In the third episode of the Mulsanne story, Bentley gives an insight into the engineering of the V8 and the engine-build teams’ craftsmanship. Bentley’s new 6¾ litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine has been completely re-engineered for the new Mulsanne. Cutting-edge technologies have been employed including two new control systems: cam phasing and variable displacement. In total over 300 new or significantly re-engineered components have been created for the 505bhp Mulsanne engine. The famed Bentley ‘wave of torque’ (1020Nm/752lb ft) is now delivered in full even earlier, at 1750rpm, assuring strong acceleration with 0-60mph achievable in just 5.1 seconds (0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds).

Jaguar is among the last of England’s legendary automakers still producing cars. And one of the most exciting cars from Jaguar in the past few years has been the XF four-door coupe. With its sporty fastback design and luxurious interior, it fit perfectly into the market for upscale European sports cars. Now for 2010, Jaguar has brought out the XFR – with the company’s best 510-horsepower engine in the car.

The XFR features the same supercharged 5-liter V8 engine as the hot 2-door XKR, mated with the same excellent 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission features paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a “Sport” mode that shifts for speed – and does it better than most people can manage. The car is rear wheel drive, which is great for sporty driving, and that’s what you can expect from the XFR.

The XFR will hit 60 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds, and top speed is electronically governed to 155 miles per hour.

As you would expect, the XFR has several key visual aspects that make it different from the XF coupe. The car sits lower, with a more aggressive look, courtesy of a new front end design with larger openings and a tasteful spoiler at the back of the car.

The suspension on the XFR is appropriately called “CATS” – which stands for Computer Active Technology Suspension. CATS works with the car’s automatic stability and traction control to keep things in hand with all that horsepower.

Driving the XF is a true “King of the Road” experience. The XF is roomy, comfortable, and has every feature you could want: backup camera, heated and cooled leather seats, GPS navigation, nice stereo, blind spot monitor in the side mirrors, sunroof, real wood trim, and Bluetooth for your phone.

Fuel economy is 15 miles per gallon in the city, and 21 on the highway, which is not at all bad for a car of this size and power.

The base price of the 2010 Jaguar XFR is $79,150, so it’s well into aspirational market territory. But if you’re shopping European luxury and performance supercars, that’s a very good price for everything the XFR provides.  by Jeffrey Zurschmeide

For 2011, three new powertrains give Ford Edge and Edge Sport customers more choices than ever. Industry-exclusive MyFord Touch™ brings a whole new approach to how drivers interact with media and vehicle technology and complements Edge’s all-new interior. The exterior embraces Ford DNA, with signature grille, bodyside brightwork, new taillamp treatment and new exhaust tips all combining to enhance the presence of the 2011 Ford Edge.

At the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, Chevrolet is introducing its 2011 Silverado Heavy-Duty Truck. The Silverado relies on a new, smart exhaust brake system to slow the truck on descents, most notably proven by engineer Brent Deeps tow of a 20,000 lb trailer for 245 miles between Denver, CO and Grand Junction, CO without hardly touching the brakes. Chevrolet is also celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Suburban model which first made its debut during The Great Depression in the 1930s

As the nation’s largest automaker, General Motors looks to build strength globally using the Buick brand. After a year of record losses and massive re-structuring, the auto industry is poising itself for a come-back. As part of their reorganization, General Motors, the nation’s largest automaker, decided to focus on just four of their eight American brands. Buick, their oldest brand, will play a key role as the latest LaCrosse was designed collaboratively in Detroit and Shanghai. In addition, the new midsize Regal, introduced to America at the LA Auto Show, is a hot seller abroad. And in Europe, the Opel Insignia, based on the Regal, was named the 2009 European Car of the Year.

Kia Motors showcased seven new and advanced infotainment technologies, including the all-new ‘UVO’ system co-developed with Microsoft at the International Consumer Electronics Show. The all-new UVO (short for ‘Your Voice’) system that will appear in future Kia vehicles provides voice and hand-activated experiences for simple management of music files and hands-free communications. Kia’s new breakthrough TV technology will enable live digital television channels to be watched on in-car entertainment systems for the first time.

Bridgestone will supply its new Potenza S001 ultra high-performance sport tyre to Ferrari, for the new 570 CV Ferrari 458 Italia. The Potenza S001 has been developed to match the high-level handling, control and safety requirements of one of the world’s most powerful sports cars. Bridgestone has built tyres for Ferrari and supplied original equipment to Maranello production cars since the Ferrari 348 back in 1990.

With the onset of winter weather in many parts of the country, drivers are bracing themselves for potentially treacherous road conditions. Bridgestone Americas, and its team of winter driving and tire experts, is here to help ease some of the anxiety that comes with getting behind the wheel during inclement weather. From how to avoid skidding on icy roads to freeing a car that’s stuck in the snow, Bridgestone provides valuable information that can help make winter driving enjoyable and hazard-free.

The new Kia 7-year/150,000 km warranty applies to any new Kia vehicle sold and registered in Europe after 1 January 2010 (excluding commercial vehicles Kia K2900, K2700 and K2500) in more than 20 participating countries. It is the longest warranty offered by any car manufacturer in Europe. It features bumper-to-bumper coverage with minimum of exclusions and is transferable to subsequent owners

BMW will unveil the BMW Z4 sDrive35is at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, 16–24 January. With its 250 kW/340 hp straight-six power unit featuring BMW Twin Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection as well as BMW’s optional seven-speed Sport Automatic, the BMW Z4 sDrive35is accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.8 seconds. And with BMW EfficientDynamics this significant increase in power and performance goes together with average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of just 9.0 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 26.1 mpg US. BMW will also showcase the other models and concepts including BMW Concept ActiveE, MINI Concept Beachcomber and MINI Moke