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• Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept is One Bodacious Birthday Present [w/ Video]

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 20 May 2013

  

  If you didn’t know that this year marks the centenary of Aston Martin, you probably have a lot of company. The nameplate hasn’t organized concours d’elegance on each continent, or released centennial edition packages consisting of special paint schemes and sequentially-numbered dashboard plaques for any of its regular production models. The occasion also hasn’t gotten nearly as much ink in the buff books (at least that we have seen) as some other automotive anniversaries – i.e. the Porsche 911’s 50^th birthday – have.

  However, we’re willing to bet only the most ripped of the world’s van Winkles will remain in the dark about this milestone anniversary once they’ve gazed upon Aston Martin’s stunning present to itself. This present is called the CC100 Speedster Concept and, if you ask us, it beats the snot out of any store’s or company’s gift card.

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• A Bunny and Her Kitty: Playmate of the Year Raquel Pomplun Receives a Jaguar F-Type [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 14 May 2013

  

  Every year since 1960, the world’s favorite silk pajama hoarder, Hugh Hefner, has bestowed upon one of the 12 birthday-suited beauties from the past year’s issues of Playboy the title of Playmate of the Year. And every year since 1964, the Playmate of the Year has been awarded a new car (except when she’s instead been given a boat. Or a motorcycle. Or no vehicle at all.). And 2013’s winner and her prize are both knockouts.

  The lucky winner for this lap of the sun – 25-year-old Californian Raquel Pomplun, who will go down in history as the first Mexican-American PMOY – receives a one-year lease on a 2014 Jaguar F-Type (plus a check for $100,000). And while Ms. Pomplun’s curves make our jaws go slack and, er, other parts of us go taut, we have exponentially better chances of running our hands over the Jag’s curves than we do her’s…provided we’re unwilling to ignore the looming specter of a restraining order (Which we aren’t.). Anyway, congrats Raquel!

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• F-ing Sweet: XCar’s Alex Goy Samples the Jaguar F-Type [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 24 April 2013

  

  A lot has happened since Jaguar built its last front-engined, two-seat, proper sports car: The Soviet Union fell, the NASA Space Shuttle program came and went, Elvis and Michael Jackson died, and the brand has been owned by two companies based in two former British colonies on opposite sides of the planet. Oh, and competitors like Maserati, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have had an arseload of time to establish themselves as the dominant players in the market segments once dominated by the E-Type and its XK-series predecessors.

  So, is the Jaguar F-Type a textbook case of better late than never? XCar presenter (pardon our English-English) Alex Goy certainly seems to think so. And we don’t think it’s due to a case of patriotic chest-thumping, either. To us, the F-Type looks and – especially in maximum-firepower V8 S form – sounds just-this-side of pornographic. However, we’ll reserve final judgment until we try one out for ourselves. You know where to find us, Jaguar USA press office…

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• Final-E: Top Down in One of the Last Jaguar E-types [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 10 April 2013

  

  When it comes to the Jaguar E-type/XK-E genealogy, the final evolution (a.k.a. Series 3, built from 1971 to ’74) is widely regarded as the redheaded stepchild. Sure, it has the big honkin’ 5.3L V12 under that monumental hood, but it was also the most watered-down of the bunch, mostly thanks to U.S. government regulations. As a result, purists tend to gravitate toward the Series 1 and Series 2.

  David Paddison, however, doesn’t care about any of that. As he explains in this video, a neighbor had a Series 3 Coupe when David was growing up, and when an acquaintance was selling this ’74 Roadster – supposedly the 60^th-to-last built – he had to make it is. So while Jag snobs might look down their noses at this pudgy, rubber-bumpered ragtop from the iconic model’s farewell season, Mr. Paddison is too busy cruising al fresco in the Georgia sunshine to care. Chew on that, haters.

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• Black Diamond Banzai: McLaren MP4-12C Spider Hits the Slopes

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 1 April 2013

  

  The McLaren MP4-12C is one of the sweetest – if not the sweetest – mid-engine convertibles ever created. The twin-turbo 3.8L V8 is powerful yet economical, the carbon fiber passenger compartment (a.k.a. tub) is light but rigid, and the power folding hardtop makes it a true four-season super roadster. Don’t believe that last claim? Check out the video above.

