Jaguar hаs long bееn onе of thе best cаr mаnufаcturеs on thе globе. Thеy stаrtеd up from humblе bеginnings in 1922 аnd еvеntuаlly workеd thеir wаy into thе mаinstrеаm. Sir Williаm Lyons аnd Williаm Wаlmslеy foundеd thе compаny in Englаnd, аnd todаy it’s locаtеd in Covеntry. Worldwidе, Jaguar еmploys ovеr 10,000 pеoplе аnd is а top plаyеr in thеir fiеld. Thе cаr mаnufаcturеr wаs turning hеаds soon аftеr opеning in thе 1920s. Thеir SS 100 wаs а onе-of-а-kind cаr thаt, unlikе mаny othеrs of thе еrа, didn’t rеquirе аn onboardmеchаnic duе to constаnt failurеs. Jaguars wеrе wеll put-togеthеr piеcеs of mаchinеry, аnd аftеr thе wаr, thеy bеgаn working on thеir XK120 modеl in 1948. Originаlly, thе XK120 wаsn’t еvеn supposеd to bе а cаr. Williаm Lyons hаd plаnnеd on thе Jaguar’s body аcting аs morе of а vеssеl to showcase thе nеw Jaguar XK еnginе. This inline 6-cylindеr еnginе with а duаl ovеrhеаd cаmshаft wаs а bеаst for its dаy. Thе high-torquе, low-strеss dеsign of thе еnginе mаdе it popular in thе аutomotivе world in gеnеrаl. To sеll thе еnginе to thе public, Lyons put it in а rеgulаr roаdstеr аnd took it to thе London Motor Show in 1948. Howеvеr, it wаsn’t just thе еnginе thаt rеvvеd pеoplе up. Thеy wеrе interestеd in thе cаr. This spаrkеd Lyons to put it into immеdiаtе production аs thе Jaguar XK120. Thеrе wаs no sеcrеt bеhind thе nаmе. Thе “120″ in XK120 wаs how fаst thе cаr could go in milеs pеr hour. This top spееd mаdе thе Jaguar modеl thе fаstest production cаr in thе world in lаtе 1949. Thе originаl cаr to brеаk out in 1949 wаs thе Jaguar XK120 roаdstеr with а convertible top. Jaguar would lаtеr rеlеase vаrious vеrsions of thе cаr, from а 2-sеаtеr coupe to а fixеd-hеаd coupe, but thе 1949 originаl bеcаmе thе quintеssеntiаl sports cаr of thе еrа аnd wаs dеfinitеly thе dеfinitivе аutomobile dеsign for thе Jaguar linе. Thе Jaguar XK120 roаdstеr wаsn’t еxаctly whаt wе’d considеr to bе а sаfе cаr by todаy’s stаndаrds....

Four-cylinder turbocharged engines will account as an important piece in the overall future strategy for BMW. The importance of the new N20 four-cylinder turbocharged engine was revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show when Dr. Klaus Draeger, R&D chief, opened the BMW press conference with a speech on the new four-cylinder engine. In the future, BMW will make extensive use of the different four-cylinder turbo engines in various models, from the 1 Series to the 3 Series, and some X-models. The first step in their EfficientDynamics strategy around four-cylinder bangers starts with the BMW X1 xDrive28i, the first model to receive the recently unveiled N20B20 four-cylinder engine that delivers 245 horsepower, offering similar performance as the six-cylinder aspirated engine but with significantly lower fuel consumption. To learn more about the engine, we sat down with Dr. Bernardo Lopez-Alvaredo, Head of Drivetrain Evaluation. BMWBLOG: Why the shift from six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine to a new four-cylinder turbo? Dr. Lopez: We see ourselves as part of the overall EfficientDynamics strategy and engine development is one portion that contributes to it. In the last years, the six-cylinder turbocharged won several awards and the new four-cylinder engine is the little brother of this powerplant. In a way this is the extension of this technology that was first proven in the N55 six-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharger. BMWBLOG: Why the change from N54 twin-turbo to N55 twin-scroll which is the base for the new N20 four-cylinder? Dr. Lopez: The system here is in a way more efficient, because you have basically the same functions, you separate the exhaust from two pair of cylinders and introduce into the turbocharged system. Of course, we reduced the volume you need, so it has a lot of advantages, less weight, less parts. BMWBLOG: What is biggest challenge in designing this engine? Dr. Lopez: Our aim is to satisfy customer that have been used to the six-cylinder engine, so for us the big goal in engineering was to deliver even better performance with lower fuel consumption, while delivering the same level of quality. The technology components are already known from the six-cylinder, so some were modified for the four-cylinder. The decoupling of vibrations was a new...

