Categories: Special / Limited Edition

In an effort to “reestablish the storied British brand among luxury consumers in a new modern context” the fine folks at Jaguar are taking their “Jaguar ALIVE [sic] Driving Experience” on the road, starting at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ, April 13-15.

They say that this “multi-day brand event invites consumers to learn about and drive the company’s full model line-up with professional drivers, view heritage Jaguar vehicles and fully experience the brand in a dynamic setting.”

I say it’s an opportunity to immerse one’s self in everything Jaguar, including serious seat-time behind the wheel of each model—from the XF and XJ sedans to the XK coupe and convertible—they make.

Interested? Read on...

Not two weeks ago, Ferrari introduced the F12 Berlinetta (pictured), the 740-hp car that's now the fastest, most powerful Ferrari road car ever. That coupe will have a pretty short ride at the top, though. The F70, Ferrari's Enzo successor that was originally supposed to debut this year, will make its debut sometime next winter. Ferrari describes the car as its fastest, most powerful road offering ever, meaning it will bump the F12 to number 2.

In spring 2010, Fiat laid out several years of new Ferraris and said that the Enzo successor was due for a 2012 debut.

Bugatti revealed the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse well before the Geneva Motor Show, but it had to save a couple secrets for the big show debut. We knew from the beginning the car pairs the 1,200-hp powertrain of the fastest car in the world - Veyron Super Sport - with the convertible design of the traditional Grand Sport. What we didn't know until this week (and were quite curious about) was how fast the car was. Bugatti has satiated that curiosity.

As you'd expect from a sibling of the fastest car in the world, the Grand Sport Vitesse is outrageously fast. In fact, its numbers are bigger than nearly any hard top, so they're doubly impressive when you consider the open-top nature of the Grand Vitesse.

Finland-based Valmet Automotive has entered into agreement with Marussia to build the company's B2 sports coupe. The parties announced the deal at the Geneva Motor Show last week.

Marussia introduced the B2, its second model following the B1, in 2010. The car pulls 300, 360 or 420 horses out of a 3.5-liter V-6 engine. At first those numbers seem contrary to the car's extreme physique - which looks like it hides twice that many horses - but Marussia promises supercar levels of performance thanks to a 2,425-lb weight. The B2 hits 62 mph in 3.2 seconds.

If you were planning a desert off-roading trip or ski trip past flashing "mandatory tire chains" signs, the brand Mini would probably be one of the last on your list for a vehicle source. But in advertising its new Mini Countryman with John Cooper Works package, those are exactly the two types environments that Mini filmed at.

Mini begs us to "Expect the Unexpected," and seeing a Countryman - even an upgraded AWD version - skate across hot desert sand and deep, powdery snow is definitely unexpected. It's also great automotive advertising.

We'll say it again: We love the Geneva Motor Show. It's THE place for seeing supercar brands that we've frankly never or rarely heard talk of. Here in the United States, GTA colloquially stands for the popular video game series "Grand Theft Auto." Over in Geneva, it stands for an exotic car company that builds cars worth stealing.

The GTA Spano is Spain's supercar. The car is powered by an engine rivaled in displacement by a very few, an 8.3-liter V-10 engine that heaves 820 hp. Two transmission options are available to buyers: a seven-speed sequential paddle shift and seven-speed sequential manual.

The Spano rests on an exotic monocoque chassis crafted from carbon fiber, titanium and Kevlar. It weighs just 123 lbs. and keeps the car's overall weight down to 2,970 lbs.

The Spano hits 62 mph in under 3 seconds and tops out over 217 mph.

We may have another few months before we see the McLaren P12, but here's something for McLaren fans looking for a little extra power - the MP4-12C High Sport. McLaren revealed its new upgraded MP4 earlier this week.

The MP4-12C High Sport is essentially a super-exclusive in-house tune. The modified supercar was designed by McLaren Special Operations. Not the quasi-governmental agency that it sounds like, MSO is the division of McLaren "responsible for the delivery of bespoke projects for McLaren sports cars." McLaren launched the division last August.

The terms "one off" and "Lamborghini" marry better than perhaps any others in the automotive world - except perhaps for "most uncompromising super sports car of its entire history" and "Automobili Lamborghini." Luckily for us, both sets of terms describe the same car: the all-new Aventador J roadster.

If those superlatives weren't enough to get your attention, here are a few more: "utterly indescribable experience of power and dynamics," "force of nature on wheels," and "supremely powerful and supremely open." Somehow Lambo manages to pack all those phrases into the opening paragraph of its press release. Needless to say, the Bull is excited about this one.

What’s a butt-print worth?

Fame’s a funny thing. The mere fact—or supposition, really—that someone even somewhat famous had owned/driven/sat in/looked at a car means big dollars to the person who can convince someone downstream in the selling process that what might otherwise look no better or worse than any other car of its type is in actuality better for its having been associated with said “star.”

So which do you think would pull down more money at auction: A rockin’-red roadster owned by a Sir-ed musical superstar or a buttercup-colored bit of Corgi-inspiring car show stand-candy?

Kayakers are a pretty niche demographic to build an entire car around. But a concept car or truck? Well, Volkswagen believes they're worthy. The new Amorak Canyon concept is a reconfigured Amorak aimed directly at paddlers.

VW really missed the boat (get it!) on its name. Canyon is such a generic name, but the Amorak 'Yak would have better identified the model's purpose while rhyming all at the same time. Let's talk next time, V-Dub.

The automaker describes the Canyon as an extreme version of the Amorak pickup designed specifically for the sport of freestyle kayaking. While we don't expect to see a production version, VW says that it demonstrates how versatile the Amorak platform can be.

Another auto show, another Volkswagen up! concept (from here on out we capitalize and lose the annoying exclamation point). Four of them, actually. Volkswagen has taken the wraps off four new Up concepts for the Geneva Motor Show. The concepts are all about the same in exterior design, but each features an individual theme.

VW kicks off with an Up designed to show a little respect to the host of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The Swiss Up is brushed in the red and white of the Swiss flag. Inside, it gets an Alcantara and leather interior with an interesting feature: pockets designed specifically for one of Switzerland's most iconic products - the Swiss Army Knife (VW says Victorinox, but we'd imagine Wengers would fit, too). You'd better not go reaching anywhere near those if you get pulled over for speeding, though.