You might think that Jeremy Clarkson has run out of groups to offend, but the Top Gear frontman remains as unfiltered and unbowed as ever, this time calling for British Airways to deposit traveling young children in with the luggage under its planes. After a flight to Scotland, the irascible Brit quipped, "When will British Airways realize that babies belong in the hold?" via Twitter. The tweet prompted equal quantities of laughter, outrage and support from those who follow him on the social media service. Acknowledging the controversy, Clarkson would later follow up by noting, "Mine didn't fly till they were old enough to behave."

Predictably, British Airways has responded by reiterating that all are welcome in its airplane cabins, but Clarkson's musing has also triggered widespread support for the notion of child-free air travel – on Twitter and beyond. And as the Telegraph notes, at least one airline realizes that for some travelers, there is real appeal to the idea: Malaysia's Air X airlines recently introduced select routes with seating areas where occupants must be 12 years or older. Perhaps they've just found their new spokesman?!

Click here to watch more of Clarkson's crazy antics and controversial comments.

Playing a game of Frisbee is rarely about power – it's more about agility, precision and open-air enjoyment. Much the same can be said of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, whose charm has always originated more from its finesse and tactility rather than brute strength and outright speed, qualities the evergreen roadster has traditionally lacked.

So consider it a fine match that Mazda has taken a couple of its popular convertibles out with a handful of crack Frisbee players and put them on a closed circuit in Surrey, England for a stylish game of catch. It's a simple recipe for entertainment – check out the video by scrolling below.

Controversial Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is facing bribery charges from German prosecutors. The long-rumoured indictments stem from the 2006 sale of the racing series from Germany's Bayern LB bank to CVC Capital partners. The charge could result in Ecclestone facing jail time and losing his iron grip on the F1 series.

Ecclestone, 82, is said to be "100 per cent" relaxed about the pending charges, despite the fact that Bayern's former chief risk officer, Gerhard Gribkowsky, is already incarcerated and serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for admitting to taking a bribe worth nearly US$43 million. According to reports, German prosecutors are alleging that Ecclestone was responsible for that money. For his part, Ecclestone has repeatedly asserted his innocence, maintaining that he is a victim of blackmail.

If the case goes to trial, Germany's The Local says Ecclestone is not likely to appear in court until this fall, as much of the case's extensive documentation will need to be translated into English.

Click through to watch a video on the future of Formula One.

When an old car or truck offers its dying breath in your driveway and you just don't have the financial or mechanical wherewithal to resuscitate it yet again, you traditionally have to go to the trouble of calling a flatbed or a tow truck to come haul it away. That usually helps to put a few bucks in your wallet and helps recycle some of the vehicle's parts, but the transaction doesn't seem as final or perversely satisfying as the dispatch service that this New Way Cobra Magnum garbage truck offers.

Okay, okay, so this refuse hauler isn't actually designed for this sort of thing, but it's oddly comforting to know that a sanitation truck can compact a hapless Pontiac Grand Am into oblivion. Next time, we won't feel so guilty about slipping that rusty charcoal grille onto the curb next to the cans on garbage day.

Watch the carnage by scrolling to see the video below.

Is it that time already? Like its predecessors, the current BMW M5 has been endangering driver's licences since it first went on sale here in 2012, but its design became a known quantity back at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Apparently that also means that the F10 generation has already grown tired enough to the "Must Have Latest Set" who can afford these sorts of super saloons that a facelift is in order.

If these leaked images sourced from Autocar are anything to go by, BMW stylists have used a predictably light hand to rework their hottest 5 Series, with a revised grille that echoes the M6 along with modestly resculpted headlamps. The rear end appears wholly unaltered. Interior changes gleaned from a look at the cabin photos include an updated touchpad-equipped iDrive controller and a new steering wheel cribbed from the M6.

No new word on changes to the 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 powertrain, but in late April, we heard that BMW was readying new competition packages for the M5 and M6. The packages are said to include 15 more horsepower, revised suspension and steering, along with new wheels and blackened exhaust tips. Given that BMW is known for habitually underrating its cars' horsepower outputs (particularly its M models) we can't help but wonder if its engineers will need to do anything other than wave a magic wand to corral those extra ponies underhood...

Hit the jump for additional images and click here to watch the current M5 monster doing what it does best.

Not long ago, we relayed word from Edmunds that Jaguar was planning to split its next-generation XJ sedan into two bodystyles – one model that continued the ambitious design approach fostered with the current X351-based model, and another, more upright model to better appeal to China's conservative design sensibilities.

