Author: autoevolution

Giancarlo Fisichella proceeded to his first drive of the new Ferrari F10 this week, during the promotional action set up by the Italian team on the Jerez circuit in Spain. Although it was initially believed that Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will each take the new Ferrari to the track for filming purposes on Monday and Tuesday respectively, the Scuderia decided to hand the single-seater to Fisico.

The Italian veteran will be test/reserve driver for Ferrari for the upcoming season – he actu… (read more)

GM’s Certified Used Vehicles division announced yesterday it is adding all Saturn vehicles manufacturer in between 2005 and 2010 to its offer and will be made available at all 3,400 dealers nationwide.

This move gives peace of mind to consumers who love the Saturn brand, said Paul Pejza, manager, GM Certified Used Vehicles.

Consumers can now purchase any 2005-2010 model, and know they have a 12-month or 12,000 mile bumper-to-bumper, manufacturer-backed warranty as well as the other benef… (read more)

Honeywell announced that it has awarded scholarships to 160 students from 28 U.S. states and 20 countries. The students will take part in the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy. This has been developed in associations wit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and will offer students the opportunity to participate in science, technology and engineering sessions while building their leadership skills.

The students have been carefully selected through a complex review process based on academic achi… (read more)

Following a dramatic increase in car crashes involving teen drivers, and the $40 billion economic impact of auto accidents involving 15-20 year old drivers, Street Smarts Interactive was born, as it was designed to be used by parents in educating teenage drivers.

With the help of a team of experts in disciplines including traffic law, vehicle handling, instruction design, training technology, teen behavior and family communications, Street Smarts 101 was founded, a three-part program that is… (read more)

Volkswagen announced that it has successfully concluded the follow-on negotiations to the 2009 collective bargaining agreement, with its IG Metall workers union.

The terms set in 2009 included the remuneration’s correlation with work performance and the employment of apprentices based on their performance during their training period. In return, both parties had agreed to hold negotiations related to job security. It has also been agreed to the extension of undertaking on safeguarding jobs un… (read more)

Despite rain, fog and even a large fallen tree, team Eastern Creek International Karts managed to win the Armo All Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama, Australia’s longest motor race, staged for showroom-standard popular cars with only safety-related modifications.

After 202 laps and 1254.4 kilometers, the team formed of Gary Holt, Paul Morris and John Bowe managed to cross the finish line first in its BMW 335i. Morris, the man who was behind the wheel at the end of the race, also won this cha… (read more)

Nissan’s luxury division, Infiniti, today released Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy estimates for the 2011 Infiniti M sedan, which show an increase of up to four miles per gallon as compared to the 2010 models. The 2011 Infiniti M range is set to go on sale starting March 18, 2010.

When it goes on sale, the 2011 Infiniti M will be offered in two different configurations, V8 and V6, which will be designated Infiniti M56 and Infiniti M37, respectively.

"The all-new 201… (read more)

Lotus has prepared a facelift for its lightweight, sport, go-kart like (and the list could go on forever) Elise, as autocar reports.

The new incarnation of the car follows the current eco-awareness trend and promises to offer decreased CO2 emissions and an improved fuel economy figure.

The car adopts the family design introduced by its bigger sister, the Evora. At the front, it has received a new front bumper, which incorporates larger air intakes. This is complemented by a new headlight d… (read more)

For most of us, it’s impossible to face traffic without shouting, swearing or giving the finger a few times on our way to the office. There’s not much respect left in the world, and that’s sometimes the reason people fight in the middle of intersections. But what are the most annoying of all the driving habits?

Britain’s ICM conducted a study on behalf of Kwik-Fit and discovered that 66 per cent of the 1,000 drivers questioned said that tailgating is the number one gripe for UK drivers. Appar… (read more)

Mazda has had a great 2010 start in Northern Ireland, as the company’s market share went up to 3.43%, the highest level since October 2008. Though the overall retail market went up 35%, Mazda managed to grow its sales by 105% to 178 units.

