A number of cars and concepts turned heads at the at the Detroit motor show, but it was a claim by General Motors’ CEO Mary Barra (above) that swung the spotlight on to a showpiece of another sort: lithium-ion battery technology. Barra said that GM and its 2017 Chevrolet Volt car had “cracked the code” of combining long range with an affordable price. Improved lithium-ion … [Read more...] about General Motors’ CEO highlights battery technology and the race for the greenest machine
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Google is dreaming about self-drive cars – there are miles to go yet
The progress of self-driving cars is taking two steps back for every one step forward, judging by admissions from leading developers like Google. The technology giant has admitted its self-driving cars failed 272 times in tests on California roads during 2014-15 – and each time drivers had to take immediate control. On 69 other occasions drivers felt compelled to take the … [Read more...] about Google is dreaming about self-drive cars – there are miles to go yet
Detroit show exclusive: NZ to get only one of 130 Mercedes-AMG special editions
A limited-edition Mercedes-AMG built to mark the 130th anniversary of acknowledged car inventors Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler will almost certainly be the most exclusive model ever sold in New Zealand. It is the S63 4Matic Cabriolet Edition 130, so called because only 130 will be built. At most, five will be available Downunder, if only because of the sales success of the … [Read more...] about Detroit show exclusive: NZ to get only one of 130 Mercedes-AMG special editions
Jeep’s 75th birthday specials salute famous wartime cartoon
Among the military-themed exterior colours in Jeep’s line-up of 75th anniversary models this year is ‘Sarge Green’, a reference to a famous sketch honouring the original Jeep’s role in World War II. It was penned in 1944 by Bill Maudlin, a soldier in the US Army who created ‘Willie and Joe’, a newspaper cartoon strip about the lives of two typical US infrantrymen during the … [Read more...] about Jeep’s 75th birthday specials salute famous wartime cartoon
Mazda, Subaru big movers in record year of new vehicle registrations
Pictured: Mazda New Zealand managing director Andrew Clearwater It was a year of significant firsts for the New Zealand motoring industry in 2015, among them … new vehicle registrations topped 130,000 a light truck, the Ford Ranger, was the best-selling new vehicle Mazda broke through the 10,000 sales barrier Mercedes-Benz toppled BMW and Audi in the luxury … [Read more...] about Mazda, Subaru big movers in record year of new vehicle registrations