Buell Blast 500 2007 Front Sprocket on 2040-parts.com

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.

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder: RWD LP550-2 here in 2012

Sant'Agata plans a two-wheel drive version of the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder – reflecting 2009's limited-series rear-wheel drive Balboni edition of the Gallardo coupe. Sales of the new rear-drive LP550-2 Spyder will start in early 2012, Lambo has confirmed to CAR. It will look the same as any other Gallardo convertible; the only changes will be to the hardware under the skin.

Bye bye Maserati Kubang – hello Maserati Cinqueporte?

Maserati Kubang being retired from view Maserati has decided that now the world has seen its Kubang Concept it’s going to retire it from public view ahead of a production reveal. The Maserati Kubang is the concept for an SUV that’s been doing the motor show rounds since it arrived at Frankfurt last year. Currently on show in Beijing, it appears that the trip to China will be the last outing for the Kubang as a concept as Maserati are getting ready to show a production version – but not just yet.