We expressed some cynicism in the idea, noting that such a strategy "might catch more profits for the marque, but it might also represent a setback to design head Ian Callum's vision for a thoroughly modern Jaguar portfolio." Callum has been quite insistent in his belief that Jag needs to be a forward-thinking brand in terms of design, and the two-model strategy seemed to conflict with that idea. We tried to get some comment from Callum at that time, but were unable to reach him.

As it turns out, our cynicism was well-placed. Autocar says that while the next XJ will continue to have two wheelbases, Callum has denied the two-model talk, saying flatly: "I can't see us doing two bodystyles. The cost would be enormous and the message inconsistent. You have to believe in what you produce and to do two bodystyles would undermine that."

Scroll down to watch a Jaguar XJ review.

One of the many reasons we love Jay Leno's Garage is the depth of the comedian's collection and his appreciation for the unappreciated. Most men of his financial and social standing with even a passing interest in automobiles would occupy their driveways with six- and seven-figure high performance and luxury cars – they wouldn't even know what something like this 1966 Volga GAZ-21 is, let alone offer it a spot in their garage mahal.

Yet here is Leno, pouring over this ex-KGB staff car in detail and trying on his best labored Russian accent, genuinely fascinated by this small sedan. With a three-on-the-tree, primitive leaf-spring suspension and 95 horsepower from its 2.5-litre four-cylinder, this unrestored sedan – still riding on made-in-USSR tires – doesn't sound terribly exciting on paper, but Jay does a good job of outlining its features and putting it into historical context. He even tells a brief-but-amusing yarn about driving the car through Russian immigrant neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area.

Learn more about this Cold War curiosity by scrolling below to watch the video.

In what can only be described as a growing trend, another automaker finds itself in trouble for an ad that critics are calling offensive. A new television and internet ad for the Chevrolet Trax subcompact crossover is under fire for its soundtrack, which a Chinese newspaper has labeled "racist."

The commercial blends the vehicle with a Flapper-era backdrop and soundtrack, and it's the latter that has General Motors spokeswoman Ryndee Carney issuing an on-the-record apology to Advertising Age: "Our intent was not to offend anyone and we're deeply sorry if anyone was offended... we're reviewing our advertising approval processes to make sure this doesn't happen again." The song in question, performed by Austrian DJ and producer Parov Stelar, refers to "the land of Fu Manchu" a place in which the girls sing "ching, ching, chop-suey." The South China Morning Post was among the first to publish a story criticizing the commercial as racist.

The ad, known as The Original Reborn, has been running here in Canada – the only North American market where the vehicle is on sale – and AdAge also reports that it has been featured on the automaker's European websites. Since the controversy erupted, Chevrolet has since substituted a new version of the ad that omits the lyrics, but you can view the original by scrolling below.

Controversial ads are nothing new for this industry, but there has been a bumper crop of them lately, including a recent Hyundai suicide-themed spot and a series of Indian-market Ford print ads featuring celebrity caricatures making light of S&M-tinged kidnappings.

Click here to watch all three controversial ad campaigns in the videos below.

Toyota has just pulled the sheet off its updated 2014 4Runner at the 2013 Stagecoach Music Festival near Palm Springs, California. Toyota is the title sponsor at the festival, and claims that this is the first-ever global reveal of a new automobile at a major music festival. We're also guessing this is the first time that the 4Runner has seen duty inside what looks like a vintage circus act's cage.

We can see from the photos that the body-on-frame SUV has received a freshened look with new smoked light fixtures front and rear, along with a boldly reworked front fascia and grille. The profile view seems largely unchanged, though there are new wheel patterns on offer.

The 4Runner will continue to be offered in three trims, including SR5, more luxurious Limited, and off-road-ready Trail specification. Both 4x2 and both part- and full-time 4x4 models will continue to be available, all will be powered by the same 4.0-litre 270-horsepower V6 and five-speed automatic as last year.

Other changes for the 2014 model year include a retouched interior featuring new Optitron gauges, a multi-information display, and changes in trim. On the entertainment front, there are new head units with Toyota's Entune infotainment technology and an in-glass antenna replacing the previous mast unit. The optional navigation unit features a 18 cm (seven-inch) screen.

Check out our gallery above and the official press release below for the full scoop, then be sure to watch the video showing the new 4Runner.

