Jaguar
The Jaguar XE sets lap record at a long-forgotten Grand Prix circuit in France. The 8km Circuit de Charade in Clermont Ferrand, which included public road sections, hosted the French Grand Prix in 1965, 1969, 1970 and 1972.
The full, longer circuit was last used in 1988 so Jaguar returned to the historic track to mark the anniversary of its closure by completing the first flying lap of the circuit in three decades.
The XE 300 SPORT is powered by a 221kW 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine and is capable of 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds. With 400Nm of torque, Vincent was able to make full use of the XE’s exceptional handling capabilities to exploit the smallest of opportunities throughout the twisty, undulating track, which snakes around the extinct volcano that sits in the centre of the original layout.
Available exclusively with the 221kW 2.0-litre petrol engine, all 300 SPORTS models feature unique Dark Satin Grey details including the door mirror caps, rear spoiler and grille surround, along with 300 SPORT badging on the front grille and boot lid.
Audi Mulling to Revive Horch as Luxury Sub-brand
Audi is reportedly planning to resurrect Horch as an ultra-luxury sub-brand to challenge Mercedes-Maybach. The first model to bear the Horch badge will be the range-topping A8 sporting when it will receive a mid-life update in the next two or three years.
Just like the Maybach S-Class, the Horch A8 would be set apart by individual touches like unique wheels and a Horch badge on each of the C-pillars. It would also be powered the most powerful engines in the Audi stable, a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 sourced from fellow Volkswagen Group brand Bentley.
Audi, however, will not offer stretched versions of this car, as is the norm in China where long wheelbase customers are in plenty. Audi promises that it will use only the finest materials and will have it in limited numbers, to preserve its exclusiveness to customers
The Horch name comes from Audi founder August Horch. He started the Horch brand in 1904 but quickly ran into financial troubles and left to start the original iteration of Audi in 1910. The Horch company lived on and within the next couple of decades rose to prominence due to its powerful six- and eight-cylinder engines. It was eventually merged with Audi, DKW and Wanderer in 1932 to form the Auto Union, which today operates as Audi.