Jaguar Land Rover open new engineering test centre in Dubai

Jaguar Land Rover are growing at a tremendous rate, and that means more and more testing of cars to make sure they can cope with the extremes of climate they’re subjected to by owners around the world. So as part of their growing test programme, JLR have extended their testing and engineering facilities in the Al Barsha area of Dubai so they can test durability, calibration and hot weather testing for heat and humidity as well as test the powertrains, chassis, HVAC and, as this is Dubai and it has plenty of sand, they can also give the Land Rover Terrain Response systems a proper workout. JLR has been hot weather testing in Dubai for more than 12 years – an area where temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius – and the new facility replaces a much smaller one in the same area, and joins Jaguar Land Rover’s other test facilities at the Nurburgring, Arjeplog in Sweden and Phoenix and International Falls in the States to ensure all JLR’s new cars get subjected to everything from extreme hot and cold to track work.

Getting to know you, Tommy Kendall, on the Autoweek America Adventure

If ever you wanted to get to know someone--I mean really get to know them--spend the better part of six days in a car, just the two of you. I would not suggest it as a job-interviewing tactic, but perhaps a portion of that time might get HR approval. Tommy Kendall is a fascinating young man.

Enthusiast 3D prints an Aston Martin DB4

New Zealand enthusiast Ivan Sentch is in the process of 3D printing a 1961 Aston Martin DB4. Engadget reports that he bought a $499 Solidoodle 3D printer and has been working on this project since December 2012. Using a Nissan Skyline as a donor car, he'll make a fiberglass mold of the print and hopefully transform this thing into a drivable, street-legal car for a fraction of the cost of an authentic DB4.