internal friction and improving aerodynamics. Another area, and one of the most beneficial as it not only improves fuel...
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Kia Reveals Naimo Electric Crossover Concept, Announces Real-World TestsKia has taken the wraps off its third electrified concept car in the space of a year (the previous being the Pop and Ray), strongly suggesting that we’re at the start of what could eventuate into an electric car revolution within the South Korean automaker. The latest concept is the 2011 Kia...
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New A5 e-tron quattro Plug-In Packs Audi’s Latest Hybrid TechAudi has taken the wraps off a sophisticated plug-in hybrid prototype that combines a number of leading green car technologies all in a single platform. Utilizing the shell of the luxurious A5 Coupe, Audi’s new A5 e-tron quattro prototype not only features a conventional power-split hybrid...
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Tesla Sues Top Gear For Libel Against All-Electric RoadsterAbout two years ago BBC’s Top Gear aired a test drive of the then relatively new Tesla Roadster. While this was seen as a major boon for Tesla, the light shone on its all-electric sports car by the popular show was somewhat less than flattering. In fact, it was rather downbeat. What makes the...
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Mercedes-Benz just took the wraps off its facelifted C-Class range, which enters the market as a 2012 model and comes with a host of modifications to make it more fuel efficient. Namely, the... -
High Gas Mileage: Now It's Even Crucial For Cop CarsNot too long ago, acceleration and top speed may have been the most crucial criteria when picking a new police car but with gas prices continuing to creep higher requirements have changed, even in this field. In the past, the standard issue for a police car was a big and brawny rear-wheel drive...
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Kia Doubles Down On Smaller Engines, Plans Soul ConvertibleKia has some major plans in the pipeline, with the introduction of new hybrid models, a brand new Rio hatchback and range of downsized engines combining turbocharging and direct fuel injection technologies. And, with every new model introduction, Kia has been downsizing its engines--without any...
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High-MPG 2012 Ford Fiesta: More Style With New Customization PacksTo keep interest in its 40 mpg capable Fiesta bubbling along into the 2012 model year, Ford is introducing a trio of new customization packs for both the exterior and cabin of the already stylish minicar. The new packs should prove popular as around 40 percent of buyers of the 2011 model have opted...
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BMW Looking To Boost MPGs With TwinPower Turbo Three-Cylinder EnginesExpect to see smaller engines for BMW’s future models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push automakers towards engines with lower displacements. We’ve already seen this trend with the recent announcement of BMW’s new TwinPower Turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder...
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Winner: $845K Porsche 918 Spyder Is Now World's Priciest Hybrid CarWe’ve known for some time that Porsche’s 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept from the 2010 Geneva Motor Show would eventually enter production but today, more than two years out from its debut, Porsche has announced that the order books have officially opened. We can confirm that the...
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Last year both Honda and Mitsubishi unveiled new minicar concepts previewing their respective small car futures--Honda with the Brio Prototype and Mitsubishi with the Concept Global Small.
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Buyers Seeking Better Gas Mileage Flock To Four-Cylinders In DrovesWhile many Americans may still scoff at the idea of driving a reasonably sized car with an engine not much bigger than that found on a motorbike, sales numbers are showing that the tide is starting to turn and this archaic negative perception towards smaller engines may soon alleviate altogether...
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Want To Beat High Gas Prices? Public Transit: WinnerThere’s no doubt consumers will be faced with higher gas prices going into the future, and alternatives, like diesel powered cars and hybrids, all have their respective shortcomings. We recently looked at why mainstream automakers refuse to launch more diesel models in the U.S. and, just...
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New Study Looks At Illusive Break-Even Costs For HybridsWith fuel prices continuing to edge higher, the cost benefit of fuel saving hybrid and diesel vehicles are now more important than ever. We recently looked at why mainstream automakers in the U.S. refuse to launch more fuel efficient diesel models locally, and now we have details of a new study...
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Drive Report: BYD F3DM, Chinese Plug-In Hybrid Needs WorkChinese auto giant BYD is one of the world’s leaders in the field of hybrid vehicles, having been the first in the market with a mass-produced plug-in hybrid back in 2009--albeit in China only--and now with several small fleets of plug-in hybrid models here in the U.S. These are small-scale...
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Should The U.S. Lower Speed Limits In Order To Curtail Fuel Consumption?The recent spike in oil prices has got the whole world focused on fuel consumption, so much so in some parts that countries are lowering their national speed limits in an effort to reduce their national fuel consumption levels. One such country is Spain, which reduced its speed limit for cars from...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran