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New baby Jaguar saloon to be shown this summer

The new small Jaguar saloon out testing in ill-fitting XF camouflage Jaguar has made huge strides in the last few years and is now on the brink of being recognised, once again, as a major force. But so far Jaguar has been producing great cars in not the biggest-selling sectors, but that’s set to change with the new small Jaguar saloon (perhaps the Jaguar XS) which will be first shown this summer ahead of a 2015 launch. The new baby Jaguar will be entering a very competitive market place, taking on cars like the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, so Jaguar are going to have to work hard to produce not only a credible car, but one that uses its ‘Britishness’ as its USP.

Aston Martin Vantage upgraded for 2012

Aston Martin's Vantage receives upgrades for 2012, with the base Vantage V8 getting the most attention. The Vantage V8 retains the 4.7-liter, 420-hp V8 and six-speed manual as standard equipment, but it now will be offered with the optional seven-speed Sportshift II from the Vantage S. The automatic transmission has closer ratios, a lower final drive ratio and quicker shifts than the previous Sportshift unit.

Opel Ampera: the full, official technical story

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 25 March 2009 10:05 Opel/Vauxhall predict that the new Ampera production car will sell more in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. The extended range electric vehicle, unveiled at the recent 2009 Geneva motor show, will go on sale here in late 2011 and marketing bosses say the UK is more accepting of hybrids and alternative vehicles than other markets. It’s not clear at this stage how much the Ampera will cost in the UK, but we’re looking at a likely cost around £20,000.