Autoblog

click image above for high-res gallery

Despite unveiling the 2009 XF just yesterday, Jaguar has announced that it's new saloon will start at £33,900 in the U.K. For those who think conversions can be helpful, that's $68,267 USD. That kind of poundage will get the Brits their choice of either the 2.7L V6 diesel or 3.0L V6 engines, neither of which will be available in the U.S. Stepping up to the naturally aspirated 4.2L AJ V8 that produces 300 hp will raise the price to £44,500, or $89,614 USD. The top of the line SV8 model with the supercharged 4.2L V8 producing 420 hp will start at £54,900, or $110,557 USD. Keep in mind that these conversion to USD don't necessarily indicate what the 2009 Jaguar XF will be priced at in the U.S. The car hasn't been given an MSRP in the States, but we expect some fiscal clarity on this matter by November.

[Source: Jaguar via Jalopnik]

click above image to view high-resolution gallery of the Mitsubishi i

Beginning on July 1st, Brits will be able to purchase the iconic i kei car from Mitsubishi. The i is a big hit in Japan, having won numerous awards for its futuristic styling and clever engineering while racking up big sales in the home market. Mitsubishi has spent the last year shopping the i around Great Britain at the Badminton Horse Trials, the British Motor Show and some select Mitsubishi dealerships, and the response from the public was positive enough to convince management to sell the car on the Queen's isle. It will be available only in one configuration powered by the JDM spec 660cc turbo three-cylinder engine producing an economical though not entirely thrilling 64bhp. Initially, however, only 300 units will be made available for sale at the price of £8,999 ($17,577 USD).

With the success of the MINI Cooper and the impending arrival of the smart fortwo in the U.S., we wonder if there are talks within Mitsubishi to bring the i to the U.S. They'll no doubt be watching sales of the fortwo closely. Check out the official press release after the jump and a high-resolution gallery of the Mitsubishi i.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

We're betting only a few densely trafficked urban areas of the U.S. employ the use of motorized bollards, which are posts that lower and rise to allow permitted vehicles down a particular path. Apparently they're all the rage in the U.K. where many city centers focus on pedestrians more than the automobile, and certain streets are reserved only for busses, mail vehicles and the like. These vehicles have sensors in them that trip the bollards to lower and raise again once they've passed.

Some drivers, however, believe they can tailgate an approved vehicle and squeeze past the bollards before they rise again. As this video shows, they can't. The bollards rise immediately after a vehicle passes over them, and they rise quick. In the video, a Toyota Starlet, Kia Sportage and Iveco TurboDaily take on the bollards and lose with little grace, effectively being stabbed through their undercarriages by giant metal posts. In the Kia's case, a father trips his airbag, pisses off his wife and no doubt traumatizes his young child forever in a bold move that results in the rear tires losing contact with terra firma.

Though I've seen the video and written this post, you can all expect to see me and my rental car balancing on two wheels the next time I visit the old country, so I shouldn't talk any more smack.

Thanks for the uplifting tip, James!

[Source: Biertijd]

Despite having raised the hopes of workers and proud TVR enthusiasts in the UK, Russian owner Nikolai Smolensky has announced that he will be moving production of the niche sportscars out of the UK to another undisclosed European country. The move will result in 250 workers being laid off at the company's Blackpool assembly plant. The Transport and General Workers' Union that represents the TVR workforce said it was "bitterly disappointed" over the decision, especially considering that temporarily laid-off workers were rehired back in July and Smolensky had just moved his operations into a new facility within Blackpool. Smolensky seems to have mastered the art of false hope, having also announced in the past year that he would double TVR's production with a new lineup and may begin selling cars in the U.S. Pardon us if we don't get our hopes up.