Next month, the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show will be the venue chosen by BMW to showcase their latest electric vehicle. BMW teamed up with joint venture partner Brilliance China Automotive to develop an electric vehicle specifically for China built on a 5 Series platform. BMW Brilliance Automotive is a 50:50 joint venture between BMW and Brilliance and currently builds the BMW 3-Series and 5-series sedans in the northeast China city of Shenyang. The 5 Series electric is specifically designed for the Chinese market and will be available in the long wheelbase variant. Full details are yet to be revealed, but we anticipate some of the technology used in the BMW ActiveE or MINI E to be present in the 5er EV as well. At the 2010 Beijing Motor Show, BMW already unveiled a 5 Series electric concept based on the previous generation E60. Dubbed ECHO, the car was a joint project between BMW and Tongji University. Shanghai Auto Show debuts on April 20th. In the mean time, rendering artists have already begun to draw how a 5 Series electric vehicle might look in comparison with the regular model. [Source: Theophiluschin ] Go here to read the rest:  Renderings: BMW 5 Series Electric Vehicle Long Wheelbase

Image: BMW BMW is trying hard to convince us that their new 650i Coupe is a sports car, but I’m not buying it. In fairness, I haven’t been handed the keys to one yet, so I can’t comment on how it drives, but I do know it’s even larger than the outgoing model. The 2010 BMW 6 Series weighed in at 3,814 pounds, and the new car is said to be some 3 inches longer and 1.5 inches wider. Barring the use of ridiculously expensive materials, the new car certainly won’t be lighter and with a longer wheel base I doubt it’ll be as precise as the car it replaces. Let’s drop the whole sports car label right now and call it for what it is: one of the best Grand Touring cars in the world. Image: BMW The BMW 6 Series has never been about setting the fastest lap time. Instead, it’s about gobbling up the miles from point A to point B in ultimate comfort, at speeds that would give Ray LaHood heart failure. There are four seats, but let’s be honest here: the BMW 6 Series is really about personal luxury for two, not four, occupants. I can’t think of a better car to take from coast to coast, especially if I were trying to break the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash record of 32 hours and 51 minutes. Throw a supplemental fuel cell in the trunk, stuff the back full of Cliff Bars, Red Bull and adult diapers, and I think you have a new record waiting to be set. Image: BMW BMW calls the car “unparalleled in the premium (coupe) segment”, and I’m inclined to agree with them. Two models will be offered in the US, starting with the 640i, which gets a 3.0 liter inline six good for some 320 horsepower. That’s not a lot to move a car the size of the new 6, but the car still manages the sprint to 100 kph in just 5.4 seconds. Like most German cars, the 640i is electronically limited to a top speed of 155 miles per hour, and BMW is quick to point out that it returns an admirable fuel economy of up to 30.61 miles per gallon based on EU standards. If speed is your thing, you’ll probably want to opt for the 650i, which gets a 4.4 liter V8 good for 407 horsepower and a governed top speed of 155 miles per hour. It gets to 100 kph a half second quicker but has a substantially larger appetite, managing only 22.6 MPG according to the EU cycle. Image: BMW...

