Ecu Lada Niva 2123-1411020-40 on 2040-parts.com

Jaguar hybrid cars due in 2013-14

Jaguar will launch its own hybrid vehicles soon after Land Rover, CAR can confirm. Parent company Jaguar Land Rover is developing battery-assisted hybrid versions for both brands but its strategy puts part-electric Land Rovers first on the launchpad in 2013.Hybrid Jaguars – set to include the XJ and XF, but eventually every model – are therefore likely to be on the market by 2013-2014, using a similar eight-speed ZF hybrid transmission to petrol-electric BMWs.The staggered roll-out of battery Jags and Land Rovers makes sense: heavy 4x4s have come in the firing line from green protestors who label them Chelsea Tractors. Hybrid Land Rovers will trim emissions and – in plug-in hybrid mode – enable even big bulky Range Rovers to drive in zero-emissions mode into central urban areas emitting nothing more unsaintly than an electric whir.So which Jaguars will go hybrid first?It's likely that the largest models such as the XJ will receive the hybrid power packs first; large cars reap the greater benefit and can more easily swallow the additional cost, put at around £10,000 in today's money.JLR's Midlands engineering bases in Whitley and Gaydon now employ 100 engineers in the expanding hybrid powertrain business unit launched 18 months ago.

Mercedes Ocean Drive concept (2006): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 21 December 2006 09:16 Oh my God. What have they done to the S-Class? It's a good question.

Volkswagen CrossBlue concept

Volkswagen has unveiled its new CrossBlue SUV concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Developed specifically for the North American market, if it makes it into production it will sit above the Tiguan and below the Touareg in the VW SUV range. The CrossBlue was designed in Germany under the leadership of VW Group's head of design Walter de'Silva and Klaus Bischoff, the VW Brand's head of design in close co-operation with Volkswagen of America.