by Jonathan Spira The BMW i3 is a car that has long fascinated me, both for its unusual and handsome good looks, unparalleled greenness, and the story that goes with it. While we’ve spent considerable time with the i3 since its launch, the Bavarian EV gained additional range and power for 2017 and …
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MUNICH—The first ignition keys were introduced by Chrysler in 1949, although car doors required keys prior to that time. Early innovations in car keys included jackknife-like flip keys and keys with elaborate marque’s logos on them. Starting in the mid-1990s, cars began to come with transponder keys, programmed to allow …
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One of the most beautiful cars ever built arguably was the Mercedes-Benz SL coupe, which was introduced in 1954 as the 300SL, a model known for its distinctive gullwing doors. The legendary 300SL was developed specifically for the U.S. market as the result of a suggestion by legendary European automobile …
September signals the end of the meteorological summer season and what better send-off to summer than a Soul Red Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring RF. Indeed, that’s what arrived at our offices on a warm and sunny day, perfect convertible weather.
With a striking silhouette that gives it a more coupe-like …
Ride-hailing service Uber said it plans to start charging riders a “clean air” fee as part of its plans to eliminate diesel- and petrol-powered cars from its U.K. fleet within the next five years.
The company said it plans to add a 35p ($0.46) charge to rides in the United Kingdom …
Although it took a few days, the effects of Hurricane Harvey are finally beginning to be felt at the pump. The price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel hit $2.45 on average, the highest recorded price so far this year according to the Automobile Association of America. The average …
BMW Group debuted its new Mini Electric Concept Wednesday. A production version of the concept car will come in 2019.
The car is fully electric, and is the direct ancestor of the Mini E, BMW’s first all-electric car, introduced almost ten years ago.
The vehicle has many of the characteristics of the …
MUNICH—BMW introduced a redesigned i3 electric vehicle for the model year 2018 and announced a new model, the BMW i3s, the sport version of the i3.
The new 2018 i3 features an updated design, new standard features, and the same powerplant as the 2017 model, which, in turn was updated for …
MUNICH—The German auto industry should invest more in electric vehicles and not rest on its laurels, said Kanzleramtschef, or Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, Peter Altmaier over the weekend in Berlin.
Mr. Altmaier said he was disappointed by the response of managers at German automakers following the Dieselgate scandal while speaking at …
Volkswagen didn’t put all of its eggs in the diesel basket. The company’s plans call for it to produce one million electric vehicles a year by 2025, a number similar to what Tesla is projecting for its own sales. The significant difference is that VW has experience in building millions …
Mazda announced a significant breakthrough, a petrol engine that works more like a diesel engine and is 20% to 30% more fuel efficient than its current engines.
The new homogenous charge compression ignition engine ignites gasoline through compression, virtually eliminating the use of spark plugs except in very cold temperatures. The …
A senior Volkswagen executive pleaded guilty on Friday to charges relating to the automaker’s diesel emissions compliance scandal, known as Dieselgate.
Oliver Schmidt, who as general manager of the engineering and environmental office for VW of America, had served as the beleaguered automaker’s top emissions compliance executive in the United States, …
It fell to me, the sole Android user on staff, to put together a dispassionate wish list for new features in CarPlay when Apple launches its iOS 11 operating system come fall. Some of the more rabid CarPlay fans here at Frequent Business Traveler, including FBT Editorial Director Jonathan Spira …
It’s happened before. Venerable nameplates such as Sedan de Ville, Buick LeSabre, Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler Imperial, and Lincoln Continental once ruled American roads. They were repeatedly downsized starting in the 1970s and most eventually became extinct. Now, amidst tanking sales, it appears the current crop of large American sedans might …
The cold temperatures in the northeastern United States have made it clear that winter is upon us. The sun has already started to set later, another sign of the need to change tires.
While most cars in the United States today come fitted with what are referred to as “all-season tires,” …
A new distracted-driving law went into effect in Washington State on Sunday that goes well beyond what the state’s current law covers.
In addition to making it illegal to hold a mobile phone to one’s ear while driving or to send text messages by typing them on the device, the new …
If you scratch your head when someone mentions the Infiniti QX30, you aren’t alone: based on the Q30, the QX30 was introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2015. It made its U.S. debut the same year at the New York International Auto Show.
Nissan’s third SUV also bears an …