According to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, MINI and Lexus are among the brands with the best dealership service. The annual study takes into consideration multiple factors of dealership service after the sale has occurred. Five measures are examined to determine overall customer satisfaction with dealer service (listed in order of importance): service quality; service initiation; service advisor; service facility; and vehicle pick-up. Among the the luxury brands, Lexus ranked at the top (847 points) and it was the top-performing luxury brand for the third year in a row. Rounding out the top four nameplates in the premium segment are Jaguar (837); Cadillac (830); and Acura (828). Among luxury brands, Volvo and Porsche achieve the greatest improvements from 2010.. BMW ranks 6th with 814 points, ahead of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Audi, Volvo and Land Rover dealerships lagged at the bottom. In the Mass Market Brands, MINI ranks highest with a score of 805 and improves by 19 points from 2010. MINI performs particularly well in the vehicle pick-up and service quality factors. Also among the top 10 brands in the mass market segment are GMC (803); Buick (799); Chevrolet (792); Kia (784); Hyundai and smart, in a tie (783 each); Volkswagen (779); Ford (773); and Honda (765). Of mass market brands, Mazda and Suzuki achieve the greatest improvements from 2010. The study also finds that, during the past five years, dealer service facilities have gradually increased their share of service visits and spending, particularly among customers whose vehicles are under warranty. Between 2007 and 2011, the share of service visits at dealer facilities has increased from 67 percent to 74 percent. During the same time frame, overall share of spending for dealer service visits increased from 70 percent to 73 percent. One surprising finding of this year’s CSI study is that so-called upselling is relatively rare.Overall, only 7 percent of service customers in 2011 indicate that their dealer attempted to sell them service work that they perceived as unnecessary. Between October and December 2010, J.D. Power gathered responses from more than 97,300 owners and lessees of 2006 to 2010 model-year vehicles for this year’s survey. [Source:...

His cheeks are pinkish from capillaries that ruptured when employees made the same mistake twice. Volkswagen übermensch Ferdinand Piëch, 73, was much in the news last year, having “saved” Porsche—yeah, that’s what he did—after being underestimated by his adversaries, many of whom now work as night managers at Der Wienerschnitzel. In your eye, Wendelin. Courtrooms fall silent just before the judge reads a verdict, and Piëch exerts a similar effect on any chamber he approaches. It isn’t exactly charisma, and it isn’t his physical presence, because the guy vaguely resembles a talking human tendon. His cheeks are pinkish from capillaries that ruptured when employees made the same mistake twice. His meager hair often appears to have been licked by a whole herd of Holsteins. He sometimes sports a two-day stubble of albino beard, lending him the countenance of a high-school janitor who lives in the basement. And his smile has been known to lower ambient temperatures 15 degrees. Keep Reading: John Phillips: We’re Not Done With You Yet, Piëch – Column Continued here: John Phillips: We’re Not Done With You Yet, Piëch – Column Original post: John Phillips: We’re Not Done With You Yet, Piëch – Column

Year after year, BMW of North America makes an appearance at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the biggest classic event on the East Coast. The scenic Amelia Island, one of the most Northerneastern points in Florida, holds this year the 16th Annual event. The prestigious Concours d’Elegance showcases classic and modern cars as well as other cars of significant importance in the automotive industry – all of which are highly valuable. At this year’s event, BMWNA brought out the 3.0 CSL, the classic 328 and the new 6 Series Convertible. To enhance the experience of the 20,000+ visitors present at the event, BMW also offered test drives in the new 6er Convertible. In the videos below, Tom Plucinsky, BMW Communications Manager, and Bobby Rahal tells us more about the Amelia Island event. Rahal goes even further and presents some of the cars that were highlights in his long racing career. Photo courtesy of AutomotiveAddicts Read the original here: BMW at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

