British Motor Show preview: Jaguar celebrates 60 years of XK with the XK60

The original XK120 was an impressive car for its time. Introduced at the 1948 London Motor Show, it wooed onlookers with its sleek design and a 3.4-liter straight-six developing 160 horsepower. It's 120 mph top speed made it the world's fastest production car at the time and over the years, other XK's followed the original's footsteps -- the XK140 in 1955 and the XK150 in 1958 -- both named for their top speed capabilities. Then there's the XKSS, the road-going version of the D-Type race car of which only sixteen were produced. Jaguar will be celebrating these legendary cars at this year's British Motor Show with the XK60, named to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the original XK120. Jaguar is mum about the features of the XK60, but we'll be sure to bring you all the details when it is officially unveiled on July 22.

[Source: Jaguar]

PRESS RELEASE

JAGUAR CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF XK AT THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW 2008

Jaguar will showcase a new look for XK in celebration of 60 years of the iconic nameplate at this year's British International Motor Show. The new XK60* will take pride of place alongside representatives from the full Jaguar model range, each with a success story for 2008.

XK
In 1948, Jaguar created what would become one of the most famous automotive names in the world, as the all-new and highly advanced XK engine made its debut in the revered XK120 sports car. Now, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of that iconic car, Jaguar is launching a very special series of the current XK for the UK market - the uniquely equipped and aptly named XK60, a car that pays homage to the legendary performance of its predecessors.

Complementing the XK60 on the stand will be the recently introduced XKR-S, a limited edition sports coupe in Ultimate Black designed to give an even more focused, high speed performance driving experience. Capable of 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and with a maximum speed extended to a limited 174mph (280km/h), this is the fastest Jaguar since the XJ220 supercar. With just 50 available in the UK, every XKR-S is already spoken for.

XJ
Sitting alongside the two XK models will be Jaguar's acclaimed XJ 2.7-litre diesel, which was recently crowned 'Britain's Greenest Luxury Car' for the second year running - voted for by the Environmental Transport Association. The award was given in recognition of Jaguar's commitment to delivering CO2 and fuel consumption advantages** to XJ customers, with the development of an industry-leading diesel engine and the application of an advanced lightweight aluminium body structure.

XF
With over 7,000 orders in the bank in the UK and more than 21,000 worldwide, the introduction of the multi-award winning Jaguar XF has been a resonating success for the brand. Both the 4.2-litre SV8 and the 2.7-litre diesel XF will be on display at the show; the latter wearing 'Car of the Year' stickers to celebrate the What Car? magazine win earlier this year.

Other notable XF Awards include: 'Car of the Year' from What Diesel magazine, 'Design of the Year' from Autocar, 'Limo of the Year' from Top Gear magazine, 'Interior of the Year' from CAR magazine and 'Car of the Year' from The Sun Motoring.

X-TYPE
Completing the Jaguar stand at the show will be the new X-TYPE Estate which now offers the combination of diesel power with automatic transmission - pairing the 2.2 litre diesel with a six-speed automatic, and the one-touch control of Jaguar Sequential Shift - broadening the new model's appeal to buyers who previously could not have this combination in an X-TYPE.

The new X-TYPE automatic diesel - on sale from March - combines high levels of refinement with optimised performance and economy, and promises more choice and even greater luxury, to appeal especially to a younger, more family-orientated audience. With an even better value-for-money proposition for buyers, sales are up 41% versus 2007 since the March on-sale date.

More pricing details on the HUMMER H3T

To say that HUMMER's launch timing for the H3T sport-utility-truck couldn't be worse seems like an understatement. Trucks which had been flying out of showrooms just a few short years ago are now languishing on dealer lots. What's more, the entire HUMMER brand could get the axe any day now from (current) parent company General Motors. Still, the H3T is coming to a dealer near you in September, and there's nothing that the General can do but price it competitively and hope for the best. We've got some detailed pricing information pasted after the break, but the short version is that the five-cylinder base model, which comes standard with a five-speed stick, will go for $31,495 and be equipped with the expected four-wheel drive along with 32-inch tires and a clothe interior. Upscale Alpha models get upgraded with the 5.3L V8 hooked to a four-speed automatic, a chrome appearance package and a Monsoon stereo for $36,760.

