I have never been a big Cadillac fan but this time I think they have hit the nail on the head. The CTS range is a treat for the eye and has the performance to match. BMW and Mercedes must be worrying about this one.

The overall feel of the design is of strength and compactness. Note how the high waistline gives the feeling of solidity and the sharp angles and straight lines reinforce the initial impression of a car that means business. There are details in the design at the front that I could quibble with but these are minor in comparison to the excellent proportions of the whole car.

And the rear is as near perfect as it gets, preserving echoes of the high tail lights we expect from Cadillac but ultra-modern in its approach. Everything about the car confirms that it is exactly what it sets out to be: big (but not too big), beefy and businesslike.

They even race the CTS and it does very well. And, of course, in race trim it looks absolutely wonderful!

By Clive Allen

Just as the news of the sale of Jaguar to Indian private equity company Tata comes through, we hear news that the fastest ever Jaguar is being launched.

Supercar Jaguar XK, billed as the fastest ever Jag

Yahoo News comments : “Jaguar has unveiled its fastest ever production car since the XJ220 supercar. The XKR-S is based on the standard Jaguar XKR, but a series of enhancements boost its performance and improve its focus as a drivers’ car.

“The supercharged engine produces 420bhp, the ECU recalibrated to allow the XKR-S to reach a maximum of 174mph and sprint to 62mph in just 5.2 seconds.

“Although there’s no boost in power, Jaguar promises that the 200 limited series run of XKR-S models will provide their drivers with greater thrills behind the wheel. ”

It looks a dream, but with American, now Indian, ownership it scarcely qualifies as an English classic any more.

What would Inspector Morse make of it all?

If you thought Porsche Caymans were for folk who couldn’t afford 911s, think again.

The Porsche Cayman S

The Cayman S looks superb, with its flared wheel arches, steeply tapered rear end and flowing profile designed around the mid-mounted engine.

It also has a real sense of balance when you drive it fast. It handles bends amazingly, and is fun to drive.

With 0–60 coming up in 5.4 seconds, topping out just above 170mph the Cayman S has real power. Like all great Porsches since 1963, it has the flat-six engine, which makes a unique sound on the road — a sort of angry drone.

James Martin writes, “This is the sports car equivalent of a radio-friendly hit, with drinks holders, comfortable seats and (unlike the 911) loads of storage, thanks to the two boots, one front and one rear. It’s for everyman. I was happy my car had the manual gearbox and not the Tiptronic thing; I don’t need to pretend I’m a Formula 1 driver. … Can I recommend it without any ifs, buts or alternatives? I thought so.”

American comedian and chat-show host, Jay Leno, is a fan of hydrogen cars — which are possibly the shape of motoring in the future.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 which costs a cool £5m ($10m)

Leno comments, “For the past few days I have been driving BMW’s latest 7-series hydrogen car. There is some terrific technology there. It makes plenty of power for its size; the only thing that has limited it is the choice of fuel. This is a flex-fuel vehicle. It runs on either hydrogen or petrol. If you run out of hydrogen you press a button and it goes to petrol.”

Model BMW Hydrogen 7
Engine 5972cc, 12 cylinders
Power 260bhp @ 5100rpm
Torque 287 lb ft @ 4300rpm
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Fuel 19.2mpg (hydrogen) / 20mpg (petrol)
CO2 5.2g/km (hydrogen) / 325g/km (petrol)
Performance 0-62mph: 9.5sec. Top speed: 143mph
Range 125 miles (hydrogen) 310 miles (petrol)
Price £5m (but not on sale)

Jay Leno helped BMW to introduce the hydrogen car seven or eight years ago. “We did a rather dramatic demonstration where I drove the car up onto a platform. I let it run and put an empty glass under the exhaust pipe. I spoke for about half an hour and when I finished I shut off the car and drank the water that was in the glass. It wasn’t the best-tasting water I’d ever had but it certainly wasn’t bad for me.”

The main disadvantage, he says, “is that there is always a certain amount of hydrogen bleed-off as the liquid turns to gas. That means that if you let the car sit for an extended period of time, eventually the hydrogen would run out because it escapes. It’s deliberate. The hydrogen, as it escapes, keeps everything cold.”

It seems you cannot tell the difference moving from gas (petrol) to hydrogen. “It’s viable but it’s expensive. I think you’ll see it in the years ahead. There’s no hydrogen infrastructure right now. It’s got to be one of those things like when John Kennedy said we’re going to the moon, long before 1969. Everybody works on it and gets it done.”

Is the age of hydrogen nearly upon us?