BMW will run two exciting vehicles up the hill at the 2011 Goodwood Motorsport Press Day on 17 March 2011.  The first, the new BMW 1 Series M Coupé heralds the introduction of a high performance sports car into a compact design that extends the BMW M portfolio and paves the way for a wider audience to appreciate M car ownership. The second, the BMW M3 GTS, is the most powerful version of the high-performance M3 Coupé and features a 450hp engine that offers the ideal preconditions for use at club sport events, while still being road-legal. Goodwood will also provide the stage for MINI to display the MINI John Cooper Works S2000 rally car – the latest milestone on the road to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) . This is the forerunner to the MINI John Cooper Works WRC, which the MINI WRC Team will unveil at MINI Plant Oxford on 11th April 2011 and will debut in Rally Italy from 5 – 8 May 2011. Read the rest here: BMW M3 GTS and 1M at the 2011 Goodwood Motorsport Press Day

Image: Porsche It’s been a long time since anyone read fairy tales to me, but here’s what I remember about Goldilocks: she did a B&E on the bear’s place and found most of their stuff not to her liking. Their porridge (whatever the hell that is) was either too hot or too cold and their mattresses too firm or too soft. She finally found porridge that was just right and a comfortable bed, just before the bears came home and ate her. Or something like that, but the point of my story is this: when it comes to the Porsche 911, previous models have either been too cold / soft for my tastes (911, 911 SC, Carrera, Carrera 4) or too hot / firm for my tastes (930, 911 GT3). Porsche’s new-for-2011 Carrera GTS, on the other hand, is just right. Image: Porsche I had a chance to drive it, albeit too briefly, at this weekend’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and it’s the very first Porsche 911 that I really liked. Scratch that: it’s the first 911 that I absolutely loved, and I find myself wondering just how much kidneys go for on the black market. I’ve got two, and I really only need one, but I doubt that selling my own kidney to the highest bidder would cover the 911 Carrera GTS’ $113,000 price of admission. Still, it’s hard to believe that 30 minutes behind the wheel was all it took to make me a believer. Image: Porsche First, there’s the engine, which puts out 408 horsepower and makes one of the best exhaust notes to ever come out of Zuffenhausen. In terms of power, that’s 23 more than the 911 Carrera and 27 less than the 911 GT3. It pulls harder than you expect, nearly all the way to redline, and shifts from the six speed manual gearbox are superb. Clutch effort is light, and the car is as easy to drive in stop and go traffic as a Mazda MX-5. Punch up sport mode and find a break in traffic, and the Carrera GTS accelerates with enthusiasm. Zero to sixty comes up in about four seconds, and Porsche says that the tops speed is 190 miles per hour. I didn’t get a chance to verify that, but I see no reason to doubt them. Even the balance is the best I’ve experienced in a 911, with no trace of power on or lift-throttle oversteer. Image: Porsche The Carrera GTS even looks like a bit of a sleeper. From the outside, it’s easy to mistake it for...

If you have ever wondered how the new 2011 Ford Explorer V6 engine stacks up against the 2010 outgoing V8 engine, check out the JabbaWockeeZ dance group as they demonstrate. The JabbaWockeez dance-off is an iteration of the 2010 V8 Crew vs. the 2011 V6 Posse showing how the new Ford Explorer’s V6 touts more power and better fuel efficiency in a more Hip fashion. Whether that is the exact message that translates to the audience remains to be scene. Maybe you can decipher it and explain it to me because I am the more old-fashion type. Either way, facts are facts and the new 2011 Explorer is a better machine than the old V8 Explorer any way you put it. More: Ford Dance Off Video: How The New 2011 Ford Explorer V6 Compares to the old V8 Originally posted here:  Ford Dance Off Video: How The New 2011 Ford Explorer V6 Compares to the old V8

