Last year comprised a series of exclamation marks that punctured an otherwise uneventful twelve months. In times of recession industry hunkers down to protect what it has, and in a double-dip recession the temptation becomes even stronger; financial meltdown is an ever-present threat for the meek and bold alike with mass-market manufacturers feeling the pinch especially keenly; the squeezed middle is a very unhealthy place to be at the moment and…

The Jaguar XF’s indicators sound like the ticking of a grandfather clock, rhythmic and unobtrusive. That is a Good Thing; someone has thought long and hard about what sort of noise they should make and this obsessive attention attention to detail is seen throughout the rest of the car. Other manifestations of this include the rising gearknob, air vents that open when the ignition comes on, a beautiful suede headlining,…

The Jaguar XFR has been low and stealthy for the past three years, not registering the slightest blip on my radar. Which is odd, because I like fast saloons more than any other type of car. Show me an XJ Supersport or an Insignia VXR and I’m (usually) smitten. I’m too old for hot hatchbacks (except for the glorious Clio Renaultsport 200, which makes me giddy and foolish and leads…

The Jaguar XKR-S is the fastest and most powerful road car that Jaguar has ever made. The performance figures – 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 186mph – are impressive but only tell half the story. It’s fast, of course, but it’s also refined, and luxurious, and makes you feel special in a way that only a very few cars do. People love it as well, recalling…

What a year 2011 has been with electric vehicles dominating the news; if you haven’t got an EV in your line-up then you are persona non grata with the motoring public. Apparently. BMW unveiled their remarkable i3 and i8 all-electric cars, promising a fresh look at the possibilities that electric power provides – unlike hybrid vehicles, which still abound, despite their compromised environmental credentials. All-electric cars are, then, finding their…

Bonhams’ November auction of Collectors’ Motorcars, Motorcycles & Automobilia was held at the Yorkshire Event Centre, in the spa town of Harrogate, and attracted an eclectic mix of wealthy car collectors, autojumblers and impoverished classic car buffs. As such I felt right at home falling very firmly in the latter category and it won’t come as a surprise to hear that I drove away in a new (to me) car……

We’ve just returned from the Footman James Classic Motor Show, held again at the NEC in Birmingham, tired but happy. The format – filling five vast halls with classic cars, motorbikes and assorted goodies – is a tried and trusted one and despite fewer first-day visitors than last year the atmosphere and quality of displays remain first-rate. We arrived via Hall 4 and were immediately seduced by an SL R107…

If you’re Nouveau Riche then buying a car is easy. Just think about the cars that Old Money bought 20 years ago and buy the new version. Bentley, Aston Martin, and Range Rover depending on whether you want a car that demonstrates your vulgarity, your fondness of nightclubs, or suggests that you own a house in the country. Just whip out the cheque book and you can be assured that…

There is, sadly, a certain nouveau riche image problem for the Continental GT, I’m afraid, caused by too many high-profile sportsmen buying. Mention the baby-Bentley to most people and they’ll tell you that it’s a footballer’s car and assume that it gets used on a Saturday night for dogging. The same thing happened to Burberry in the UK, their image diluted and sullied by the production of too many low-end…

The all-aluminium, long-wheelbase Jaguar XJ Supersport features a 5.0-litre, supercharged V8 engine, 510bhp and sells, in the UK, for £94,000. It is then, a serious car but is there more to it than numbers, albeit very impressive ones? The exterior is made largely from aluminium – 50% of which is recycled – and is neat and unremarkable, which is a good thing in the company that it’s designed to keep….