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The C-X16 will accelerate from nought to 62mph in 4.4 seconds, yet emit just 165g/km of CO2, Jaguar said.

The iconic Jaguar E-type, which was launched 50 years ago, “marked a new era for sports cars and for Jaguar itself”, according to brand director Adrian Hallmark, “and in many ways the C-X16 is very similar in spirit”.

Although the car is shorter than most Jaguars, design director Ian Callum added that “the proportions are pure Jaguar with a long bonnet and a short rear overhang”.

“We didn’t wish to create a copy of the E-type,” he said.

“Instead we’ve taken inspiration from the car – its style, its presence and the sense it was taking a bold step forwards.”

Full story and copyright BBC Jahuar Reveals E Type successor

Like many other Japanese auto makers, Mitsubishi Motors took aggressive action to slash costs in the wake of the financial crisis and has continued in the face of the strong yen. But that means “the room for reducing costs further is getting smaller,” the president said.

Still, the company can’t afford to ease up—hence its plan to increase the ratio of foreign-made parts it uses in Japan. Mr. Masuko says Mitsubishi Motors aims to raise it to 21% from 19% by the end of March.

And hoping to lure more Japanese customers into its showrooms, the company later this month will roll out a a new minivan, the Delica D:3, which is produced by Nissan as part of the two companies’ partnership.

Read Full Story Wall Street Journal and copyright Mitsubishi cutting costs futile

“It’s all holding up extremely well,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst with Credit Suisse in London. The growth rates of about 20 percent that BMW and Audi posted in China are “quite healthy.”

BMW, Audi, and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz are targeting record sales this year and anticipate demand for high-end vehicles to outpace the broader auto market in the coming years. European investor confidence fell to the lowest in more than two years this month on concern that the region’s debt crisis and weaker growth in emerging markets will hurt economic expansion.

Full story and copyright  Business Week  BMW Expands Luxury Car Lead

He added: “We expect the engine manufacturing facility to create up to 750 highly-skilled engineering and manufacturing posts at Jaguar Land Rover, along with hundreds more highly-skilled manufacturing jobs in the supply chain and the wider UK economy.

“As we invest £1.5 billion a year for the next five years in new product developments, expanding our engine range will help us realise the full global potential of both our Jaguar and Land Rover brands.”

Dr Speth said the new four-cylinder engines would increase JLR’s capability to offer high-performance engines while ensuring continued significant reductions in vehicle emissions.

The new engines will be petrol and diesel versions, but JLR said it would not release any technical details, or say which models they will be built for.

Dr Speth paid tribute to the “strong support” from the government, trade unions, local MPs, local authorities and the company’s own employees.

Full story and copyright  BBC Jaguar New PLant Confirmed

And we do mean the lifetime of a car. So, to celebrate Lifetime Warranty’s first anniversary, Vauxhall is out to find the oldest car in the UK wearing the Griffin badge that’s still road legal, has covered less than 100,000 miles and has been owned by the same person from the date of first registration.

All Vauxhall’s qualify, and if the Prince Henry (pictured, next to the British-built Astra Sports Tourer) had not out-survived its original owner it would too, having covered little more than 50,000 miles in the last 100 years.

So, if you still own a Victor, Viva, Ventora, or even a Lotus Carlton, and bought it new all those years ago, Vauxhall would like to hear from you.

Full story and copyright Vauxhall media Lifetime warranty

September overseas sales were dominated by passenger cars, with sales of 100,413, 15.6% ahead of the September 2010 total of 86,836, with recreational vehicles (RV) contributing 71,646 (55,114: +30.0%) and commercial vehicles (CVs) 3,725 (5,110: -27.1%). Year-to-date passenger car sales amounted to 808,137 (704,426: +14.7%), with RVs adding 613,674 (449,104: +36.5%) and CVs 38,197 (40,979; -6.8%).

In September, Kia posted strong double digit year-on-year sales increases in many of its major sales regions – 45.9% in China (46,170 units sold, versus 31,645), 20.6% in North America (41,997 units sold, versus 34,816) and 20.6% in western and eastern Europe combined (47,256 units sold, versus 39,174). In contrast, sales in general markets (includes Central and South America, the Caribbean and Asia [excluding China and South Korea], the Pacific, Middle East and Africa) declined by 2.6% (40,361 units sold, versus 41,425).

Read full story and copyright Automotive World Kia’s Global sales rise

After receiving complaints from importers and automakers whose models did not qualify, the government says it will alter the plan to include 1,600cc models and imported vehicles, pending cabinet approval this week.

Pitak Pruittisarikorn, the director of Asian Honda Motor, said customers have put off decisions while they wait for clear conditions. Honda has called for all models to be included in the programme.

“Currently the market is so confused. Consumers are wondering which model they should buy,” said Mr Pitak, also a vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries’ Automotive Industry Club.

“In order to create no more confusion, I think they should make just one revision of the plan by including all types of vehicles in the tax rebate.”

Full story and copyright Bangkok Post First Car Contemplation

Although dealers are losing potential sales because they don’t have enough cars on hand, Hyundai is benefiting via strong pricing of the vehicles they do sell. According to Edmunds.com, the average Hyundai vehicle sold in August carried a discount worth $737, compared with an average discount of $2,385 for all brands. Hyundai has begun extensive leasing programs for Elantra and Sonata, charging monthly rates of $169 and $199 respectively. Last year was the first that Hyundai was able to lease more than 10% of its vehicles; this year the rate already is at 19%.

Dealers like the leasing programs because so many customers prefer the predictability of a three-year contract and buyback and because the agreements more or less assure the dealers a chance to sell another car when the lease expires. Leasing wasn’t possible in the franchise’s early days in the U.S. due to the weak residual value of used Hyundais. Now, that figure has turned into one of the industry’s strongest.

Full story and Copryright CNN Hyundai Shortage