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Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.

Jaguar-based Eagle E-Type Low Drag GT makes its bid for most beautiful car ever with EVO

The Jaguar E-Type is one of the icons of automotive design, and British company Eagle has made a business out of restoring, upgrading and building their bespoke versions for the last 30 years. It does for the E-Type what Singer does for the Porsche 911 - takes an already great classic car and updates its mechanicals for the modern age.
The firm's latest creation, the Low Drag GT, might be its greatest ever, at least according to editor Henry Catchpole in Evo magazine's latest video. The car takes its inspiration from a trio of low-drag E-Type coupes built in the 1960s, but thoroughly modernizes the concept. The engine is based on Jag's inline-six, but made from aluminum and bored out to 4.7 liters to produce 346 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. Catchpole says it's enough to propel it to 60 miles per hour in about 4.5 seconds. The body, transmission and differential are all also made from aluminum to cut the weight to 2,288 pounds, and modern upgrades include Ohlins dampers, AP Racing brakes and even extras like concealed GPS navigation and an Alcantara headliner. There's more head- and legroom than the originals, too.
Each car is built bespoke for each buyer, so prices vary, but Catchpole says the one he is in would run about half the cost of a LaFerrari - around $700,000.

Jaguar F-Type gets even more British with Design Edition

Short of maybe driving a Morgan while wearing tweed and smoking a pipe, automobiles don't come much more quintessentially British than a Jaguar. But now the F-Type is going to be even more so with the launch of the new British Design Edition. It's based on the six-cylinder F-Type S, but upgrades with a series of special touches to set it apart. Red, white, and blue are the dominant colors from which buyers will be able to choose both the exterior color and that of the interior contrast stitching. The leather interior comes in black, and those less patriotically inclined can spec the outside to match. The British Design Edition also features 20-inch wheels in dark gray satin finish, packing upgraded brakes with red calipers. The Design package comes standard with upgraded aero, as does the 12-speaker Meridian sound system. And naturally there are special insignia inside and out. Buyers will be able to choose between coupe or convertible and rear- or all-wheel drive, but either way motivation comes in the form of JLR's 3.0-liter supercharged V6, driving 380 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Only 300 units will be coming to the United States, with prices starting at $92,100 (plus a $995 destination charge) – representing a substantial $14.8k premium over the $77,300 price of entry for an F-Type S Coupe. Spec one out with similar options and you'd be looking at $86,250, which makes the privilege (and resale value) of acquiring the limited edition a $5,850 proposition. Any way you cut it, though, the elbow patches cost extra.