Mustang 1996-2004 Sequential Tail Lights, Tinted on 2040-parts.com

Jaguar XFR Review: On the Road

The Jaguar XFR has quite astonishing - and controllable - performance You start to wonder if Jaguar has screwed up and put the normally aspirated version of the potent V8 in the XFR. This can’t be an M5 competitor – it’s just too civilised. The ride is cosseting and compliant, but with an underlying – and reassuring – firmness.

Alfa Romeo & Mazda to build new roadster

Mazda & Alfa to jointly develop a new roadster Alfa Romeo and Fiat have signed an agreement to build a new new RWD roadster based on the next generation Mazda MX-5 platform. Sergio Marchionne is a big believer that the only way to survive as a mainstream car maker is to be as big as possible and share development costs whenever you can. Which explains – from the Fiat point of view – why Alfa Romeo has entered in to an agreement to produce a new roadster with Mazda to be based on the next generation Mazda MX-5 RWD platform.

MINI Countryman to be built in India

MINI sells worldwide – even in the US – and, despite claims it was a step too far for the brand, the MINI Countryman has been a big hit for MINI, offering as it does most of MINI’s charm but in a bigger, more family friendly package and with the option of All4 4WD for a degree of off-road ability (well, certainly the ability to treat boot sale car parks with disdain). Now, for the first time, BMW is to build the MINI outside Europe with a new MINi assembly facility coming on stream in Chennai, India, where BMW already makes 3 and 5 Series models as well as the X1 and X3. The plan is part of BMW’s plan of ‘Production follows the market’ where BMW aim to make their cars where they’re sold, so with the MINI brand showing strong growth in India since its launch it makes sense to build them there.