2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

This ultra-swag Jag takes a back seat to no one.

As Chinese captains of industry prefer to be chauffeured around rather than driving their own cars, it comes as no surprise that the served as the launching pad for the XJ Ultimate, a long-wheelbase handcrafted that's all about coddling the rear seat passengers.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate

For starters, the rear seating area is divided by a full-length, leather-trimmed console. The individual power seats themselves are trimmed with premium leather and, naturally, have built-in heating, cooling and massage functions. But the real hedonism starts with the press of a button, when a small table—machined from solid aluminum and edged with piano black trim—levitates from the center console. It can swing to either side on its pillar, and raising it reveals a flocked storage compartment beneath that contains a pair of bespoke champagne flutes, dramatically lit with a phosphor blue glow.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate

We all know that where there are champagne flutes, champagne is likely to be nearby. So a large bottle of Moët & Chandon (sold separately) can be chilled in a compartment between the seats, and when this cabinet is opened, the bottle presents itself, lit up with the same theatric blue.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate

The XJ Ultimate also gets special trim materials inside: Herringbone ebony wood—mirror-image upper and lower halves, divided by a strip of piano black veneer—set off with aluminum accents.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate

That's Entertainment...

The Ultimate's 15-channel 20-speaker surround-sound system by Meridian ought to please the most discerning audiophiles. And each rear occupant has a full complement of electronic wizardry built into the seatback ahead—an iPad and keyboard set in a leather-trimmed dock, and entertainment screens in the headrests with audio provided by wireless headsets. To make the environment more conducive to easy listening, the Jag's air-sprung rear suspension has been reworked for a softer ride.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate

The chauffeur isn't neglected, however, with a 510-bhp supercharged V-8 paired with an 8-speed automatic at his disposal. The XJ Ultimate's exterior treatment is consistent with the interior opulence, with bold 20-in. "Maroa" wheels, reshaped chrome-edged front intakes, and exhaust finishers that echo the front intake treatment.

Only 30 XJ Ultimate models will come to the U.S. in a sole exterior color, Black Amethyst. They're available in late 2012, priced at $155,000.

2013 Range Rover

New aluminum chassis trims up to 926 lbs. from this luxurious SUV.

If you value your SUVs on a per-pound basis, the 2013 Range Rover could leave you feeling malnourished. That's because the latest version of this iconic British sport-utility has shed hundreds of pounds, thanks to a new aluminum chassis developed with engineering input from Jaguar. Certain versions of the Range Rover are more than 900 lbs. lighter than the previous model – the U.S.-spec version with a naturally aspirated V-8 engine has shed approximately 700 lbs. In total, the new aluminum chassis is 39-percent lighter than the steel body used in the previous generation.

2013 Range Rover

Quicker and More Efficient

These weight savings translate into fewer stops to refuel, though Range Rover has only stated that fuel economy is "improved" and CO2 emissions have been "reduced." Expect firm figures closer to the official on-sale date this December. There is certainly room for improvement, considering the 2012 Range Rover manages only 12/18-mpg in city and highway driving. Ride and handling have also been improved, thanks to a complete reworking of the air suspension. An 8-speed automatic transmission has also been added, replacing the previous model's 6-speed unit.

2013 Range Rover

The new gearbox will come with a choice of V-8 engines in the U.S. but, for the moment, Range Rover has not provided any specific power figures. We know the base engine will remain a 5.0-liter V-8, with output likely to be in the region of 375 bhp (the same as the '12 model year). An optional supercharged V-8 will be optional. Ensuring the Range Rover maintains its off-road credentials is the next generation of Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which analyzes road conditions and automatically tailors vehicle dynamics based on these readings.

2013 Range Rover

Inside, rear passengers now benefit from an additional 4.7 inches of legroom. And if you really want to pamper your occupants, a two-place rear-seating package can be specified for what Range Rover calls "the ultimate in personalized rear-seat luxury." As you'd expect, the cabin is awash in leather surfaces and wood trim. However, one thing that hasn't been dramatically altered is the British SUV's rugged exterior design.

2013 Range Rover

Thankfully, Range Rover opted to maintain the upright lines that have made it an icon for more than four decades. The front grille now has a slight lean to it, and the headlights are noticeably thinner and flow (slightly) backwards. At the rear, the taillights curve upwards and taper into the rear fender character line. "Our design team worked incredibly hard to capture the elegant proportions and pure surfaces which have been a feature of the best Range Rover designs," said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer.

Exclusive First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R

Taking one of the world’s greatest cars and making it better.

