Nautical Stuart Houghton Solid Brass Letters X3 ( O-i-v ) on 2040-parts.com

Nissan Leaf tours the country

Those who haven't made it to the dealership to test drive a Nissan Leaf can get behind the wheel of the electric car when the carmaker swings through towns across the country on its Drive Electric tour. Started on July 8 in Long Island, the tour is visiting 26 cities from Indianapolis to Austin, Texas. Attendees will learn about driving and owning a Leaf, how the car compares with other vehicles, its fuel efficiency and environmental impact, and how to communicate with the car via phone or computer.

Jaguar Concept Speedboat (2012) first official pictures

Premium estates are, we're told by the marketing people, for those with outdoorsy, active lifestyles. It's small wonder so few estates are truly utilitarian load-luggers: they're Tourers or Avants, or in this case, the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake. To tie in with the car's international launch, Jaguar gave it an active outdoor accessory of its very own: an Ian Callum-designed speedboat.

Last summer of speed?

If you want to enjoy driving on the unlimited-speed German autobahn, you might want to get in gear. If the opposition Social Democratic Party wins in this September's elections, party leader Sigmar Gabriel promises to form a coalition with the Green Party -- and both say they'll limit autobahn speeds to 120 kmh (about 75 mph), the German publication Bild is reporting. Not so fast, says the SDP's actual candidate for German chancellor, Peer Steinbrueck, who said he saw “no reason” to reignite the long-running debate over autobahn speeds, Bild reported.