2012 ford

Ralph Lauren Car Collection Exhibit

Last year, we shared some photos of the prized car collection of Ralph Lauren, a magnificent grouping of some of the most lust-worthy vehicles ever produced. The cars in Mr. Lauren’s garage are not just rare, they are unique in many cases, with one-of-a-kind classics that have been restored to factory mint. 17 of Ralph Lauren’s most prized pieces are currently on exhibit at the in Paris, France. In contrast to Lauren’s collection, the cars of today pale in comparison to the beauty celebrated in this exhibit, aptly named “The Art of the Automobile”.

BMW has rolled out a new concept sports car to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the legendary BMW 328 roadster. The 328 Hommage is laced with a carbon fiber skin, a tan accented interior and the edgy-curved shape that shares the inspiration of other recent BMW concepts. This one-off concept will be powered by a 3.0L inline-six, but a beauty like this is built to drive slow and turn heads. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a few elements of this one arrive in a future Z coupe… If you prefer the classic 328 like we do, we covered last year. Get a napkin, you’ll end up drooling…

2011 Jaguar XJ Electric Luxury Car

Why should GM, Tesla and Fisker have all the fun? Jaguar is planning an electric version of its 2010 XJ that may see the light of production come 2011. Autocar UK has suggested that Jaguar has produced a test model, a 2011 Jaguar XJ electric car that runs on a plug-in electric system with a small combustion engine for added range. While the gas-hungry performance details may not translate from the ICE Jaguars of old, the miles-per-gallon statistic is sexy in its own right.

This Electric 2011 Jaguar XJ would 47 mpg’s and under 120 g/km of carbon emissions. It does so with a 145kW electric motor (194 horsepower) and a 1.2L 3-cylinder engine keeping it charged on longer drives (up to 600 miles). That backup engine is courtesy of a partnership with Lotus, who will provide their expertise with light, powerful engines to Jaguar in the production of this electric steed.

Will the Electric 2011 Jaguar XJ actually see production for a 2011 release? It’s a little late in the game to suggest that, but we may see an electric concept by the Geneva Motor Show next month, if not in the near future. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, as this is precisely the kind of vehicle we want to see on the road…