Fiat Americanizes its 500, complete with cupholders

The Fiat 500 subcompact might be Italian through and through, but the U.S. version that arrives in dealerships late this year will cater to American tastes. The American car will have a more powerful engine than the European version, a slightly softer ride and--most important--more substantial, American-style cupholders.

Jaguar XJ Diesel – The Swansong plaudit

The Jaguar XJ 2.7 Diesel has won the 'Greenest Luxury Car' Award And although one of the strengths of Jaguar has been its heritage it has, to a degree, also become its Achilles Heel. The first Jaguar XJs were a triumph when they were launched in 1968, and put Jaguar leaps and bounds ahead of the German competition, in the same way Jaguar had taken the world by storm with the E-Type a few years before. But things started to fall apart for Jaguar in the ’70s with the fiasco that was British Leyland, and by trying to emulate Porsche by making each iteration of the XJ an evolution of the original all they managed to do was cement in the public mindset the failings of the XJ.

Peugeot RCZ Magnetic Limited Edition – it’s a black or white RCZ

The RCZ Magnetic gets based on the RCZ Sport but gets extra goodies added to make a special edition which costs less, say Peugeot, than if you specced a regular RCZ up to the same level. Extra equipment includes parking aids (front and back), interior sports kit (that’s a soft touch leather steering wheel and short shift gear lever), Peugeot Connect Nav (that’s sound and CD with Nav), Connect SOS and Assistance, 19″ Sortilege alloys with a matt black finish, Black Pack (which gives you a black finish on the roof arches, grill, mirrors and brake callipers) and Sports front seats. You only have the choice of two paint jobs – black and white – with the black RCZ Magnetic getting Metallic Nera black paint with red flame leather interior and the white RCZ Pearlescent Pearl white with black leather.