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Jaguar XF-R unveiled at Detroit auto show 2009

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 10 January 2009 22:52 Jaguar's XFR is shown today at the Detroit auto show 2009 – and the XFR at a stroke becomes the fastest saloon the Midlands manufacturer has ever made for the roads. Jag has taken the XF saloon and fettled it with the new direct-injection 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine that supersedes the familiar 4.2, but breathed upon by a new supercharger to crank out a wholesome 503bhp.The R model is extremely rapid, thanks to a classic Ayers Rock torque curve that peaks at 461lb ft from just 2000rpm and doesn't go away until 5000rpm. There's brawn wherever you need it, and the XFR scuttles to 60mph in a scant 4.7sec.

Exclusive: Laurens van den Acker to replace Patrick le Quément at Renault

The wheels of change are continuing to turn within the automotive design industry, with yet another new appointment being made at the director level. According to industry insiders, Laurens van den Acker is set become the new Design Director at Renault when Patrick le Quément retires later this year. One of the most pre-eminent car designers in the world, Patrick le Quément began his design career at Simca, worked at Ford for 17 years and did a brief stint at Volkswagen before taking the top design job at Renault.

Audi A1 Quattro models ‘on the way’

Audi has confirmed it is testing four-wheel drive Quattro versions of the A1 – indicating an imminent expansion of Audi’s supermini range. Although showcased as this one-off at a Quattro publicity event in Montreal, Canada, to celebrate 30 years of the all-corner drive system, Ingolstadt acknowledged at last autumn’s 2010 Paris motor show that Quattro versions of the A1 were in the pipeline. The production A1 Quattro will use the Haldex differential to split drive to both axles; it’s a similar technology to that found in A3 and TT Quattros, as opposed to the mechanical Torsen diff found in larger Quattro models.