New Introduction: Hyundai Will Introduce An Eight-Speed Transmission

Wow, Hyundai is becoming more like Lexus, Benz, BMW and the other luxury auto makers especially when they are set to release a new fuel-smart 8-speed transmission in 2010. This new transmission is supposed to greatly improve fuel economy according to Hyundai. The only other automakers offering such a transmission remains to be Lexus where BMW has plans to introduce one within the next two years. This is also a step towards meeting strict fuel economy guidelines in the years to come. Why not stay ahead of the game, that's exactly what Lexus did and look at their prestigious record and reputation in the automotive world. More than likely the new Hyundai Genesis sedan will get this new 8-speed transmission. If it is any other Hyundai or newly introduced Hyundai then we want to know about it!

 

Porsche to unveil Panamera at 2009 Shanghai Auto Show

Porsche today confirmed it will reveal the new Panamera grand tourer at this year's Shanghai Auto Show in April, having shifted from its its original plans to reveal it one month earlier at the Geneva Motor Show. The car will now take the stage April 19, the day before the Shanghai show officially gets underway. The decision for the shift from Geneva to Shanghai was due to the increased importance in the Chinese market, in addition to rapidly growing neighbors such as India and Russia. The cars revealed at the show will include the normally aspirated V8 and twin-turbocharged V8 variants. The Stuttgart sports carmaker sold 8,190 vehicles in China last financial year, and this was more than double the number of sales it made the previous year. 2010 Porsche Panamera

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Ford to reveal future electric plans at Detroit Auto Show

Hot on the heels of news that Chrysler is planning to show a new all-electric sports car concept at next week's Detroit Auto Show comes a new report that claims Ford is also planning to reveal its electric future at the event. While there are no plans to show-off a new concept vehicle per se, Automotive News is reporting that Ford will give specific details about several electric vehicle projects planned for the next couple of years. The first of these will be an electric van aimed at commercial fleets.

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Chrysler to showcase four-seat electric Dodge coupe in Detroit

Back in September Chrysler showed its commitment to designing and marketing a range of electric and hybrid vehicles with the unveiling of a trio of concept vehicles, one for each of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands. Despite its current financial situation, Chrysler is keen to show its willingness to keep up with rivals, such as General Motors and its Chevrolet Volt plug-in, by unveiling updated designs of its electric vehicles at this month's Detroit Auto Show. While details remain sketchy, Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler will display at least three vehicles at the upcoming event. 2008 Dodge EV Lotus-based electric sports car

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Ford struggling to find buyers for Volvo

Ford is reportedly having trouble offloading its failing Volvo subsidiary, with German carmaker Daimler over the weekend strongly denying any interest in the Swedish brand. Volvo, which was once a part of Ford's mighty Premier Automotive Group, is now one of the last remaining vestiges of Ford's former empire, and finding a buyer is becoming more and more difficult for the Blue Oval. The news comes from a Daimler spokesman, who claimed that Daimler was "never interested in Volvo" in reply to earlier reports linking the two companies.

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Suzuki delays Kizashi sedan

The global financial downturn is forcing Suzuki to postpone its plans to launch a new large car next year, as well as to delay construction on new overseas factories in Thailand and Russia. The news come from Japan's Nikkei daily and follows similar announcements from a slew of carmakers as the market continues to remain stagnant. Suzuki was originally planning on unveiling a large car in 2010 based on its Kizashi concept models, the most recent of which was the Kizashi 3 - a stylish sedan concept unveiled at last year's New York Auto Show that was the closest of the three show cars to resembling anything near a regular production vehicle. 2010 Suzuki Kizashi patent designs

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Race Car Replicas offers Superlight Coupe kit car

American company Race Car Replicas (RCR) has unveiled its handsome Superlite Coupe sports car that starts at just $43,995 for a rolling kit package. The package includes hung suspension, steering, fitted brake calipers and rotors, brake lines, the body, and fitted wheels and tires, while the engine, gearbox and interior will all be up to the customer to provide. The "engine bay will accept any longitudinal engine trans package", but RCR themselves recommend something from GM's line of LS engines, such as the mighty 7.0L LS7 from the Corvette Z06.