[Source: BBC]

Related posts:

• TVR coming to the U.S.
• TVR production continues, we hope
• Blackpool makes last ditch bid to keep TVR
• TVR plans to double production with entirely new lineup
• TVR rehires laid off workers

The Vauxhaull brand is Britain's own little version of Opel, the General Motors brand sold throughout the rest of Europe. While it may seem cool the Brits don't have to buy the same Opels as the rest of the old country, there are drawbacks. One big one is the announcement recently that Vauxhaull will not be getting a version of the Opel GT, which itself is a version of the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sold here in the States. Apparently there's not a good business case for converting the car to right-hand drive for sale in the U.K. and slapping a Vauxhaull badge on it, as is the custom with much of Opel's lineup. They must not expect the car would sell in very large numbers in the U.K., or at least in not in the numbers required to cover the cost of the conversion and promotion. But Brits should take heart that more performance is on its way in the form of a new Vauxhall Monaro, according to Auto Express. The new four-door Monaro will feature a 6.0-liter V8 producing 362 horsepower, which is more of a muscle car than the Vauxhall GT could have ever hoped to be, anyway.

[Source: Auto Express]

The Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) system uses a GPS and mapping system to determine where a vehicle is located and at what speed it's travelling. ISA, which was developed by the Motor Industry Research Association and backed with funds from the U.K. Department for Transport (DfT), was demonstrated last week using a motorcycle. When the driver exceeds the posted speed limit, he or she will receive a two beep warning. Once their speed is 5 mph over the limit, the vehicle seat vibrates as another warning. If the second warning is disregarded, ISA takes over and slows the vehicle until it's at or below the speed limit.

Critics point out the system does not take into account when drivers accelerate out of dangerous situations. Touché.

Related:
Cars obeying speed limit despite you

[Source: U.K. Times]

The United Kingdom has tapped Mitsubishi to replace the country's aging fleet of sand skipping Mitch-mobiles (so named by us after this vehicle type's supporting role on the international hit show BayWatch) that serve and protect hapless Brits at the beach. The fleet will be comprised of L200 4Work double-cab pickups specially outfitted to aid British lifeguards in their daily duties. The modifications include custom racks carrying surf rescue boards, emergency lighting, an onboard PA system and special badging. Initially the order will be for only a dozen L200s, though that amount will triple over two years and eventually the L200 will replace all 62 beach patrol pickups around the UK.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

The collapse of MG Rover was an expensive affair for the British government and its people. A report published by the country's Public Accounts Committee says that the decline of MG Rover between 2000 and 2004 cost tax payers around £270 million. A £500 million pension deficit will also likely be met by the country's Pension Protection Fund, and the defunct company still owes £109 million to creditors, which they likely won't be getting.

The real kick in the head is a small loan of £6.5 million that was given to MG Rover by the UK's Department for Trade and Industry in a move to stave off bankruptcy. The automaker shut down a week later and that loan will now have to be written off.

Not all is lost, however, as 4,000 out of 6,000 employees of the company have found new jobs, and the new Nanjing-backed MG will be operating a plant in Longbridge, England, as well.

[Source: WhatCar?]

We can all stop complaining about our mortgage payments, because at least they're paying for a roof and somewhere to plug in the TiVo. This parking space in Knightsbridge, U.K. only offers its owners a "very hard layer to park your car" for £80,000 or over $147,000 US. We hear Seinfeld and Leno have already put in bids.

[Source: RightMove via Fark]

The Toyota Aygo, a diminutive hatchback that has charmed even the power junkies that host Top Gear, achieved 90.17 mpg during the first GreenFleet Fuel Challenge in the U.K. The competition pitted 20 vehicles in various categories against each other to demonstrate the potential environmental and economic benefits of green fleet vehicles. The Aygo and its compatriots were driven 10 laps (32.5 miles) around Silverstone and none were able to beat the green feat of the Aygo and its 1.4L diesel. Economy at this level comes with sacrifice, however, as the Aygo’s 55 bhp tops out at 95 mph and gets passed by snails on its 16.8-second trip to 62 mph.

[Source: WorldCarFans]