Antony Ingram, Contributing Writer
Articles
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Ford could have a winner on its hands with the impressively frugal 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid, but already Ford has announced a new range-topping model
The Fusion Hybrid Titanium is set to top the range...
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U.S. States Offer To Buy Up To 10,000 Natural-Gas VehiclesThe market for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles may be just about to get the kick-start it needs, as a coalition of U.S. states gets ready to buy up to 10,000 CNG vehicles. Representatives from the 22 states met in Detroit in July, to push automakers to build more CNG vehicles on the promise...
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Do Americans Finally Love Small Cars? Sales Data Says YesAmerica has never been too fond of small cars. Big spaces and cheap gas has always encouraged larger vehicles, but a lack of genuinely talented small cars to choose from has also played a part. That's all changed in recent years, with most manufacturers now offering minicars, subcompacts and...
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2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: Priced From $24,995Volkswagen of America has finally announced pricing for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid, set to be the most fuel-efficient Jetta in the line-up. Jetta Hybrids will start at $24,995, with the higher-specification SE models priced at $26,990. That means the Hybrid starts at $2,005 more than the...
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Toyota 'Smart INSECT': Tiny Single-Seat Electric Car UpdatedPerhaps Toyota is hinting at Volkswagen Beetle levels of success with its unusually-named Smart INSECT concept car, but in reality the tiny single-seat electric car is desgined to showcase communications-linked driving. Based on the single-seat Coms unveiled earlier this year, the Smart INSECT may...
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Green Car Concepts & Models: Paris Auto Show OverviewThe 2012 Paris Auto Show is currently underway, but with press days now done and dusted, it's time to take a look at the green vehicles which made the headlines. Between concepts and production vehicles, several manufacturers offered something fuel efficient--and many previewed vehicles that didn't...
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Could Renault's Zoe be a game-changer in the electric car market?
It might only be going on sale in Europe, but several signs are pointing towards it being significantly more popular than cars like...
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Infiniti Emerg-E Plug-In Hybrid Supercar Won't Be Built, Company SaysInfiniti is clearly proud of its Emerg-E plug-in hybrid supercar, wheeling it out at several auto shows and even driving it up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Sadly though, for anyone hoping the concept would eventually be produced, Infiniti has confirmed it has no plans to make a...
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2013 Honda CR-Z: Paris Auto Show Live PhotosHonda's updated CR-Z hybrid hatchback may not have been one of the stars of the Paris Auto Show, but with a power boost and some styling tweaks it's welcome all the same. With a boost in power from 122 to 135 horspower, the new model knocks over half a second from the old car's 0-62 mph time, now...
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Lexus LF-CC Concept: Paris Auto Show Live PhotosLexus revealed its LF-CC hybrid coupe concept shortly before the 2012 Paris Auto Show, and now we can bring you a live image gallery from the show itself. The dramatic-looking coupe is the boldest expression of the marque's 'L-finesse' design language and one of the most distinctive cars of the...
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Smart Forstars Concept: Paris Auto Show Live PhotosSmart might be struggling to sell its ageing ForTwo at the moment but its design department is certainly keeping busy. The 2012 Paris Auto Show, which got underway last Thursday for members of the press, allowed Smart to unveil yet another concept car previewing the next Fortwo, expected to be...
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Two Wheels Good, One Wheel Better: Ryno Electric UnicycleThe trouble with most vehicles is that you can't drive them on the sidewalk. Or through a hotel lobby--people tend to object. Neither of those are concerns with the Ryno, an electric, self-balancing unicycle, the brainchild of Ryno founder Chris Hoffman. The Ryno wasn't actually Chris's idea, but...
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Following on from Elon Musk's announcement that Tesla is set to build 80 models this week--slowly ramping up production to hit its 5,000 end-of-year target--Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has announced it...
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Volkswagen Bullish On Diesels For New Fuel Efficiency RulesFew people think of modern diesels as being noisy, slow and dirty any more, but diesel's traditional benefit--fuel efficiency--has been getting better all the time. Volkswagen is a manufacturer most associated with diesels, thanks to strong sales of Jetta and Golf TDIs. And thanks to strong...
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How Tough Are Lithium-Ion Batteries In Electric Cars? (VIDEO)Electric car makers go to great lengths to ensure that the high voltage batteries used in their cars are safe, even under fairly extreme circumstances. But just how far can you go to test lithium-ion cells to destruction? Well, if the video above is anything to go by, there's plenty you can do to...
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Nissan's Taxi Of Tomorrow Could Kill Off NYC's Hybrid TaxisJust as London has its iconic black cabs, New York would be a distinctly different place without thousands of Ford Crown Victorias cruising its streets, in their distinctive yellow livery. Even so, the past decade has seen vehicles like the Ford Escape Hybrid becoming a popular yellow cab...
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Some Small Cars Generate Big Insurance ClaimsCar safety has improved in leaps and bounds over the last few decades, with several technological advancements helping not only to protect you in an accident, but also prevent them in the first place. Even so, statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Highway Loss Data...
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MINI Presents Production Paceman: Paris Auto Show PreviewMINI has chosen the 2012 Paris Auto Show to mark the world premiere of its Paceman 'Sports Activity Coupe'. Based on the slightly larger, five-door Countryman, the Paceman extends the MINI brand into yet another niche market, competing with fun-to-drive mini crossovers like the Nissan Juke. With...
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Some curious vehicles have emerged on the electric vehicle market over the years, and few have been more curious than the Triac.
We first wrote about the Triac three-wheel electric vehicle back in...
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Next Step In Audi's Turbocharging Tech? Electric AssistanceTurbochargers always used to be about performance, but in recent years they've become very popular as a way of improving the efficiency of regular engines. Forced induction by turbocharging is still a good way of developing power, and many performance cars take just such a route. But using the same...
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Audi A1 e-Tron Plug-In Hybrid Lives Once More, Sans RotaryRemember the Audi A1 e-tron? Audi canned it earlier this year, citing its lack of viability as a production model. Well, it's back, only this time shorn of its unusual Wankel rotary engine sitting under the trunk floor. Instead, the latest version of the concept uses a more conventional--though...
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Mercedes-Benz B Class Electric Drive: Paris Auto Show PreviewMercedes-Benz has dropped its 'E-Cell' designation for electric cars, and adopted the Electric Drive moniker previously seen on the electric Smart Fortwo, with a new electric B Class. Set to be unveiled at the Paris Auto Show next week, the B Class Electric Drive is the latest in a line of...
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2013 Plug-In Hybrids: Our RoundupHybrids have been popular gas-sipping choices for several years, but it's taken until this year for momentum to really gather behind plug-in hybrids. Using mostly familiar hybrid technology, but with larger batteries that can be charged separately as well as during driving, many consider plug-in...
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Citroen DS3 Electrum: Paris Auto Show PreviewCitroens haven't been sold in North America since 1974, but in many ways their 'forbidden fruit' status makes them even more desirable. The French maker's current DS range doubly so--inspired by the elegant and beautiful DS that ran from the 1950s until the 1970s, each current DS exhibits typical...
Antony Ingram