Hummer H3T pricing and standard equipment:

H3T $31,495

Standard Features:
full-time electronic four-wheel drive w/ 2:56:1 transfer case
premium cloth interior
a standard integrated bedliner with built-in storage
Stabilitrak
cargo management system
239 hp 3.7L inline 5-cylinder w/ 5-speed manual
32" tires
four underbody skid shields
Hill Start Assist
Front driver and passenger airbags
Side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor
Six-speaker audio system
XM Radio
OnStar
Bluetooth phone connectivity
full-size spare tire
HUMMER's premium five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty plan.

H3T Alpha $36,760

Standard Features:
full-time electronic four-wheel drive w/ 2:56:1 transfer case
a standard integrated bedliner with built-in storage
Stabilitrak
premium cloth interior
cargo management system
chrome appearance package
Alpha badges
5.3L V-8 with 4-speed automatic
32" tires
four underbody skid shields
Hill Start Assist
Front driver and passenger airbags
Side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor
premium seven-speaker Monsoon audio system
XM Radio
OnStar
Bluetooth phone connectivity
full-size spare tire
HUMMER's premium five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty plan.

All include $745 destination charge.

F430 in the shop? Fiat providing limited-edition 500 rental

If you own an Italian masterpiece adorned with a prancing horse, your good fortune is likely tempered with a few mechanical or electrical maladies. If and when that happens, most of us would expect an expensive loaner to take our minds off of our troubles, but team Ferrari has a "better idea." Fiat has created 200 special edition 500s that are done up to Ferrari standards, including red paint, a top notch sound system, electric sunroof, automatic climate control, a black steering wheel with red stitching and 16-inch aluminum wheels. Although the stock, 100 hp 1.4-liter engine remains, the exhaust has been tweaked to provide a bit more growl. Since Fiat is keeping its run of limited edition 500s to a minimum, the automaker will also provide a numbered kick plate to show off where each model falls in the production run.

While the "Ferrari Edition" 500 is a sweet limited edition model in its own right, we're not sure if we would dig getting one as a temporary replacement for our Scuderia. Call us snobs, but the Quattroporte or a Alfa 8C Competizione is as low as we're willing to go.

2009 Mazda6 starting at $19,220

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda6.

While you'll have to wait another day to get our initial impressions of the 2009 Mazda6, the automaker has released the pricing details on its redesigned mid-level sedan.

The base "i" model starts at $19,220 (including the $670 destination charge) and comes equipped with a 170 hp, 2.5-liter inline-four sending power to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed auto with a manual shift mode. The range-topping SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models will be packing a 272 hp, 3.7-liter V6 and will start off at $24,800 (again, destination charge included).

Mazda hasn't released a comprehensive break down of each model, their corresponding features and specific prices, but you can hit the jump for the official press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced pricing for the 2009 MAZDA6 sports sedan will start at $18,550 for a MAZDA6 i SV, equipped with a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter I-4 engine and a six-speed manual transmission. Pricing for the 2009 MAZDA6 s, powered by a 273-horsepower V6 engine and six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission begins at $24,130. Destination charges for all 2009 model-year Mazda vehicles are $670, $715 in Alaska. The 2009 MAZDA6 will be available at dealers across the U. S. starting in late August, 2008.

The highly anticipated 2009 MAZDA6 is the first of Mazda's "Zoom-Zoom Evolution" second-generation vehicles, building on a heritage of sports sedans and sports cars that no other manufacturer can boast, and bringing a combination of sports sedan, sophistication, build quality and product insight not currently found in the market.

"This is the most important new vehicle Mazda has launched in a decade," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Bringing any new car to market at a competitive price has always been critical, but seldom more-so than today. Customers are looking for that rare combination of style, dynamics, economy and a great price, and the all-new 2009 MAZDA6 delivers on all levels."

