Volvo V40 Cross Country (2012) first official pictures

Volvo is beefing up the V40 hatch with the new V40 Cross Country - a rough 'n' ready soft-roader to be shown at the 2012 Paris motor show. Ring any bells? Cast your mind back to 1997 and the release of the V70 Cross Country, to which the V40 Cross Country owes its existence. Volvo V40 Cross Country: 'all-road' performance The V40 Cross Country comes in front- or all-wheel drive formats, topped by the 2.5-litre T5 that’ll churn out 250bhp and pass 0-60mph in six seconds. A 40mm ride height increase is likely to limit on-road performance, but should come in handy should you need to traverse any troublesome countryside on the school run.

Jaguar C-X75 at Berkeley Boutique +video

Jaguar C-X75 is on show at the Berkeley Boutique It’s easy to get a bit carried away when writing a headline. Perhaps not to the degree of xenophobic alliteration so beloved of our red-tops, but carried away with the moment nonetheless. But the range of headlines surrounding the Jaguar C-X75 Concept when it turned up at Paris in September where all in the same vein – the Jaguar C-X75 stole the show – and they were no exaggeration.

Mercedes-Benz reveals new V-class

Mercedes-Benz has returned to the luxury MPV ranks with a resurrection of the V-class – the commercial vehicle based multiseat van first introduced to the German car maker’s lineup in 1996. Positioned as an upmarket rival to the likes of the popular Volkswagen Multivan, the new V-class was conceived and developed in a joint-engineering program with the third-generation Vito, which it will be produced with at Mercedes-Benz’s Vitoria factory in Spain. Set to go on sale in Europe shortly after its public debut at the Geneva auto show in early March, the V-class is being considered for sale in the U.S.