Autoblog UK

Once the butt of many a joke, the Trabant was a big a symbol of East European communism as Leonid Brezhnev's eyebrows.

Unlike Brezhnev, the the Trabant is on the verge of making an unlikely revival...

Kia have released the first images of their new premium segment saloon car codenamed the VG. In its design, the Kia VG is very close to the KND-5 Vision VG prototype that made its debut at the Seoul Motor Show in April 2009. Kia have still not revealed any details about what is under the bonnet. The market launch in Korea is scheduled for late 2009. There are no current plans to sell the VG in Europe.

Audi celebrated their centenary on 16th July in Ingolstadt by staging two world premieres. On the opening day of the fortnight's festivities, not only was the latest A5 Sportback unveiled but Chinese star pianist Lang Lang also gave the first ever performance on the new grand piano from Audi Design. The big speech was delivered by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel to a VIP audience of 1,800. The programme of special events continues until 30th July. The four photo galleries below provide a review of the company history as well as a glimpse into the future under the headings Motorsport, Classic, Concept and of course Quattro.

The Nürburgring now boasts yet another attraction: last weekend, the first Ferrari Store in Germany was duly opened by the team's star drivers Felipe Masse and Kimi Räikkönen in the run-up to the Formula One GP. Visitors to the shop are obviously in for a red-carpet reception. This retail outlet for Ferrari fans is the tenth of its kind around the world. The first three shops were located in the prestige marque's mother country of Italy (Milan, Rome and Venice). Other prime sites in Europe are London and Barcelona, with a couple more branches in the States (Miami and San Francisco). The Nürburgring is the third in a tranche of new stores that has also included Macao and Abu Dhabi. You can see pictures of the ceremony in the gallery below.

Camouflaged versions are hardly 'bellissima' but certainly catch your interest! Especially if it's a Ferrari in disguise, then anyone is going to look twice. Such a Ferrari has now been seen during test drives and it's the successor of the F450.

Despite the good camouflage, it's possible to recognise the striking vertical headlamps similar to those on the recently-presented Gallardo. The styling lines are reminiscent of the Ferrari Enzo, and the odd lump on the roof can't fool us that the vehicle is in fact lower. The new Ferrari will celebrate its premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt in September 2009 and will be on the market early in 2010.

In the Philippines of all places, the concept of the eco-car is alive and well. Driving around the town of Tabontabon are taxis made 90% from bamboo and running, of course, on eco-fuel with a base of coconut. The coconut fuel appears to be very economical: one gallon (or 3.78 litres) is enough for eight hours of stop-start traffic. Two models have been introduced on the initiative of the Mayor, Rustico Balderian (marvellous name!), to give the dangerous motorbike taxis a run for their money. The Eco 1 is a minibus that carries up to 20 passengers and the Eco 2 is an eight-seater van. Take a look at the photo gallery and picture yourself on an environmentally friendly test drive...

Here it is – the new big cat. First impressions confirm that Jaguar have taken a giant leap into the 21st century. The front looks fabulous, and when you go round the back, you will barely believe your eyes. The Jaguar XJ is like an untamed beast, poised for attack. Head of Design Ian Callum, who also drew the XF, can be well satisfied with his latest offspring.

The world premiere of the new Jag was compèred by Jay Leno. The American comedian and chat show host, who has a worldwide reputation as an auto freak and collector of classic cars, carried off the occasion with his usual wit and aplomb. According to Leno, the Jaguar is a "sexy car". You can see photos from the launch in the gallery below.

The Jaguar XJ was first launched onto the market in 1968. Now it's not just Jaguar fans who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new model. Today, 9th July, the car is being presented to the press and public for the first time. You also have the opportunity to sign a purchase order for delivery in early 2010. The new version has little in common with the typical 1968 Jaguar look, though certain features have been carried across. The new Jag is to have aluminium bodywork, a luxury so far only available from Audi. In a few more hours, all will be revealed...

One of the most aesthetically pleasing cars of the last few years must surely be the Spyker C8 Aileron. We have just caught sight of this version in burgundy red, concealing 405bhp under its bonnet. The Dutch-made sports car accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 186mph (300km/h). This dream of a vehicle retails at just over 225,000 euros. It costs nothing to look, however...

Lamborghini is now coming out with the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni Gallardo. Limited to a production run of 250 units, this supercar will put out 10bhp less from the V10 engine than the LP 560-4 and only has rear-wheel drive. But this also means that the weight of the supercar is reduced by almost 200 kilogrammes. The most noticeable characteristic of the rear-wheel drive Lamborghini is a white stripe running over the centre of the bonnet to the rear and along the seats inside. What is also noticeable arethe white centre console and a plaque beneath the left side window with the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car. From1967, Valentino Balboni was a test driver for the renowned Italian marque and since 1973 he sat behind the wheel of every Lamborghini prototype and tested many series models during their testing phase. Today, Balboni is a pensioner and travels as a brand ambassador. Balboni's initials on the vehicle mean a hefty surcharge for the customer, who can count with a purchase price in excess of 190,000 euros.