2012 Nissan Micra DIG-S fascia Russian car sales have sky-rocketed last month, motivated by government incentive schemes and high oil prices, that boosted economic growth. The Association of European Businesses (AEB) said sales rose 80% year-on-year to 165,518 units, bringing year-to-date growth to 77%. AvtoVAZ, in which Renault owns 25% and maker of Lada models, lead the market with sales of 37,528 units, followed by Nissan, Kia and Renault with 10,501, 10,200, and 9,985 units. Chevrolet sold 9,759 vehicles. 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid fascia The AEB will evaluate full year targets after sales data for March have been revealed, after anticipating in January as rise of 17% in 2011. “Our consensus view on 2011 remains at 2.24 million passenger cars and LCV but in the light of the strong start to the year we will review this following the March and first quarter results,” David Thomas, Chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee said. In addition, AEB said high oil prices and loans contributed to the growing market. “The foundation is there for a very good year provided these fundamentals stay in place”. View original post here: Russian car sales surge 80% in February (RU) Read the original post:  Russian car sales surge 80% in February (RU)

BMW’s new big coupe is way prettier than its predecessor. BMW’s top-of-the-line coupe has always been among the firm’s most highly desirable cars. However, things kind of went downhill after the first 6-series, the E24. The 1990s saw the excess of the 8-series, which launched with a V-12—and the accompanying astronomical price—and therefore walked away from much of the 6-series customer base. Then came the E63 6-series , which virtually defined the “Bangle Butt,” perhaps the industry’s most obnoxious posterior. Keep Reading: 2012 BMW 650i Coupe – Official Photos and Info Read the rest here: 2012 BMW 650i Coupe – Official Photos and Info Go here to see the original:  2012 BMW 650i Coupe – Official Photos and Info

Automotive enthusiasts are so intrigued by the newest creation to come out of the Lamborghini factory, the all new Aventador. One of the latest video clips of the Aventador has hit YouTube from Berlin giving us a short preview of the wonderful music that comes from this Raging Bull. Enjoy! Continued here: Video: Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 On Public Street Read more:  Video: Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 On Public Street

BMW Conversations returns this week at the Sebring International Raceway. The live chat previews the 2011 American Le Mans Series which begins Saturday, March 19th. BMW Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will enter this year’s competition with two new BMW M3 GT cars and aims to retain their Team and Manufacturer title won in 2010. The live chat will take place this Thursday at 2PM EST and will feature Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, BMW RLL drivers, along with Tom Plucinsky, BMW Communications Manager. The topic revolves around the new ALMS season and will focus on the exciting 12-hour race at Sebring. Topic: BMW Conversations: Live at Sebring Event: 59th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Location: Sebring International Raceway, FL Date: Thursday, March 17, 2011 at  2:00-2:30 PM Eastern Time Live Link: (Where the live stream will be hosted) : http://www.facebook.com/BMWUSA?v=app_107543882600438 Videos Hosts: Tom Plucinsky, BMW Product and Technology Communications Manager Bill Auberlen, BMW Racecar Driver Joey Hand, BMW Racecar Driver This particular installment of BMW Conversations will highlight what it takes to prepare for a 12-hour race, what makes the Sebring race different from others, some updates to the M3 racecar, and more. BMWBLOG will report live from Sebring, so stay tuned for photos and exclusive videos! More: BMW Conversations: Live Chat At Sebring

We add Mazda’s cheapest Zoom-Zoom product to our stable of long-termers. Date: March 2011 Months in Fleet: 3 months Current Mileage: 4550 miles Average Fuel Economy: 29 mpg Range: 328 miles Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0 The 556-hp Cadillac CTS-V wagon we just added to our fleet is one of the most powerful cars for sale in the U.S., full stop. To offset this, we’ve added a very different five-door, stick-shift, fun-to-drive car to our lot: a 2011 Mazda 2. With just 100 hp on tap, the only production vehicle sold in the U.S. over which the 2 maintains power bragging rights is the 70-hp Smart Fortwo—until the Scion iQ launches later this year and the 2’s dominion doubles in size. Keep Reading: 2011 Mazda 2 Touring – Long-Term Road Test Intro See original here: 2011 Mazda 2 Touring – Long-Term Road Test Intro View original post here: 2011 Mazda 2 Touring – Long-Term Road Test Intro