Join us LIVE for the TopSpeed Podcast Episode 027

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Tomorrow is the big day! It is the 27th episode of the incredibly awesome TopSpeed.com Podcast.

Thanks to the huge Miata reveal tonight, there will be a lot of Miata talk, but that won't be the whole show. Mark has been driving a big Lexus that he wants to talk about, and I want to give my thoughts on the Toyota Tundra.

After all that we are going to talk about the new Audi TT that was caught at the N rburgring, the new Dodge Viper and some Kia Optima news. I also want to take some time to talk about the just-announced Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Don't forget that we also have the viewer questions to answer, plus another Own, Drive, Burn.

We hope to see everyone tomorrow at Noon EDT so you can experience the fun, joy, and chaos of the show live as it happens.

Join us LIVE for the TopSpeed Podcast Episode 027 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 3 September 2014 16:00 EST.

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Jaguar XE

Jaguar may not have as huge a presence at this year's Geneva Auto Show now that its big reveals of the F-type Roadster and Coupe have been accomplished, but that hasn't stopped them from teasing us with their next big reveal. All we have are a few teaser images and a few small details, but Jaguar has confirmed that their compact 3 Series-fighter is real and it is going to wear the name XE.

This new car will be the first that is built using Jaguar's all-new aluminum architecture that was first previewed with the C-X17 Concept SUV. Jaguar has been building aluminum intensive cars for over a decade now, but this move will further reduce the weight of Jaguar's many offerings.

The new XE will likely create the backbone of Jaguar's sales once it hits showrooms in 2015 (US availability is 2016). It will likely eclipse the sales of all the other Jaguars combined in its first year on sale.

For such a mainstream model, expect a range of engine options and power outputs from a base four-cylinder all the way to a potential M3 fighter with the supercharged V-6 from the F-Type.

Updated 07/29/2014: Jaguar unveiled new details on the future XE sedan, this time focusing on the car's new lightweight, aluminum-intensive construction. Details after the jump.

Click past the jump to read more about 2014 Jaguar XE

Jaguar XE originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 29 July 2014 10:00 EST.

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Spy Shots and Videos: Mercedes MLC Caught on Public Roads

Looks like we've got some up-close and personal spy shots of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz MLC-Class, thanks to an emboldened shooter in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair of videos show some rather telling details of the coupe-like SUV as the videographer encircles the vehicle.

Up front, we see a huge Mercedes star with large chrome bars emanating sideways toward the nearly covered LED headlights. A rather aggressive front bumper indicates the MLC's sporty nature. Rising up from those headlights is a striking beltline that curves dramatically upward to meet the high rear end and low roofline contour. The side windows are smaller than a traditional SUVs' as the roof is very rounded. Down low, flat side steps run between the wheel wells for ease of entry and exit.

On the back, the rear window seems nearly flat as it leads from the roof down to the trunk lid. Three-dimensional taillights can be seen, despite Mercedes' best attempts with swirly camo. The right-hand-side fuel-filler door can also be seen. Twin chrome exhausts tips are just barely visible along the rear bumper's lower fascia.

And speaking of those exhaust tips, at about 20 seconds into the 50-second video, you can hear what almost sounds like a turbo four-cylinder as the MLC accelerates off. Sadly, there are too many other ambient noises around to get a clear sound of what powers the upcoming Mercedes.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Mercedes MLC.

Spy Shots and Videos: Mercedes MLC Caught on Public Roads originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 18 July 2014 16:00 EST.

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Video: 2015 Range Rover Sport RS Testing at Nurburgring

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Generally speaking, off-road performance and track performance are not realms that can exist together within one vehicle. But somehow, Land Rover has been breaking the laws of physics with its Range Rover Sport since its debut in 2005. Now it seems Land Rover has decided to abolish all traces of such forces that keep large SUVs from handling well around corners. Meet the upcoming Range Rover Sport RS.

Yep, RS. Land Rover is taking the already sporty Sport and turning up the juice for a more engaging, on-road experience thanks to a few key improvements, not the least of which is a more powerful engine. It's highly likely the standard Sport's 5.0-liter, supercharged V-8 will remain, but with the same 40-horsepower bump the Jaguar XFR-S enjoys. That brings the Range Rover's normal 510-horsepower mill up to 550 ponies. Expect Jaguar's extra 41 pound-feet of torque to transfer over as well, bringing that total to 502 pound-feet.

Click past the jump for more speculation on the Range Rover Sport RS

Video: 2015 Range Rover Sport RS Testing at Nurburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 15:00 EST.

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BMW Plans No Hotter Version for the i8

The news surrounding the BMW i8 is relentless these days with information flowing in left and right. But sadly, the latest bit of news doesn't hold much promise for those looking forward to a sportier version of the i8 or a replacement for the M1 coming from the i8 platform.

Our German friends over at Autovisie sat down with Carsten Pries, BMW's head of Product Management M, for a recent interview. His issue lies with creating competition for its own i8 by flooding the already-small segment with low sales volumes. Not to mention the need to develop more powerful hybrid technology and a larger engine sized properly for an i8-like car. What's more, the i8 was developed from the ground up to be an electric hybrid with only a small gasoline engine.

The lack of an outright M model based on the i8 doesn't completely spell disaster. Friedrich Nitschke, the CEO of BMW M, says the fuel-saving technology from the i8 might wind up in future M models while the sportier aspects of the M Division might find its way onto future i models.

While these words came from BMW corporate heads, Pries and Nitschke may be bluffing about the existence of a high-performance hybrid supercar. Only time will tell, so stay tuned to TopSpeed for any breaking information.

Click past the jump to read more about the BMW i8.

BMW Plans No Hotter Version for the i8 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 19 May 2014 18:00 EST.

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