Looks like this week and next week are the final drives for The Carnival of Cars, so how about we fire this thing up and head out?
As always, The Auto Prophet has the details and asks some very pertinent questions on a key issue, this one being the bailout announced by President Bush Friday. And Al Rozzi offers a no-holds-barred assessment at Blue Oval News of the role of the Washington politicos in this whole crisis.
Over at The Truth About Cars - Ken Elias gazes into the crystal ball for short, mid and long-term (i.e. 2009) predictions and sees a bailout endgame that leaves Ford looking like the hot ticket for 2010.
For those in need of an automotive bed-time story, Joe Sherlock is spinning one at The View Through the Windshield. It's about the Big Three Little Piggies and .... well, you can figure out the rest.
Amazingly enough, there was actually a lot of non-bailout news around the auto blog block this week. The always dependable Bertel Schmitt has the roundup in a "While America Slept" offering for The Truth About Cars. I know, that's two links to TTAC in one week, but you take the good stuff where you find it, right?
Of course you'd like to take a KTM X-Bow out in the snow. Jalopnik has the video of a truly epic ride, one that will, in the spirit of the season, absolutely sleigh you.
Now this really is evidence that the Auto Armegaddon is upon us - the Speedway Motel is closing. Matt Stone at the Motor Trend Blog says Indy management plans to leave the old relic's restaurant, bar, banquet rooms, and pro shop in operation, at least for now.
Danica, call your PR agent! Looks like Natacha Gachnang of Switzerland has a real shot at F1. Full Throttle has details.
They're still all charged up about the Volt at GM-VOLT. Of course, what else they gonna say, given the givens? Let's hope it's true, even so.
He took them at SEMA last month, but Car Nut's Steve Parker has a great photo album that's still worth spending some time perusing if you couldn't get to Vegas. Check out the black 61 Impala low rider.
WHAT I'M DRIVING THIS WEEK: Jaguar XK Coupe
Oh man, I think I've been seduced. Other than an occasional fling with an S-Type, modern era Jags generally haven't done much for me. But the lovely XK that spent the week with the Tapscotts had me smitten almost from the moment it arrived. And it all started with a casual glance that just caught a glimpse of a certain curve.
Understand, I'm a Corvette and Mustang kind of guy, who also happens to love GTOs, of the mid-Sixties Ferrari variety. It's not quite the same angle, of course, but the XK's rear flank whispers GTO ever so softly. Ditto the greenhouse and the gentle slope of the front fenders. Cut out some radiator inlets just above the grille and you've got it.
Even with the supercharged edition of Jag's familiar 4.2 liter V-8, the XK is far from the Let's Rumble brutishness of a ZR1 or Viper ACR. But then that's the point, isn't it. The XK is gorgeous to look at, extraordinarily comfortable to drive - even in city traffic, if you dare - and sumptuously appointed in the passenger cabin. From that perspective, this gentleman's express is the perfect conveyance for a Sunday afternoon session with those country curves.
dougtheeng says:
06:47 AM, 12/22/08
I love the new XK. The new Jag designs are better then anything that they have put out in the last 20 years, if not longer.