The 2014 Nissan GT-R has been retuned and re-engineered for better responsiveness at the race track, while simultaneously offering a higher degree of luxury and refinement than ever before in the Japanese automaker's performance flagship. Making its official North American debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, the new GT-R is a careful evolution of an already formidable force in the world of exotic cars. With acceleration to challenge a Bugatti Veyron, and a level of high-speed maneuverability that shames many of the finest Italian supercars, the GT-R has already earned plenty of respect.Granted, it's not the prettiest objet d'art to ever grace the automotive scene. However, the GT-R's engineering ethos has always been one of form following function. The outlandishly curvaceous bodywork favored by other manufacturers takes a backseat to whatever technology makes the GT-R go faster, corner harder, and brake better than the competition. This helps explain why Nissan's effort at rounding off some of the GT-R's rough edges included a regime of hot-laps at the world famous Nürburgring in Germany.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Tuned at the Track

Years of racing knowledge, and thousands of miles spent circulating the Nürburgring, one of the world's most daunting circuits, have led to a thorough round of improvements for the road-going GT-R. Overall power from the 545-bhp turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 engine remains the same, but Nissan's team of engineers focused plenty of attention on improving mid-range engine response and high-speed acceleration. The Nissan GT-R story is "one of continuous improvement," said Carl Phillips, Nissan's head of marketing for the GT-R in the U.S. "There's always something new for every model year. We're taking one of the world's greatest cars and making it better."

2014 Nissan GT-R

Like the iconic Porsche 911, the Nissan GT-R story is one of gradual change, not drastic makeovers. New high output fuel injectors have been incorporated into the engine, to better control fuel injection and improve throttle response. "A new oil pan baffle better stabilizes oil under high g-forces," explains Carl Phillips. A new specially developed orifice to the relief valve is added to the turbocharger bypass, to help maintain the GT-R's acceleration at high speeds. Thanks to these detail improvements, keen drivers will notice a stronger plateau of torque from 4,500 to 6,000 rpm in the latest GT-R.

2014 Nissan GT-R

For those moments when you're not stomping the gas pedal on a straightaway, you can pop open the hood for an extra bonus. "I'm not sure we've talked about the craftsmanship of the GT-R that much in the past," says Phillips. "The [GT-R] engines are all built by hand...a single person builds each engine from start to finish." To drive the point home, a plaque located at the front of the engine, near the oil dipstick, bears the name of the individual who constructed the turbo V-6 for each GT-R.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Clipping Apexes

Based on its years of racing experience, and those aforementioned testing sessions at the `Ring, Nissan's engineering team worked to lower the GT-R's center of gravity. Having as much weight located as low as possible is a sure-fire way to improve handling and the overall behavior of the suspension. Nissan's modifications were done with an eye on improving performance during track day sessions and, conversely, giving a boost to driving refinement during everyday use. Nissan began by lowering the GT-R's center of gravity with the deflection of the suspension bushings and tires. The shock absorbers and front anti-roll bar have also been retuned for the 2014 model year, to provide more stable behavior at high speeds.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Cam bolts have been installed on the front suspension to improve camber accuracy and better maintain alignment settings. Meanwhile, the torque from the driveshaft to the hub bearings is increased, to improve reliability during what Nissan refers to as "high-stress situations" (i.e. track driving). Chassis reinforcements were also added behind the dash panel bar and instrument panel, to boost rigidity. While not new for the 2014 model year, it's worth noting that Dunlop developed its SP Sport Maxx GT600 tires exclusively for the GT-R. "The close working relationship between our engineering team and Dunlop is a big part of the car's development," says Nissan's Carl Phillips.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Despite some earlier predictions that the new GT-R could shed a few pounds, the 2014 model has approximately the same 3,825 lb. curb weight of the outgoing model. Nissan also decided not to tweak the GT-R's ATTESA ET-S four-wheel-drive system, adaptive sport suspension, and dual-clutch automatic (with manual controls). Sometimes it pays not to mess with a good thing.

2014 Nissan GT-R

All in the Details

The wheels and exterior of the GT-R are also carry-over, though don't be fooled into thinking the brutish-looking style of this Nissan is short on technical advancement. Believe it or not, the GT-R has a drag coefficient of only 0.26 Cd. That's almost equal to the 0.25 Cd served up by the fuel-sipping ToyotaPrius hybrid. The "aeroblade" design of the GT-R's fenders not only looks aggressive, the shape has been optimized to improve airflow along the sides of the car. The vents in the front fenders are also entirely functional, and are there to pull heat from the V-6 engine, reduce air pressure, and provide more extra downforce.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Nissan says cabin improvements, especially an optional "amber red" leather trim available on the Premium trim level, are meant to appeal to a wider range of customers – specifically women and older, more mature clients. While the added luxury is a nice touch, we're willing to bet that GT-R customers remain a dedicated core of enthusiasts who value 0-60 mph times over soft-touch surfaces. Still, the improvements are appreciated, and impart a more upscale feel to the cabin. Pricing will be announced closer to the 2014 GT-R's official on sale date, scheduled for the early part of next year. If you simply can't wait, then consider a move to Japan, where the new and improved GT-R is already available.

