Jaguar slashes prices – in Australia

Jaguar has slashed prices across its range in Australia – by as much as £40,000 – as it fights for a bigger market share. But there’s also a feeling that all those years of protectionist import tariffs have inured Australians to the high price of luxury cars, and that car makers take advantage of that by keeping prices high, regardless of the level of taxes imposed on their products. That means something like a Rolls Royce Phantom costs £650k and a Porsche 911 starts at £150k.

Volkswagen Polo UK details

Volkswagen has released prices and specs for the UK of the new VW Polo The new Polo is a good looking car, taking design cues from VW’s successful Scirroco.It is bigger than the outgoing model but lighter, and has managed some good improvements in economy and emissions. Which is all good news. So there should be fair few takers for the new Polo, which arrives in UK showrooms in October, with orders starting from now.

Flying Baldini Brothers take grand prize in Autoweek America Adventure

After five days of food, fun and friendly competition, the big prize in the Autoweek America Adventure was in the Mopar booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas: a limited-edition 2011 Mopar Dodge Charger. The daily winners on the adventure collected a key fob, and one of them would start the Charger. Team Roe Racing was the overall high-point winner for the challenge.