The 2009 MAZDA6 will be available as a four-door sedan and in four trim levels: SV (I-4 models only), Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, and with varying levels of standard and optional equipment. All models, regardless of engine or trim grade, will include as standard equipment: air-conditioning, power windows, mirrors and door locks, anti-lock brakes (ABS), dynamic stability control, traction control, frontal and seat-mounted airbags for driver and front passenger, side air-curtain airbags for front and rear seat passengers and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Power for the 2009 MAZDA6 will be available from an all-new Mazda-designed and developed MZR 170-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 273-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, as used in the 2008 CX-9, Motor Trend's 2008 Sport/Utility of the Year and the 2008 North American Truck of the Year. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or five-speed Sport AT automatic with manual-shift mode (2.5-liter engine) or a six-speed Sport AT automatic with manual-shift mode (3.7-liter V6). I-4 models equipped with the Sport AT are certified at the ultra-clean SULEV level, and PZEV in California-emission states. All V6 models meet ULEV standards for all 50 states.

As it has been since the first MAZDA6 launched in 2002, all North American MAZDA6s will continue to be built at AutoAlliance International, in Flat Rock, Mich, a joint venture with partner Ford Motor Company.

KTM bringing faster, harder X-Bow to Geneva in 2009

As previously reported, KTM plans to expand its offerings beyond the X-Bow, with the introduction of a duo of new city cars and a lightweight off-roader. But KTM isn't content with leaving the X-Bow alone. When the Geneva Motor Show rolls around next March, the newest entrant into the four-wheeled world will get a healthy boost in output courtesy of the Audi S3's 261 hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged FSI engine. According to Autocar, the more powerful model could be joined later by a new variant sporting a full windshield and a removable roof, making the case for the X-Bow more compelling and allowing KTM to take aim at traditional track toys.

SSC (allegedly) to produce the world's fastest electric supercar

Green performance cars are the new darlings of today's small crop of boutique auto builders. From the Tesla Roadster to the Fisker Karma, and now, the new Ultimate Aero EV. The easiest way for the little guys to attract big attention is to make attractive, high performance cars with green credentials. So, it's with a grain of salt that we bring you news of the aforementioned electric hyper coupe from Shelby SuperCars. Considering that the supercar manufacturer claims that its battery will not require a charge "for six years" (should we proclaim them early favorites for McCain's battery prize?), powering dual, five-hundred horsepower electric motors, the whole thing sounds more than a bit fishy. It deserves noting that the battery technology doesn't exist to support those claims and, while five-hundred horsies can indeed be extracted from an electric motor, that would have to be one big honkin' motor... and they plan on using two in their EV. Guiness World Record for the fastest car? Check. Really big EV aspirations? Double Check. And now, it's time for a reality check.

In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Retractable Hard Top

Just as it appeared that winter was finally drawing to close here in Michigan, one of the definitive summertime cars turned up on our doorstep -- the Mazda MX-5 Miata . Somewhere back in the middle part of the last century, small, lightweight, roadsters flourished with a variety of models available from mostly British manufacturers. Names like MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey and Lotus defined the genre. Unfortunately, a number of factors such as random intermittent windshield wipers, intermittent headlights, intermittent ignition, persistent oil leaks and predisposition for the bodies to convert to iron oxide soured the reputation of these and other car builders. This was followed by the consolidation of the most of the British car industry into British Leyland and then the onset of safety and emissions regulations. By 1980, the classic British sports car had become all but extinct.

Then a strange thing happened. Mazda, always had a reputation as being slightly offbeat (witness its dedication to the Wankel rotary, which exists to this day) introduced a new model dubbed the MX-5 Miata . This compact, rear-drive two-seat roadster bore a strong resemblance to a '60s vintage Lotus Elan. However, unlike the Elan and its compatriots, the Miata started every time you turned the key, didn't leave you drenched when it rained, and didn't leave puddles of oil on your garage floor. In other words, it was a classic British sports car that worked like a modern Japanese car. Read on after the jump to find out how the latest incarnation fares.