Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

This week in 1963: N

Safety is a priority for drivers, teams and courses. Over the past century automobile safety has been slowly evolving (or rapidly evolving, if Ralph Nader has had anything to say about it). Needless to say, it is unusual for a safety feature that performed its function to make news.

New Jaguar XE (Jaguar C-X16) Spy Video

New Jaguar XE Spy video - or C-X16, if you prefer Will Jaguar’s new small Roadster – which we’re persisting in calling the Jaguar XE – actually turn up at Frankfurt 2011? Yes, but in the guise of what Jaguar are calling the Jaguar C-X16 ‘production concept’. We’ve had some spy photos of the Jaguar XE before – and we had Jaguar’s sketch of the C-X16 a couple of weeks ago, which told us nothing – and now we’ve got video of the XE (or at least a cut-down XK mule) out testing in Death Valley.

Volkswagen XL1 ‘Super’ Hybrid heading for the UK – costs £98,515

The Volkswagen XL1 ‘Super’ Hybrid (pictured) costs £98,515 in the UK VW announced a while back that their ‘super’ hybrid XL1 was going in to limited production, although they didn’t confirm a price for being super green. But now the first XL1 has already been delivered in Germany, Volkswagen has confirmed a chunk of the 200 run – thought to be between 20 and 30 cars – will be making their way to the UK and will cost £98,515. For almost £100k, there are plenty of options bordering on supercar, but the XL1 is ‘super’ in a different way, and if extreme economy and a design that looks like something imagined as a car of the future in Hollywood Sci-Fi films of the 1930s floats your boat, the XL1 could be the car you’re looking for.