Auto Meter 2173 Autogage Fuel Pressure Gauge on 2040-parts.com

CAR's review of 2009: the cars that die

It’s been out with the old for a host of models in 2009, some provoking misty-eyed fond farewells, some told not to let the factory door hit them on the bumper on the way out. We pick the saddest and happiest goodbyes of the year. A sculpted drop-top with rear-wheel drive and a frantically schizophrenic VTEC engine.  What’s not to like?

Pagani Zonda Revolucion is the last ever Zonda. Apparently.

The Pagani Zonda Revolucion – the ultimate Zonda We’ve lost count of the number of ‘Special Edition’ Zondas Pagani has churned out over the years, but it’s probably close to the point where a non-special Zonda is rarer than the special editions. Now we get treated to one last special edition Zonda with the Pagani Zonda Evolucion, an evolution of the track-only Zonda R promising even more extremes of performance and price. The Evolucion’s 6.0 litre V12 engine produces a massive 789bhp which, thanks to a weight of only 1070kg, promises to be unbelievably quick with a power to weight ration of 749bhp per ton – better than the Veyron.

Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division launches

Cars like the Jaguar F-Type Project 7 (pictured) will come from JLR’s Special Operations If the creation of the Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division to create bespoke, heritage, ultra luxury and high performance Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover cars doesn’t shout how positive JLR are about the future, nothing will. Jaguar call it “meeting the increasing expectations of today’s most discerning and enthusiastic car customers“, but what they really mean is that JLR have now got so much back on their game with cars like the new Jaguar F-Type, new Range Rover and new Range Rover Sport that they now have buyers with deep enough pockets to pay for just about anything, so that’s what JLR are going to do with the Special Operations division; give them anything they want – at a price That will mean car like the Jaguar Project 7 F-Type we saw at Goodwood last year being possible, ultra-luxury versions of the Range Rover and even the creation of heritage cars like the new Lightweight E-Types could become a regular occurrence. With a team of engineers and and designers led by Paul Newsome, recently recruited from Williams Advance Engineering, the plan is to create halo vehicles for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, and a team of 150 at a new Technical Centre near Gaydon will have a customer commissioning suite for bespoke and premium personalisation.