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Hyundai releases teaser sketches for Equus flagship

New images of a large luxury saloon have leaked onto the Internet and are believed to be official sketches for Hyundai's upcoming Equus flagship. The new model is currently code-named as the 'VI' sedan and is scheduled to be launched in South Korea next month. Power will come from a range of V6 and V8 petrol engines, and there are currently no plans to export the car to North American or European markets. The current Hyundai Equus first entered production back in 1998 and has barely undergone any changes since then. Hyundai VI Equus replacement

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Carmakers to offer Internet radio as factory option

In-car multimedia specialist Blaupunkt is teaming up with Internet radio company miRoamer to unveil what they claim is the "world's first Internet car radio". The two companies state that the newly-developed system will enable drivers of vehicles fitted with Blaupunkt Internet stereos to tune into miRoamer's vast array of online radio stations from almost anywhere around the world. The companies' claim of creating the world's first Internet radio for the car must be taken with a grain of salt, however, as Internet radio has been available in cars for a couple of years now - albeit not with such an elegant in-dash interface.

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Citroen updating chevron logo as part of 90th anniversary celebration

Citroen's famous chevron badge is being updated with a more modern look, and the first production model to wear the new logo will be the recently revealed C3 Picasso compact MPV (it has already been displayed on last year's GTbyCitroen concept car). The new badge is being created as a part of Citroen's 90th anniversary, and will mark the enduring nature of the chevron symbol that has appeared on Citroen models since 1919. Throughout the badge's history it has undergone many changes, and Citroen is extremely conscious of the purpose of its famous logo. Citroen GT Concept car at Paris Motor Show

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1,000hp Dodge Challenger SRT8 by RDP Performance

Ohio tuning firm RDP Performance has cooked up a special version of the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 for last month's Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Florida. Taking a stock SRT8, which comes with an already impressive 425hp when it rolls out of the factory, RDP Performance has extensively modified the car to produce a stunning 1,000hp - all channeled through the car's rear wheels. RDP Performance's goal with the car was to create a Dodge Challenger capable of completing the quarter-mile sprint in nine seconds.

 

Chrysler receives $4 billion in restructuring loans

Late Friday evening Chrysler received its first $4 billion in government loan money from the $17.4 billion approved as an emergency measure late in December, pushing its bottom line closer to the $2.5-3 billion minimum it needs to remain in operation. Covering debts and meeting supplier payment demands is priority one at this point, though the company hopes to return to some degree of normalcy soon. Without the loan money, Chrysler's cash hemorrhages in the second half of 2008 would have placed the company in danger of bankruptcy or liquidation.

 

Spy shots: 2010 BMW 5-Series Touring

With the 2009 Audi A6 facelift now on sale and the upcoming 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class out in the open, attention now turns to the next-generation BMW 5-Series. A class leader since its inception, the 5-Series Sedan and Touring wagon remain crucial vehicles in BMW's lineup and with the next-gen versions less than a year away speculation about the final design has been heating up. The new 5-Series Sedan is set to arrive in late 2009 for the 2010 model year and heavily disguised prototypes have already been seen testing around the streets of Munich. BMW 5-series spy shots

 

Shadow Sports Design planning custom Nissan GT-R for Tokyo Auto Salon

With the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon looming, Japanese tuning houses are coming out of the woodwork with a bevy of customized Nissan GT-Rs. Now, the latest Japanese tuner to tinker with the mighty GT-R is Shadow Sports Design, a company headed by former Nissan racing driver Masami Kageyama. While the full list of modifications has yet to be revealed, Shadow Sports has released some photos of a custom GT-R that it plans to unveil the upcoming Tokyo event. Decked out in white, the Shadow Sports Design GT-R features a number of aerodynamic modifications designed to improve downforce and handling. Zele carbon kit for the Nissan GT-R

 

Cadillac SRX unveiled ahead of 2009 Detroit Auto Show

Sporty, luxurious crossovers, like the crossover niche in general, haven't had the success the industry might have hoped for. Nevertheless, there is a definite market for the vehicles, and Cadillac has just unveiled its latest contender for the driveways of those buyers. Cadillac gave us a sneak preview of the 2010 SRX at the 2008 Pebble Beach Show, and later in a video as it flung snow about, powersliding over a frozen lake. Designed to offer similar aggressive style and sporty handling to the award-winning CTS sedan but also with clear cues from the fuel-cell Provoq concept, the SRX crossover features the a pair of direct-injected V6 engines and the option of AWD. 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover