Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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Though we’ve known since last summer that BMW would once again sell a diesel-powered 3-Series sedan in the United States, we’re now officially one step closer to the 2014 BMW 328d...
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Best Diesel Car Of 2013: Cast Your Vote Now!We don't know that 2013 will be seen as the tipping point for the acceptance of diesel-fueled passenger vehicles in the United States. But we're sure of one thing: that tipping point is now closer than ever before. While the list of diesel vehicles currently available in the United States market...
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Honda Civic Hybrid: Battery Unreliable, Consumer Reports SaysAutomaker Honda used to be the darling of Consumer Reports, with its models perpetually scoring better than average in CR testing. The 2012 Honda Civic dampened the publication’s enthusiasm for the Honda brand; it was the first Honda Civic we can recall that wasn’t recommended by CR...
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Plug-In Hybrid Specs: Advice On How To Read 'Em (From A Volt Owner)We’re going to let you in on a little insider’s secret: when manufacturers are shilling their wares, they tend to favor statistics that illustrate their own version of the truth. As any politician (or car company) will tell you, you can always find a set of numbers to work in your...
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2014 Cadillac ELR Live Images: 2013 Detroit Auto ShowLooking considerably more futuristic than the Chevrolet Volt on which its based, Cadillac unveiled its 2014 ELR plug-in hybrid at this week’s Detroit Auto Show. Borrowing heavily from Cadillac’s “French curve be damned” school of design. the ELR manages to progress angular...
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Toyota Furia Concept Live Images: 2013 Detroit Auto ShowThe Toyota Corolla remains one of the best selling cars in America, despite its dated design and a powertrain that is, frankly, approaching obsolescence. Its 1.8-liter four cylinder engine still delivers acceptable fuel economy (up to 30 mpg combined), but its transmission choices (five-speed...
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Based on the Converj concept first shown in 2009, the Cadillac ELR is set to become the very first Extended Range Electric Vehicle launched by a full-line luxury automaker when it hits Cadillac... -
Ford: Drive Our Cars, Buy Green Appliances--And Kiss Texas, California, and New York GoodbyeThe average household in America consumes more than 11,000 kWh of electricity per year, much of it during certain peak daytime hours. Many utility companies benefit from this by applying the law of supply and demand; as demand goes up, so do prices. Off-peak (late at night, for example)...
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GM And PSA To Collaborate On Future European Small Car DesignsGeneral Motors and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen have penned an agreement to merge their future European small car development program, as well as focusing efforts on building a fuel-efficient, high performance small-displacement gasoline engine. The brands have abandoned plans to jointly develop a midsize...
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Toyota's Everyday Drive Website Highlights Plug-In Hybrid Benefits: VideoWhile purchasing a hybrid vehicle is a relatively easy decision these days, the purchase of a plug-in hybrid can be significantly more difficult to justify, thanks to its greater expense. In terms of the Toyota Prius, a 2013 Prius Two with no options can be configured with a sticker price as low as...
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BMW Debuts i3 Coupe Concept In Los AngelesThough BMW is still some months away from launching its i3 electric hatchback and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, the brand is already looking with an eye to the future of its electric car range. At this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, BMW is displaying the latest member of its i Series, in...
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Fisker Hires Ex-GM, Ex-Hyundai Marketing Chief Joel EwanickWhen it comes to automotive executives, perhaps none is more resilient than former General Motors marketing head Joel Ewanick. Dismissed by GM last July over an expensive sponsorship deal with English football club Manchester United, Ewanick has been named as Fisker’s interim head of global...
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During the development phase of the Fisker Karma, the automaker established a temporary technical center in Pontiac, Michigan, in order to be closer to automotive industry suppliers and experienced...
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MINI Burns Lots Of Gas In PR-Based Expedition To NowhereThe MINI brand re-established itself globally by building fuel-efficient cars that, coincidentally, were also surprisingly fun to drive. In fact, when it comes to cars powered by their front wheels, we can’t think of any that handle better than MINI’s products. The brand has innovated...
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Suzuki Stops Selling Cars In U.S.--What Does It Mean For You?After nearly a three-decade run in the United States market, Suzuki has decided to cease selling automobiles here to focus on its core markets in India and Southeast Asia. Those of us in the industry weren’t surprised by the announcement that American Suzuki Motor Corporation was filing for...
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Honda Starts Sales Of N-ONE Retro MinicarIf you subscribe to the theory that Honda keeps all its really cool products in its home market of Japan, the announcement that the N-ONE retro-styled minicar has hit the market probably won’t do much to convince you otherwise. The N-ONE joins the N BOX and N BOX + models in Honda’s...
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Will Your Next Limo Be A Toyota Avalon Hybrid?If you travel for business, taking limos and town cars to and from the airport can be a fact of life. Now that the staple of limo fleets everywhere, the Lincoln Town Car, has ended its production run, there may be a greener alternative in your future. Toyota has announced that it will build fleet...
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Infiniti’s New Compact Won’t Be Outsourced To Magna StyrLuxury automaker Infiniti desperately needs a compact offering to counter cars like the Mercedes-Benz A Class, the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series. Its 2011 concept, the Etherea, even showed the direction Infiniti was going with its take on compact luxury. Last May, Nissan announced that it was...
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Audi is previewing the future of the compact crossover with a Paris Auto Show concept it calls the Crosslane Coupe.
The Crosslane Coupe features lightweight construction and a fuel-saving, dual-mode... -
2013 Cadillac ATS: Smallest Caddy V-6 Gas Mileage Rated At 28 MPGBack in July, the EPA released fuel economy figures for the Cadillac ATS compact luxury sedan, showing it was capable of returning up to 33 mpg highway and 22 mpg city when equipped with the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Now the EPA has released a new set of numbers on the Cadillac ATS, this...
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Audi R8 E-Tron's All-Digital Cluster And Console: Looks Like Tesla To Us...Audi’s R8 e-tron is set to impress attendees of the upcoming Paris Auto Show with its electronics, such as the previously heralded digital rear view mirror. From what we can see in a newly-released video, recently filmed at a German technology event, the R8 e-tron will debut with a...
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2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Blends Fuel Efficiency And DriveabilityWe have a serious question for compact crossover shoppers: with fuel-efficient four-cylinder turbo options from the likes of Hyundai and Ford, why would you even consider shopping for a V-6? We recently had a chance to drive the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport at an elevation of 8,400 feet, and we can...
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2014 Mazda Mazda6: Four Cylinders Or NothingMazda’s completely redesigned Mazda6 midsize sedan is set to make its official debut at this week’s Moscow Motor Show, but the Japanese automaker has released images and a few details ahead of the show’s opening. As expected, there will be no six-cylinder option for Mazda’s...
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2013 Hyundai Elantra Lineup Offers Something For (Almost) EveryoneWhen it comes to compact cars, one body style does not a product line make. Ford, for example, offers both hatchback and sedan body styles on its Focus line, while Honda offers the Civic in sedan or coupe form. Kia goes one better, offering its Forte in coupe, hatchback or sedan variants, which...
Kurt Ernst