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Readers chat it up live with AW associate editor Jon Wong

For those who have ever stared longingly at a Mazda RX-8, or who love the symphony of a Honda four-cylinder engine turning at 200 rpm short of the redline and the tactile joy of the shifter sliding flawlessly from gear to gear, you have a friend in AutoWeek associate editor Jon Wong. On Friday, readers took the opportunity for a virtual mind meld, as Jon fielded questions in an online chat at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

New Jaguar XJR will see the end of the XJ SuperSport

The launch of the new 2013 Jaguar XJR at the New York Auto Show this week heralds the end of the line for Jaguar’s other Supercharged V8 XJ – the SuperSport. With a much more fulsome 542bhp, some very ‘Jaguar’ go-faster bits, some proper fettling to make the steering, gearbox and suspension focus more on the drive without making a mess of the ride and altogether more dynamism in prospect than the SuperSport, we’d assumed Jaguar were making the XJR the performance pinnacle of the XJ range and leaving the SuperSport in place as the ‘luxury’ alternative. With that thought in mind we’d expected to see Jaguar push the price of the new XJR up towards the XJ Ultimate (which costs £121,000), so count us gobsmacked when Jaguar revealed the new XJR will cost from £92,335 – just £500 more than the SuperSport.

LA Auto Show Design Challenge theme: 'Sensing the Future: How Will Cars Interact with Us In 2029?'

The Los Angeles Auto Show has confirmed the theme for its annual Design Challenge. This year marks the eleventh time the contest has been held, and eight global design studios will each produce a concept to showcase a connected vehicle or interface system in response to the theme: 'Sensing the Future: How Will Cars Interact with Us In 2029?' The show's organizers have confirmed that BMW Group DesignworksUSA, Honda USA, Honda Japan, McLaren Automotive, Nissan, Peterbilt Motors, Qoros Auto, and SAIC Motor MG will all take part. "Los Angeles is one of the world's most dynamic cities constantly keeping its eye on the future of technological advancements that largely affect our daily lives," said Lisa Kaz, President of the LA Auto Show.