Lotus introduces new supercharged Elise Club Racer

Elise S CR packs more power with less weight in what could be the best version yet.

Things have been a little gloomy over at Lotus this past year or so. Feasibility aside, ousted CEO Dany Bahar's grandiose plans to revitalize the brand's product portfolio came crashing down when the company's new ownership scrapped every one of his ideas, forcing Lotus to get by on its existing lineup. What Lotus needs is a ray of hope, but could that come from a model as old as the Elise?

When the Elise was first introduced 17 years ago, Lotus was still under the leadership of Bugatti impresario Romano Artioli. It's since been reinterpreted twice and its platform used for more spin-offs (wearing various badges) than we can count. But the bottom line is that the Elise is still one of the finest-handling sports cars on the road—even if those roads don't pass through the United States anymore.

At the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, Lotus will introduce what could be the most exciting version of the Elise yet, following the magic recipe of more power and less weight. The new Elise S Club Racer ditches non-essentials like sound-deadening materials, air conditioning, and radio to trim 44 pounds from the curb weight—almost as much as Lotus cut from the existing naturally-aspirated version. But while the Elise CR makes do with the 1.6-liter four and its 134 hp, the Elise S CR gets the supercharged 1.8 with 217 hp. That may not seem like much muscle, but it's a lot of extra power in a package weighing less than 2000 pounds, enabling the stripped-out track toy to hit 60 in just 4.2 seconds and top out at 145 mph.

Buyers will be able to add back in the deleted equipment of their choosing, or go the opposite direction by cutting further weight with optional lightweight breathing apparatuses. But while U.K. buyers can pick up a new supercharged Club Racer for £35,600 (a bit cheaper than the fully loaded model), the Elise/Exige family has been absent from North America for nearly two years now. Here's hoping that, with the development costs of Bahar's new models off the books, Lotus might find the money to develop the new airbags mandated by U.S. federal regulations and bring it back to American dealers. If and when it does, we hope the Elise S Club Racer makes the transatlantic voyage, too.

Up Close: 2015 BMW i8 Coupe - Spy Shots

Battery-pack and interior images snapped of BMW’s plug-in hybrid supercar.

We're getting so close to the i8 sport coupe, you can almost feel the keys to this plug-in hybrid-powered supercar in the palm of your hand. Our spy photographers have managed to get closer than ever before to an i8 Coupe while it was undergoing a test drive on public roads in Europe. As we've seen on previous i8 test mules and prototypes, BMW engineers have a fondness for swirly blue-and-white camouflage. Yet we've never seen the production car this close, and for the first time we've gotten a peek at the rear-mounted battery pack and interior.

2015 BMW I8 Coupe

A Look Inside the Cabin and Under the Glass Hatch

The production version of the i8 Coupe, along with the upcoming i8 Spyder drop-top variant, maintains a strong resemblance to the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept that was first shown in 2009. Yet based on these spy shots, there's obviously work to be done before the i8 goes on sale in 2014, most likely for the 2015 model year, and for a price between $150,000 and $200,000. Check under the rear glass of this test car and you'll see a couple rows of exposed (though neatly bundled) lithium-polymer batteries. Rest assured, the i8 coming to a BMW dealership near you is not going to have such naked mechanical bits and pieces.

2015 BMW I8 Coupe

The battery placement seems strange, however, when you consider the i8 Coupe has a 2+2 seating arrangement and a 131-hp electric motor mounted at the front of the car. A more centrally located position for the battery pack would seem to offer improved weight distribution and packaging, especially since a 220-bhp turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine already occupies space behind the cabin. But this plug-in BMW's preliminary performance specs remain impressive. The i8 has an electric-only operating range of approximately 20 miles and can sprint from 0-60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds. Estimated overall fuel economy is expected to be in the region of 70-mpg.

2015 BMW I8 Coupe

Ironically, the cabin of this i8 Coupe (at least the little we can see of it) appears remarkably put together and similar to what you'd find in other upmarket BMW products. Visible in the photo of the cabin are console-mounted buttons for the door locks, hazard lights, along with temperature controls and fan settings. The thick-rimmed steering wheel also appears to be standard issue BMW hardware. The one small circular dash-mounted gauge we can spot has markings for 70, 130(?) and 170. While it looks like a turbo boost level gauge, the numbers seem to indicate it's monitoring something else. Any readers willing to submit a guess as to what that might be?