Aston Martin Virage (2011) at 2011 Geneva motor show

This is the new Aston Martin Virage, a V12-engined GT to sit halfway between the DB9 and the DBS. It will be officially unveiled to the public, along with the Aston Martin Vantage S, at the 2011 Geneva motor show next week. Numbers are easy to understand, so let’s start with the figures produced by the 6.0-litre V12 shared between the trio: the DB9 has 470bhp and 442lb ft, the DBS 510bhp and 420lb ft, and the Virage sits neatly between the two with 490bhp and 420lb ft.

Jaguar Land Rover create 700 more jobs at new engine plant

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that they are creating an additional 700 jobs – double the original – at their new engine plant in Wolverhampton. Back in 2011, we revealed that Jaguar Land Rover were planning a new facility on the i54 development in Wolverhampton to build engines for their cars, removing the reliance on Ford’s (excellent) engines in the process. That investment was to be £335 million with 700 new jobs created in Wolverhampton – and more than 2,000 in the supply chain – but it seems that’s not going to be enough with Jaguar Land Rover sales continuing to grow at a great rate of knots.

MINI Clubvan: Debut at 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed

The MINI Clubvan – a MINI Clubman with blocked out windows and no back seats – arrives as a production model and debuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The MINI Clubvan arrived as a concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but there was no chance MINI were going to pass up the chance of filling yet another MINI niche, which makes it no surprise this morning sees the arrival of the production version of the Clubvan. Looking exactly like what it is – a MINI Clubman with polycarbonate panels over the back windows and no back seats – the MINI Clubvan aims to do for trendy delivery businesses what the MINI did for trendy Estate Agents - make their ubiquitous presence a real annoyance.