1963 Corvette Seat Belt, Red on 2040-parts.com

Jaguar: Four-wheel drive a priority. Hybrid Jaguars not.

Our long term Jaguar XJ would have been better in the snow with 4WD - but it's coming We’ve been talking about a four-wheel drive platform for Jaguars for a long time now. As far back as 2009, Jaguar privately confessed that the lack of an XF Estate was down to the lack of a 4WD platform to make the XF Estate a proper competitor in the luxury load-lugging market. And although we thought Jaguar could still make a success of the XF Estate without a 4WD option, we understood their perspective; Jaguar didn’t want to be the poor relation in the luxury estate market.

Nissan Almera

The new Nissan Almera was launched yesterday at the 2012 Moscow auto show, designed specifically for the Russian market. The design team sought to combine contemporary Nissan design cues with more classic features on this 4,656mm-long five-seat sedan. The Almera has a long wheelbase of 2,700mm while the luggage area is said to be disguised by the sweep of the roofline and rear window that flows into the trunk lid.

Autoweek Best of the Best semifinalists announced

Ten cars and 10 trucks are in the running for honors as the 2013 Autoweek Best of the Best. Semifinalists will undergo further evaluation by our editors, who will judge the vehicles based on drivetrain, ride quality, handling, exterior, interior design and fun factor. The winner will be announced in the January 7, 2013 issue.