Jaguar XF is ‘Car of the Decade’

The Southern Guild of Motoring Writers has declared the Jaguar XF the car of the decade at the SGMW’s 10th anniversary event. Designed by Ian Callum, under Ford’s ownership, the XF demonstrated that Jaguar had finally realised that building cars that were a pastiche of past glories was no longer enough to guarantee sales. Under the skin, much of the Jaguar XF carried over from its predecessor – the Jaguar S Type – but it was in the execution that the XF demonstrated it was capable of giving Jaguar new life.

McLaren F1 designer signs on with Florida start-up

A small Florida company with hopes of making green performance cars has landed a big name. Rivian Automotive said this week that it has signed on Peter Stevens--the designer of the McLaren F1--as its director of design. It hopes to bring its first car to market in 2013 and launch more in 2014.

Skoda drives along Popular memory lane

A EUROPEAN car enthusiast is recreating a remarkable British journey first completed 90 years ago by a famous Czech writer, and is driving a 77-year-old Skoda Popular. The milestone car, Skoda's first to sell in big numbers across Europe, is well into a three-week journey around the UK in the hands of car nut Zdeněk Vacek, starting and finishing at the Czech Embassy in London and visiting many of the cities featured in famous Czech writer Karel Čapek's 1924 tome Letters from England. The Popular itself can celebrate its 80th birthday at the same time, having first appeared to widespread acclaim in 1934.