Hobie Cat 18 on 2040-parts.com

Jaguar XJ Review (2012): 3.0 litre Diesel Portfolio LWB

We’ve had the latest version of the Jaguar XJ in for review – the LWB 3.0 litre Diesel Portfolio with Sports Packs – to see how the XJ is maturing. It’s getting on for two years since we had the first Jaguar XJ in for review, and almost three years since we first saw the new XJ at the Saatchi Gallery in London, almost a year before Jaguar managed to get their new range-topper in to showrooms. In between we had a long-term XJ in for review which was with us for four months and proved to be far more reliable than the early car we had in – which did have problems – and a car we covered most the UK in with almost nothing in the way of hiccups.

Fiat Panda Cross wins top 4×4 Award

The Fiat Panda Cross, that mirculous little go-anywhere 4×4, which only came to the UK a few months ago, has won the Top 4×4 Award from 4×4 and MPV Driver Magazine. Well done! Amazingly, the judges put the little Fiat at the top of the pile, praising its affordability and off-road ability, and highlighting the cracking little 1.3 turbo diesel engine which makes this car shine.

New Audi S6 and S6 Avant (2012) Frankfurt Preview

New Audi S6 and S6 Avant (2012) at Frankfurt Frankfurt 2011 is going to be something of an Audi ‘S’ Fest, with four new 2012 ‘S’ models making a début, including these – the Audi S6 and the Audi S6 Avant. There’s little to choose between the S6 and S6 Avant in performance terms, just as you’d expect, with both cars featuring Audi’s new 4.0 litre TFSI V8 with 420bhp and 406lb/ft of torque (that’s the same V8 we will see in the Bentley Continental GT – and probably at Frankfurt too). That’s enough to take the S6 to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds, with the S6 Avant just the smallest bit behind at 4.9 seconds, and on to an electronically governed 155mph.