Marc Carter
GM Kills Plans for a Diesel Engine for Cadillac in Europe
Cadillac has been struggling to gain traction in Europe. A much needed diesel engine, which would have made Cadillac more competitive in Europe has now been canceled. Cadillac was expected to receive a 2.9-liter V6 turbodiesel that was developed with and was to be manufactured by Italian diesel-engine expert VM Motori S.p.A. According to division spokesperson Joann Krell the diesel...
Hyundai BLUE-WILL Concept Headed to Seoul Motor Show
Hyundai is going to unveil the BLUE-WILL concept car at the Seoul Motor Show next week. Hyundai's new plug-in hybrid concept car features a 1.6L direct-injection engine, which is mated to a CVT and a 100kw electric motor. The concept also features lithium-ion batteries that are located under the rear seat. The concept also features dye-sensitive solar cells, which can...
Audi to Unveil Audi TT RS Roadster at Leipzig Motor Show
Audi has announced the world premiere of the Audi TT RS Roadstar at the Leipzig Motor Show next week. The Audi TT RS Roadster is powered by a 340 horsepower turbocharged 2.5L engine that propels the car from 0-62 mph in 4.7 seconds. It features all-wheel-drive and an ungraded suspension with high-performance brakes. The Audi A4 allroad quattro, Audi A5 Cabriolet,...
VW Kills the Rabbit Nameplate…Again!
Over 30 years ago, the successor of the VW Beetle, the Golf was dubbed the Rabbit in the US. So while the rest of the world had the Golf, we had the the same vehicle as the Rabbit. Eventually the Rabbit name was killed due to quality issues with the first generation, and we got the Golf in the...
Toyota's New Low-Cost Hybrid Will be Based off the Yaris
After weeks of speculation about a new low-cost Toyota hybrid, it's finally been confirmed that Toyota is indeed working on a new cheaper hybrid that will fit in below the Prius. The new hybrid is going to use the same Hybrid Synergy drivetrain as the new Prius installed in the Yaris platform. This is obviously an answer to the Honda...
Kia Unveils Forte LPI Hybrid in South Korea
Kia has officially unveiled its first mass production hybrid model that is based on the new Forte sedan, the Forte LPI hybrid. The Forte LPI hybrid is powered by a mild-hybrid system that features a 1.6L engine mated to an electric motor. The Liquefied Petroleum Injected (LPI) engine generates 114 hp and the electric motor generates an extra 20 hp....
IIHS Announces New Roof Strength Tests…Small SUVs are Tested First
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test. More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans. In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of...
Sixth-Generation VW Golf GTI Headed to the US this Summer
VW has announced that the sixth-generation of the iconic VW Golf GTI will be hitting dealerships in Germany in a few days. The more exciting news is that the new GTI will be available in North America by late summer. The Mark VI builds upon the successes of the current generation with slightly more aggressive styling and a front-end similar...
Rolls Royce Confirms 500+ HP V12 Engine for RR4
Rolls Royce unveiled the 200EX concept at the Geneva Moor Show earlier this month and now has officially confirmed that the production version, dubbed the RR4 will be powered by a new 6.6L V12 engine that will have "upwards of 500bhp." The V12 engine will be mated to a new ZF 8-speed transmission. CEO Tom Purves confirmed the details at a...
Upcoming Toyota RWD Coupe to Revive Celica Name?
The latest reports claim that Toyota and Subaru's on/off again jointly developed sports car is back on. According to L'Automobile Toyota is going to revive the Celica name for the Toyota version of the coupe. L'Automobile claims that Thierry Dombreval, Toyota's VP of sales and marketing in France released the details on the name of the new coupe. No other...