Bentley may be all hot and bothered with plans for its finally approved ultra-lux SUV, but the marque's attentions may not solely be limited to a two-box range expansion. That's according to AutoExpress, which quotes company CEO Wolfgang Schreiber as being interested in launching a 'four-door coupe' variant of its popular Continental range (pictured). According to Schrieber, "I definitely wouldn't say no to the idea... with the new Flying Spur, we have a model that supports the Mulsanne, and a coupe with four doors could sit below that."

The more rakish sedan isn't tipped to launch before 2016 – the brand will be too busy launching the Flying Spur and furthering work on the as-yet-unnamed SUV to pull ahead the project. The plan would appear to make a lot of sense, as the additional bodystyle on the back of the Continental platform would likely command more money than the rest of the line (see also: Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe) while basically just being a new top hat on an existing architecture. This isn't the first time AutoExpress has promulgated this Bentley 4DC idea, however. Back in 2010, it offered a similar report, but at that point, it anticipated the model would be cheaper than the Continental, suggesting it would be based on a platform shared with the Audi A7.

AutoExpress notes the additional model would help Bentley achieve its ambitious sales targets to drive from last year's 8,510 units sold to 15,000 by 2018, though most of that volume still figures to come from the new utility vehicle.

Scroll down to watch the new 2014 Bentley Continental GT with its W12 engine in action.

A Tasty Bit Of Old School For The New School



Against the backdrop of fervent hand-wringing from brand purists, BMW is on the cusp of finally offering front-wheel-drive vehicles. While that's a shock to the constitution, many are pointing to the company's fine-handling Mini offerings as an article of faith that they can get this drivetrain paradigm shift right. That may be true, but there's an even more important lesson that Mini has taught the decision-makers in Munich: how to make real money on small cars.

Before Mini came along, BMW – along with seemingly every other premium European automaker – never really figured out how to coax big dollars out of North American wallets without developing cars that had large footprints, at least those other than sports cars. While the automaker really got rolling in North America on the strength of little bantamweights like the 2002, it veered away from small cars sometime in the '80s. BMW subsequently crashed and burned with the cut-and-shut 318ti built off its E36 3 Series and, good as it is, the 1 Series hasn't given the company meaty volume or profits, either. Among other brands, the Audi A3 has never rung up big numbers, and the less said about the painful sales figures of the Volvo C30, the better. But Mini has beat the odds, blazing a more affordable and evidently compelling trail. As of late, the company's Countryman softroader has been a massive hit worldwide. No surprise then that BMW has brought its X1 to North Americans. Here in Canada, X1s can be seen dotting the roadscape, but BMW has just brought their smallest 'X' vehicle stateside in an effort to balloon sales.

The X1 originally went on sale in Europe in 2010, and after a solid launch on its home continent, the little crossover was introduced in small-car-friendly Canada for 2012, only going on sale in the US fresh off a minor facelift for 2013. To be clear, the X1 shares no design DNA with the even-smaller Countryman. Their engineers don't even use the same washroom – whereas the Mini is based on a front-drive chassis, the X1's architecture is a variant of the aforementioned rear-wheel-drive 1 Series, itself derived from the old E90 3 Series. Exactly none of this is bad news.

Despite some hiccups, China remains the auto industry's great hope for new vehicle sales, with significant sales gains and a huge upside. Nowhere is that hope more fervent than at General Motors, which offers eight different marques in the Asian nation. China has been GM's single biggest market the last three years running, and is unlikely to give up that title anytime soon. Yet its premiere brand, Cadillac, has remained essentially stagnant, selling just 30,000 units in China last year. That's in a segment where sales of luxury vehicles has outpaced that of the larger Chinese market. So what gives?

According to Cadillac officials Autoblog spoke with in China this week at the Shanghai Motor Show, it's been a problem of product – they haven't had the right ones. Displacement taxation issues, import tariffs and currency fluctuations have all conspired to make the brand's products less appealing than they might otherwise have been. But GM is stepping on the gas with Cadillac, and executives are eyeballing 100,000 sales by 2016 – more than triple the Wreath and Crest's current volume. And the expectations for the brand only get more ambitious from there – they're shooting for 10 per cent of the luxury market by 2020. Bob Socia, President of GM China, promises that there will be a new Caddy launched in the market each year from now through 2016 and most will be built in China. Characterizing the company's efforts to revive the brand's fortunes as a "relaunch" of sorts, the brand also figures to gain dealers as GM expands its sales outlet footprint westward.

