Kawasaki Kx80 Ignition Rotor on 2040-parts.com

Porsche buyers put the brakes on stop-start technology

By Chris Chilton Motor Industry 23 June 2008 18:56 Direct injection and a clever new PDK dual-clutch gearbox have cemented the new 911’s reputation as the greenest performance car around, but Porsche engineers are being hampered from making the iconic sports car even cleaner by the public’s reluctance to accept further green technology Engineers at the launch of the facelifted 911 told CAR that fitting a BMW-style start-stop system could chop a further 10g/km from the Carrera’s 225g/km CO2 rating but that performance car buyers weren’t keen on having such overtly planet-conscious tech on their cars. Start-stop works by cutting the engine when the car’s stationary in traffic, and restarting automatically when you touch the pedals to move off again. Every manual transmission-equipped BMW 1-series comes with the technology, excepting the truly high performance versions.

New Jaguar XJ – the Configurator

Our Jaguar XJ Configurator Car - Ebony with tasty wheels and all the toys But speaking to the guys from Jaguar, they are convinced that – despite its size – the new Jaguar XJ is at least as good to drive as the XF. Which after our Jaguar XFR Review this last week has had us salivating all over again at the prospect! So we thought we’d let you know that Jaguar has put an online configurator up for the new Jaguar XJ, where you can go and play and configure the Jag exactly as you want it.

Project Car Hell, 1940s Plutocrat Edition: 1940 Chrysler Imperial or 1946 Lincoln Sedan?

Project Car Hell is back for another matchup of appealing-yet-appalling project choices. Sometimes we like rusty old trucks suitable for fire roads in Idaho or hunting trails in Kenya, but such Hell Project choices always make the Hell Garage Demons itch for something much different. And, really, what could differ more from boxy, half-century-old 4x4s than great big luxury sedans with model years bookending American involvement in the war that blew up all of Detroit's serious global competitors for a good couple of decades?