Autoblog

If you thought the new Jaguar XF was a radical departure, hold on to your cap, because if reports coming in are to be believed, the replacement for the flagship XJ sedan could be even more revolutionary for the traditionally staid British luxury marque.

Granted, you can't tell much from these spy shots. They were snapped while a mechanical prototype was undergoing testing in the Arctic Circle, and it's clad in the bodywork of the current model. However, based on Jaguar designer Ian Callum's reported fascination with the svelte form of the Mercedes CLS, insiders suggest the next XJ will be wider and lower and take on the four-door coupe approach. Code-named X351, the next XJ will continue with its all aluminum construction and could be unveiled in the spring of 2011...that is, assuming Jaguar's new owners don't decide to go another way.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Hours upon hours of lying prone on the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle have paid off for KGP's hardcore spy shooters. An upright test mule has been spotted running around at BMW's facility in the frozen hinterlands. There have been rumors of a smaller Roller swirling about, and these shots seem to support the conjecture. BMW's 7-series will reportedly serve as the basis for the new luxury whip, and the car in the photos appears identical to the surrounding 7's from the A-pillar back. The stiff upper lip has likely been grafted on to facilitate cooling and airflow for the engine room. Plus, you could do worse than an E65 with a better schnoz and an old-world interior. Check out all five spy shots in the gallery below.

As the Arctic ice caps shrink due to the warming of the planet, it's expected that vast reserves of additional oil and gas will become available, as approximately 25 percent of the planet's petroleum is thought to lie under the polar ice caps. In an effort to map these hydrocarbon resources, the US Geological Society (USGS), BP, and Statoil will be heading far north to conduct widespread surveys next year.

What is frustrating a few people is that the survey activity will take place in conjunction with the International Polar Year, which is a large scientific project intended to establish benchmark polar environmental data so that the future effects of global warming can be understood. To critics, this seems a bit like joining the World Wildlife Federation to help collect data on endangered species, only to bring a hunting rifle just in case something looks tasty.

[Sources: Taipai Times; International Polar Year]