JustBritish

Jaguar may resurrect its legendary E-Type sports car.

The British motoring icon is tipped to revive the true two-seater sports car to take on the Italian and German sports cars.

The most loved of the Jag family was built in the Swinging England period of 1961 to 1974.

With its performance, handling and modern looks it was a huge sales success and is still a highly sought collector’s car. Even Enzo Ferrari said it was the most beautiful car ever made.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

When you were a kid and you got a radio-controlled car, didn’t you imagine how cool it would be to be the size of GI Joe and able to climb inside and drive it? That feeling is what the new crop of Lotus sports cars is like. It’s just as cool as you imagined it would be, and it’s a good way for GI Joe to meet Barbie, too.

We recently got to climb inside and drive the new 2008 Lotus Exige S 240 and the fabulous new 2-Eleven track car, which would make GI Joe leave Barbie far behind, pouting and wanting to drive it.

It seemed only a few years ago that Lotus was about to drive off the edge of the map in the U.S. market, but the company now offers seven models to American customers. All of them share the same bonded, extruded-aluminum chassis, that wonder of lightness that weighs only 150 pounds. All have variations of the 1.8-liter Toyota four with six-speed manual. And all will make you seek out and attack twisting roads for as long as your kidneys and vertebrae can stand it.

We spent a day on the west loop of Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, far more interesting than the constant radii of Spring Mountain’s east half, and found it perfectly matched to a flock of Loti.

First around the loop was the Exige S 240. This new model has 20 more hp than the Exige S–which has been out for a year–thanks to recalibrated engine management, high-flow injectors and a roof scoop that gets more air to the intercooler. The clutch also was upgraded to handle the increase.

Brakes are now 308 millimeters in front with four-piston calipers and 282 in the rear with two pistons and upgraded pads and hydraulic lines.

Right off the line, you appreciate the car’s new launch control, a unique program that lets you predetermine redline and wheelspin. Simply adjust the knob on the steering column, floor the throttle, and dump the clutch. Repeat as necessary. Results for 0 to 60 mph should be in the four-second range.

Once launched, you can select the amount of rear-wheel slip you want out on the track by setting the traction control for anywhere from 0 to 10 percent slip.

“It is not stability control,” emphasized engineer Nick Adams.

For only $1,650 more, you should get the track package, which adds adjustable ride height, front roll bar and Bilstein dampers. Our first laps were with the Bilsteins set on the default setting of 3, but after a little plowing around, we went out in an Exige with 8 front and 7 rear, the numbers Adams set for this track, and felt much more capable going through all the wacky radius turns. The 8/7 setup made the car stick much better over bumps and stabilized it in transitions between turns. On the 3/3 setting, it was easier to make it understeer and oversteer all over the place. Isn’t it cool, we thought, that here is a car so finely balanced that you can feel these differences?

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Popularity: unranked [?]

The award-winning British International Motor Show returns to ExCeL London this summer, once again bringing glamour, excitement and innovation to the capital.

Building on the runaway success of 2006, which saw the expo return to London for the first time in 30 years, the two week extravaganza expects to attract over half a million people, making it the biggest event in the UK.

With over six hundred cars, 60 car marques, plenty of global premieres and interactive features, the Show promises something for everyone from car enthusiasts to families looking for an exciting day out.

Better still, we can offer you the chance to purchase three tickets for the price of two* on General Day tickets when you book online at www.britishmotorshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5588 and quote ‘Auto Express’

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Popularity: unranked [?]

Almost three quarters of UK consumers would buy British if given a £100,000 budget to spend on a new car, according to new research from online insurance company swiftcover.com.

Sweeping aside their German and Italian rivals, British marques emerge as unanimous favorites amongst UK car buyers, with 69 per cent claiming they would opt for a British brand if they had the money to do so.

Topping the ‘Dream Car’ list with almost a quarter of the votes is Aston Martin (24%), followed by Range Rover (19%), Bentley (16%) and Rolls Royce (10%). German and Italian luxury marques faired badly by comparison – with just one per cent opting for a Lamborghini, 9 per cent for a Ferrari, 9 per cent for a Porsche and 2 per cent for a Maserati.

The top ten swiftcover.com “Dream Cars” for 2008 are:

1. Aston Martin 24%
2. Range Rover 19%
3. Bentley 16%
4. Rolls Royce 10%
5. Porsche 9%
5. Ferrari 9%
7. BMW 6%
8. Mercedes 4%
9. Maserati 2%
10. Lamborghini 1%
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Popularity: unranked [?]