Currently reading: Autocar confidential: the Lamborghini recipe, a Jaguar XF Sportbrake to convince America and more
Our reporters empty their notebooks to round up this week's gossip from across the automotive industry

This week’s snippets of automotive news includes what makes a Lamborghini a proper Lambo, why Jaguar’s design boss wants to change America’s mind with the XF Sportbrake and future car technology from Honda, Renault and LG.

Cooking up a Lambo

What makes a Lamborghini a Lamborghini? Consider these words from Federico Foschini, its commercial director, on what modern customers really want from the brand. “If we can deliver design, performance and emotion, then we will meet the expectations of our customers,” he said. “They are our real DNA – and anything we launch must deliver on them.”

Jag's American dream

The XF Sportbrake is more beautiful than its saloon sibling, reckons Jaguar design director Ian Callum. He added that it was a difficult business plan to justify the Sportbrake, but said that CEO Ralf Speth “wanted this car to happen”. Callum also admitted the Sportbrake was “a bit of an anomaly” in the US, Jaguar’s biggest market. “We hope to convince America this is a very cool car,” he said.

Honda cells won't stop

Fuel cells provide the cleanest solution for the future, according to Honda boss Takahiro Hachigo, because they generate their own power on-board. To that end, Honda will not slow down its development of the technology, even if the infrastructure lags.

Renault and LG team up

LG and Renault are working on an in-car infotainment system that can tell you if service station toilets are out of order. The pair worked together on a control system for Renault’s Symbioz concept car, which includes technology that offers information on upcoming rest stops. Data provided by service stations could also tell motorists how much parking is available and whether they can get their coffee fix there.

More content:

2018 Geneva motor show preview

More Autocar confidentials

Used buying guide: Lamborghini Gallardo

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review

Outgoing traditional Jaguar exec offers a lot of space and tech, and an appealing drive. It’s no modern, fleet-minded, electrified marvel – just a lot of car for the money

Join the debate

Comments
13
Add a comment…
Mikey C 6 February 2018

Not sure how the XF

Not sure how the XF Sportbrake is an "anomaly" in the US, when they're competing against similar BMW, Merc, Audi, Volvo etc competition

Ski Kid 6 February 2018

a great looking car

drove one briefly along with f and e pace,f  typre xe s and liked the XF Sportbrake loads of room and nicely fitted out interior,but i would want a 6 cylinder awd they only do the 2 litre in awd and F opace in al sizes.

eseaton 6 February 2018

The Renault story sums up how

The Renault story sums up how car people have just run out of ideas.

 

Cars as things are engineering first, electronics second.  But there is literally no engineering development going on now.  In fact electronics are being used to disguise reduced engineering.  Very sad.