  Professional hoon Rhys Millen pairs up with former Winter X-Games snowboarding medalist (and serious cutie) Chanelle Sladics for a friendly race down Colorado’s harrowing Loveland Pass. As it turns out, a 616hp McLaren is more than a match for gravity. Who says there’s nothing educational on YouTube?

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• Sub5Zero Exclusive: Aston Martin Planning a Preppy People Mover

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 1 April 2013

  

  When Aston Martin revealed the Lagonda SUV concept in 2009, the sounds of people inside the auto industry and those who watch it from the outside alternating among gasping, invoking the name of their favorite deity and dry heaving (lots of dry heaving) could be heard from space. Aside from disproving what had to that point been taken as absolute scientific fact, it showed the outside world that the storied British nameplate was at least contemplating adding a 4×4 to its portfolio. It’s just a shame that it had to look like a dog’s breakfast. It wasn’t entirely a coincidence that it was the first nominee on our 25 atrocious concept cars list a couple years ago, you know.

  However, Aston Martin is still very much committed to adding a vehicle with oodles of room for people and stuff to its stable. After all, even the Rapide, extra doors and all, is rather intimate for humans at or above average stature. But thanks to a well-placed source inside the company who is feeding intel to us – and only us – we can report that Aston is removing its focus from the SUV and crossover segments (at least for now), and instead turning its attention to a different segment of people and cargo mover. Moreover, it’s doing so with help from a fellow automaker with which it already has a business relationship.

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• DMC Duro is a Bolder, Badder Bentley Continental GT

  In Tuning / By Tom Anderson / 21 March 2013

  

  Back on Monday, we brought you news of a new tuning package from Anderson Germany for the new generation Bentley Continental GT. And while the cosmetic changes were fairly restrained and tasteful (other than some unfortunate Carquest-fabulous underbody lighting), the engine upgrades definitely weren’t. Bottom line: We’d be happy to leave the accent lighting turned off as we uncork those 671 horsepower on our favorite freeway onramp.

  But what about the people who speak loudly and carry a small stick? Or as it relates to this discussion, people who want a tuned Gen 2 Conti GT that places more emphasis on show than go? Well people in this position can now rejoice, for DMC is releasing its own parts and pieces for the new Bentley coupe.

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• Lyonheart K is a Love Letter to a Legend

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 21 March 2013

  

  When the Jaguar E-Type (a.k.a. XK-E) debuted at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, it made the motoring world wet the metaphorical bed. It made the Chevrolet Corvette seem positively ancient (which it most certainly was; 1949 Chevy passenger car chassis, anyone?). It made the Porsche 356 look even more like a coachbuilt VW Beetle. And it prompted Enzo Ferrari, who was notorious for handing out praise roughly once every fifth blue moon, called it the most beautiful car in the world.

  While there may never be a car that takes the industry’s breath away quite like this shapely cat from Coventry, that hasn’t stopped Jaguar from trying to go back to the well. Nor has it stopped other companies from producing their own tributes to the immortal E. And one of the most striking in recent memory is the Lyonheart K.

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• Vorsteiner McLaren MP4-12C is a Subtle but Sublime Revision

  In Tuning / By Tom Anderson / 19 March 2013

  

  Now that the McLaren P1 has been revealed to the public, the company’s “entry level” offering, the MP4-12C, is old news, right? Sure, it’s quite fast (just not P1 fast), and it’s available as a hardtop convertible, but it’s destined to live under the P1’s massive shadow. That’s just the lot in life of cars that aren’t their makers’ flagships.

  Or is it? While the OEMs are understandably reluctant to build hotter versions of their junior models for fear of undermining the senior models’ sales and cachet, tuners are subject to no such encumbrances. With that in mind, Vorsteiner presents the MP4-12V.

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• Anderson Germany Bentley Continental GT Adds Fast and Flash

  In Tuning / By Tom Anderson / 18 March 2013

  

  We don’t have very many bones to pick with the current, second generation Bentley Continental GT. Yes, it’s expensive, and yes, many of them are driven by people who can at best be referred to as flaming tools. But the Continental GT has so many things going for it – classy styling, a lavish interior, and brawny V8 and W12 engines – that those few demerits are easy to ignore.

  And if you want to make those strengths, er, stronger, the tuning experts at Anderson Germany have parts and pieces aimed at doing exactly that. And while it may not look dramatically different from the way it does when it rolls out of the factory in Crewe, the way it responds to a jab of the gas pedal most assuredly is different.

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