Jaguar XF review

There have been very few cars like the 2010 Jaguar XF Supercharged, and that's a shame. Yet it's difficult to explain why this car is so special, so let's just start by describing what it is. You can order Jaguar's S-Type replacement in four flavors (more if you live in a diesel-friendly part of the world). The first and least expensive comes with Jag's tried-and-true 4.2-liter V8 for $52,000, although we're told that the 4.2-liter is now out of production, so get 'em while they're hot. For $5,000 more, you can get the company's new direct-injected 5.0-liter V8 with 385 horsepower, which is most assuredly worth every penny.

Skipping ahead one, the fourth and final flavor is the top cat XFR, equipped with a 510-hp supercharged and monsterized version of the 5.0-liter V8 for $80,000. Put another way, that's $23,000 for an extra 125 horsepower. Worth the stretch? Honestly, when are we not going to tell you to buy a 510-hp vehicle? However, there is a third flavor and it's called the XF Supercharged. Starting at $68,000, the XF Supercharged comes with the same 5.0-liter supercharged V8 as the XFR, albeit "detuned" down to 470 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque.

ABT polish the Volkswagen Golf GTI

German tuner ABT Sportsline has announced its new performance upgrades for the Volkswagen Golf VI GTI, which includes new bodykit alongside with a series of engine and other mechanical upgrades. Under the hood, by using optimized engine management (ABT POWER) ABT has managed to squeeze 50 more hp from the engine, taking it from 210 hp (154 kW) up to 260 hp (191 kW). And that’s not all, because ABT also offers the ABT POWER S package, which includes a turbocharger and takes the Golf VI GTI up to 300 hp (221 kW). With the POWER S kit, the car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in around six seconds. To ensure a more sporty and safe driving, the German tuner also fitted the GTI with ABT chassis springs (the car’s center of gravity is lowered by 30 mm) and a powerful ABT braking system.
Another highlight of the package is the body kit, which makes the car’s look a lot more aggressive and also improves its aerodynamics. It includes new front apron, front lip, front grille and ABT daytime running lamps, new rear spoiler and rear apron and diagonal 4-pipe exhaust system. The final touch is given by the carbon steel grey metallic paintwork, which looks very, very good. Of course, ABT also offers a range of interior upgrades which further improve the car’s sporty feeling.

The best car cockpit

If Nissan has its way, your next car's cockpit will look like an star fighter, straight out of a Macross remake.

This is the Nissan Land Glider, an electric car with two seats. it has a narrow body, which Nissan says will help reduce traffic congestion by allowing more cars in the same city space, as well as making parking easier. It has a balancing system to make it stable as it takes curves, compensating for inertia with the car's body movement.

Subaru unveil a new hybrid concept

Subaru is set to unveil a hybrid tourer concept at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. The grand touring concept will feature the company's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and horizontally-opposed boxer engine credentials, presented in a sporty gull wing-door design.

Besides a luxurious cabin and an eye-catching aerodynamic body, the car will feature items such as a flat rear floor to maximise passenger space, specialised windscreen shielding to reduce driver eyestrain and a new leather seat covering offering superior breathability, with an in-seat ventilation function for improved comfort and texture.

It will be powered by a 2.0l horizontally-opposed direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine with Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and a hybrid system. The CVT drivetrain draws on technology recently introduced in the new generation Liberty and Outback.

Meanwhile, the lithium-ion, two-motor hybrid system features a power/drive 10kW motor in the front and a 20kW drive motor in the rear. At start-up and extremely low speeds, such as entering a garage, the rear motor is used primarily to allow driving without petrol engine power.

During normal driving, the petrol engine is primarily used, and under acceleration, the rear motor assists the petrol engine to achieve optimum performance. When accelerating uphill, the front motor, which is normally used as a power generator, also assists in driving the front axle, for improved performance. A non-idling function stops the engine when the car comes to a halt, reducing fuel consumption.