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

New Jaguar XJR will see the end of the XJ SuperSport

The launch of the new 2013 Jaguar XJR at the New York Auto Show this week heralds the end of the line for Jaguar’s other Supercharged V8 XJ – the SuperSport. With a much more fulsome 542bhp, some very ‘Jaguar’ go-faster bits, some proper fettling to make the steering, gearbox and suspension focus more on the drive without making a mess of the ride and altogether more dynamism in prospect than the SuperSport, we’d assumed Jaguar were making the XJR the performance pinnacle of the XJ range and leaving the SuperSport in place as the ‘luxury’ alternative. With that thought in mind we’d expected to see Jaguar push the price of the new XJR up towards the XJ Ultimate (which costs £121,000), so count us gobsmacked when Jaguar revealed the new XJR will cost from £92,335 – just £500 more than the SuperSport.

Mazda refines lineup with SkyActiv technology

It turns out Mazda isn't simply shooting for the sky. Rather, the protagonists of Zoom-Zoom driving dynamics are taking an active approach to the brand's DNA: Put it all together: it's called “SkyActiv,” and Mazda is billing the suite of technologies as the pillars of its way forward. Much of these features--which enhance future products in nearly all areas, including engine, transmission and chassis--have already been revealed.

Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (PHEV) Paris 2012 debut

A production version of the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) will debut at the Paris Motor Show in September. Mitsubishi has already had a couple of stabs at a plug-in hybrid Outlander EV, with the PX-MiEV at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 and then again with the imaginatively named PX-MiEV II at last year’s Tokyo Show. But now we’re about to get the production version.