New products like a made-in-China XTS sedan (with a market-specific 2.0-litre four-cylinder to avoid heavy displacement taxes) will help, and Socia hinted that the ATS sport sedan could be next in line for in-country production. The SRX crossover – currently the brand's best-selling model in China – will also likely get a long look for future local production with the next-generation model is introduced. In the meantime, Cadillac unveiled the Escalade ESV Hybrid (shown above) as its latest model addition to capitalize on the market's white-hot luxury SUV segment.

In addition to new products, GM China is also investing in developing market-specific technology at its facilities in Shanghai. Much of that will come in the form of apps for its infotainment systems like Cadillac's CUE, including connectivity for popular social media utilities like Weibo, which executives described as China's Twitter.

As we alluded to in today's F-Type first drive, Jaguar hasn't been selling its wares in China for very long, and as a result, buyers there usually don't have the same appreciation for the brand's history. So you might reasonably think that the company's recent radical styling shift (kicked off by the 2008 XF) wouldn't be as jarring to the nation's buying populace, since they really didn't have the automaker's more traditionally styled models from years past to compare them against.

Yet while Jaguar and its sister marque, Land Rover, continue to pick up steam in China's developing market, that apparently isn't necessarily the case. Local buyers there tend to have more conservative tastes when it comes to styling, preferring more upright dimensions, big back seats and larger quantities of traditional luxury materials (think: chrome and wood) than other markets currently find desirable. Thus, the very bold current-generation XJ sedan may be leaving some sales on the table.

According to Edmunds, Jag doesn't want to risk that, and as such, it is preparing two bodystyles for the next-generation XJ – one with the rakish "four-door coupe" styling of the current model, and a more "old-school" three-box sedan designed to appeal to a wider swath of Chinese buyers.

Given that Jaguar's small size means that nearly every model it generates must play worldwide today (with exceptions made for variants like the XF Sportbrake, which hasn't been engineered to global crash standards), it's reasonable to question whether Jag might offer both XJ bodystyles here in North America – perhaps in a tiered scheme like the Audi A8 and A7. That strategy might catch more profits for the marque, but it might also represent a setback to design head Ian Callum's vision for a thoroughly modern Jaguar portfolio.

Click here to watch the current Jaguar XJ playing in the snow with its new AWD system.

Stepping Into The Lion's Den With A Big-Hearted Cat



If you're like me – and our demographics suggests you are – you've probably never seen a new Jaguar sportscar at your local showroom. I'm 36, and it hasn't happened in my lifetime... and not by a little bit. Oh, there have been a string of XK coupes and convertibles, and as of late, there have even been some genuine high-performance specials – namely the R, R-S and R-S GT models – but their basis has always been the 2+2 grand tourer shell, not a lighter and smaller footprint with more intrinsic sporting intent. The truth is that it's been a half-century since Jaguar introduced a proper new sportscar. Today, most people know the brand strictly as a purveyor of wood- and hide-lined luxury sedans.

In fact, if you're not an enthusiast with some appreciation for the marque's history, it's a bit odd to hear Jaguar executives proclaim that they are a sportscar company and always have been. By their reckoning, the 2014 F-Type seen here is in fact a return to form, a Rip Van Winkled brand pillar reanimated and reimagined to take centre stage. It's a sentiment that must be particularly odd for car shoppers in developing markets like China, where Jaguar hasn't even been selling cars for very long. Yet because the original 1961 E-Type is perhaps the most gorgeous car ever to lay ply on the world's roads, we're prepared to cut them some slack.

Given a desire to project its lengthy and distinguished (if distant) sportscar history into the present, we couldn't really have blamed Jaguar if they decided to just update the E-Type's visuals and pull what's underneath into modernity, à la Ford GT. (In fact, there's already a well-respected British outfit, Eagle, commanding big dollars for doing largely the same thing). There's also a middle 'homage' path – think 1956 BMW 507 begets 2000 Z8 roadster. Yet Jaguar hasn't taken the easy way out and created a doppelganger or even a historical pastiche. Yes, if you look hard enough, you'll find subtle nods to the E-Type, but they aren't immediately obvious. In fact, Jaguar has embarked on nothing short of a radical design overhaul of its entire lineup over the last half-decade or so (beginning with 2008's XF sedan) in an effort to upend its image as traditional luxury transport for the world's elderly elite.