Motoring News

Jaguar concept XJ front

Jaguar has revealed an exciting new concept designed to showcase the potential of its new XJ series. The XJ75 Platinum Concept revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance over the weekend, although a showcar, may well be an example of things to come from the marque.

“The new Jaguar XJ Platinum Concept celebrates Jaguar’s 75th Anniversary, and highlights the uniqueness of the XJ, and more broadly, the increasingly personal nature of luxury cars in today’s market,” says Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars.

“The XJ is thoroughly modern, and captures the innovative and daring character that our founder Sir William Lyons built into every Jaguar. And the design team clearly had some fun making their first one-of-a-kind XJ design concept in that spirit.”

Although not an actual XJR, a new version of Jaguar’s sportiest saloon is expected to be released soon, so this look could be incorporated to a new production model about to roll off the line.

A 470hp Supercharged V8 powers the XJ75, and not the 500hp-plus engine that is used in a production XJR. However, it is equipped with new ground-hugging front, rear and side sills and also features bespoke 22-inch black wheels – all of which could easily foretell the shape of good things come. Inside the car, the black colour scheme is complemented by white air vents, veneers and diamond stitch suede inserts to the seats and headliner, that contrast with the black leather interior.

Jaguar concept XJ rear

Jaguar concept XJ wheels

A 37 year old Swedish man has been dished out the biggest speeding ticket in the world after being caught driving at 180mph (290km/h).

The man, who has not been named, was driving through Switzerland in his brand new Mercedes SLS AMG when he was stopped for travelling over 105mph over the speed limit. Under Swiss law, the level of fine is determined by the wealth of the driver and the speed recorded, meaning that the unnamed man has been fined a huge SFr1,080m ($1m or £656,000). As well as being given the speeding fine itself the mans car has been impounded and he is being forced to pay a daily fine of SFr3,600 for 300 days.

Local police spokesman Benoit Dumas said of the latest case that “nothing can justify a speed of 290km/h”. “It is not controllable. It must have taken 500m to stop,”.

I’m surprised the Swiss Police could catch him at 180mhp, they must have some very fast police vans. I wonder why he was in such a rush?

Mercedes SLS AMG

Mk1 VW Golf

The Volkswagen group has closed the deal on the purchase of the Italian design company Italdesign Giugiaro (IDG) by securing 90.1% of share in the company. The shares in the company were purchased by Lamborghini with the remaining 9.9% stake remaining in the hands of the Giugiaro family.

The two companies are not strangers with founder/chairman Giorgetto Giugiaro being responsible for the mk1 Scirocco and the very first Golf  all the back in the early 70′s. Giugiaro was also behind the Volkswagen Porsche Tapiro Concept in the 70′s as well, successfully showing his design prowess with the VW group.

It’s unclear if IDG will continue working with outside clients or will now dedicate itself to VW Group projects.

Volkswagen Porsche Tapiro Concept

The reader Jason Wright of Autoblog Stumbled upon the new concept car from Renault just sitting on the side of the road in Paris. The car is know as the Renault DeZir and is a new working electric powered concept car.

Renualt DeZir at the Side of the Road in Paris

The DeZir’s power comes from the same size 24 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack that sits under the Nissan Leaf, and the driving range remains the same 100 miles, though unlike Leaf the pack in the concept is configured for Quick Drop exchanges. The DeZir is propelled by a 110 kilowatt electric motor powering the rear wheels and rocketing the lightweight electric concept to 60 mph in 5 seconds.

Here are some of the shots.

Renualt DeZir Shoing off its Wing Style Doors.

Renualt DeZir Rear

Renualt DeZir Lights