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Nissan’s new lightweight philosophy revealed

The leaked official drawings of the new Nissan Micra might have revealed the conventional styling of the company’s new supermini, but they gave little clue to the dramatically lightweight new platform that underpins it. The new Micra will be significantly lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing car due to a ruthless pursuit of weight reduction on the new V-platform (V = versatile), which on average has slashed 50kg from the new car's weight, and up to 70kg on some models. Project leader Noritaka Tsuru described the new package as a 'breakthrough car' that required a complete 'change in mentality' in how Nissan makes cars.

In search of Jag Man: a reader's sociological research

I’ve always felt there to be an odd contradiction between Jaguar: image and reality. Such sensual, glamorous forms, evoking the Champs Élysées or Hollywood Boulevard, yet it’s beneath the leaden skies of Middle England that Jaguar’s soul predominantly calls home. So, in attempting to distil the essence of Jaguar Man, it is useful to separate folklore from reality, cliché from truth – who is this bloke anyway?

Saab files for bankruptcy: the end of the Swedish saga

Saab has reached the end of the road - for the second time in two years, just before Christmas. Parent company Swedish Automobile today announced that Saab had filed for bankruptcy. Owner and acting CEO Victor Muller had been trying to sell Saab as a going concern and had come close to signing a deal with Chinese car makers Pang Da and Youngman, but the deal was blocked by former owner General Motors which feared its technology - powering the new 9-5, plenty of the 9-3 range and the 9-4X - would fall into opposition hands in China.