It’s true that January 2009 was just in the middle of the recession and that government incentives did not exist back then, so growth in January 2010 is natural, but Mazda’s sales are well over the market’s. So it seems the Japanese car manufacturer managed… (read more)

The German tuners at Techart today released the details on their latest project, a personalization program for the new 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S models. The new packages, consisting of a new aerodynamic upgrades, light metal wheels, and redesigned interiors will be presented next month at the Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland.

The new Aerodynamic Kit I includes a new front spoiler, airflow-optimizing side sills, a small roof spoiler on the Coupe, an extensible rear spoiler and a modified rear d… (read more)

In the times we are living, no single car buyer purchases a car thinking he/she will keep it for the rest of his/her life. With the car exchange time now standing at around three or four years, consumers have begun paying much more attention to what is called the depreciation rate of the vehicle.

As you all know by now, almost never a car bought, let’s say today, will be sold again in the future, no matter how distant, at the same price. The difference between the price paid at the purchase … (read more)

Lotus F1 Team may be returning to Formula One racing after more than one and a half decade of sitting on the sidelines, but that isn’t to mean the organization will run under the UK flag, as it did until 1994.

As you all know, Lotus Cars is currently being owned by Malaysian car company Proton. However, when asked about the national colors under which the new team will run in Formula One, the team’s technical chief Mike Gascoyne revealed that a potential win of the Cosworth-powered T127 car … (read more)

Following a trend set by GM, Volkswagen, who aims to become the world’s largest carmaker by 2018, announced that it will create a new division that will have the aim of performing in-house research and development for electric powertrains, as autonews reports.

As the Volkswagen Group is a vast entity where engine sharing is a second nature, VW’s electric motors will be used by all the Group’s brands – which means they will also power the future Audi e-tron range.

The company’s Salzinger (… (read more)

A few days after unveiling their 2010 single-seater to the public in London – the Cosworth-powered T127 – Lotus F1 Team now confirmed a couple of management changes aimed to improve the outfit’s chances of completing a successful F1 return this year.

Soon after the Malaysian-backed team received an entry in the 2010 Formula One Championship, the then-appointed team principal Tony Fernandes insisted that his role within Lotus F1 Team would not be permanent because of his lack of experience (a… (read more)

Good news for British fans of the Kawasaki brand, as the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has recently launched a new website where potential customers can book a test ride at their preferred Kawasaki road bike dealer in the UK.

Users can search for new and used machines by their postcode or the type of bike they’re after by accessing the following link. Customers can make a booking simply by using an interactive form. As soon as the form is submitted, the chosen dealer is automatically infor… (read more)

Fiat owners looking to save some money should check out Fiat UK’s new range of low mileage service plan that has been launched by the Fiat Group Automobiles UK. The service plan is addressed to Fiat owners who drive less than 10,000 miles each year and are meant to give the customers some peace of mind, as their car will be serviced by trained Fiat technicians right on time.

Though prices may vary between dealers, a three-year, 27,000-mile plan costs about 13 pounds per month. If you own a Fi… (read more)

The Renault Symbol (the Clio’s three-volume low-cost sibling) vehicle range has received new interior trims, as updates for 2010.

Owners who choose the Expression and Privilege equipment levels will be treated with a fresh, light-colored Distinction upholstery. Those who want a Symbol and opt for the Authentique version, will receive a new two-tone Trend upholstery.

In addition to that, the entire Symbol range will offer chrome trimming details for the dashboard. The same material will b… (read more)

While revealing its 2009 sales figures, Italian manufacturer Ferrari also took pride of last year’s Internet activities, which were dominated by the complete redesign and relaunch of the company website. The new site reportedly reached the record figure of 200 million page views in nine months.

All the new car launches and the major events were broadcast on the site, including the unveiling of the new Formula One single-seater, the F10, watched by over 3 million people. In January, the Japane… (read more)

Remy International, an U.S. based mechanical components supplier and Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP) have signed a letter of intent for a potential long-term electric motor supply agreement.

AMP performs electric vehicle conversion and, from now on, the company will use Remy’s HVH250 motors for its projects.

AMP has developed an electric drive train which offers a range of up to 150 miles and will be installed in current passenger vehicles. The first two cars available for AMP conversi… (read more)