It is now official.

In an announcement sent out by the Ford Motor Company, the auto industry has finally confirmed the completion of the purchase of Ford’s Jaguar and Land Rover luxury brands. Tata Motors of India bought the two brands which are part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group (PAG). The announcement did disclose that Tata Motors would be purchasing the two brands for an estimated $2.3 billion.

On the deal, Ford’s CEO and president, Alan Mulally, mentioned that with Jaguar and Land Rover being good brands, the company is confident that both of them would be able to do well with Tata handling them. He also disclosed that the decision to sell both brands was actually part of the company’s goal which was to have a stronger and more focus-driven brand.

Jaguar unveiled three new models at the 2006 British International Motor Show in London this week: the flagship, all-aluminum XLR sports car, the new XJ Long Wheelbase Diesel and the XJR Portfolio. The new XKR is the epitome of what the Jaguar XK is: lightweight, aggressive-looking, and offering supercharged performance. The XKR is billed as the ultimate GT sports car for the real world.

Meanwhile, the XJ Long Wheelbase Diesel offers the refinement of a 2.7 twin-turbo diesel engine and the characteristics of a long wheelbase car. Weighing in at just a mere 1665 kilos, the XJ Long Wheelbase Diesel also offers the advantage of a lightweight aluminum body. The XJ Long Wheelbase provides a smooth, quiet and exceptional ride.

The XJR Portfolio is a special edition 400bhp supercharged performance saloon born out of the successful Concept Eight show car unveiled at the 2004 New York International Auto Show. The XJR Portfolio features aluminum side power vents, bright mesh grille, chrome-finished exhaust system, polished 20-inch alloy sports wheels and Midnight exterior paint.

Jaguar is set to take the covers off its newest supercharged sports car, the XKR, on July 18 at the British International Motor Show in the UK. The new XKR revs up with a supercharged 390hp, V-8 engine offering superb power. It is also loaded with modern amenities and technologies such as standard GPS navigation and Bluetooth phone integration. With its sleek and stunning design and classic Jaguar configurations, the new CKR is sure to turn many heads.

The new XKR was designed, developed and engineered at Jaguar’s Whitley Product Development Centre, one of the most advanced facilities in the automotive industry with the latest in computer-aided design, advanced engineering, vehicle component development, safety test centers, and engine testing. Some of Jaguar’s most popular models such as the X-type, S-type, XJ and the XK were born in this facility.

Adaptive Cruise Control is one of the most advanced innovations in automotive technology today, probably a precursor to fully automated travel. A number of luxury vehicles offer ACC. Mercedes Benz was the first to offer ACC, called the Distronic system. Other automakers followed suit, such as Lexus’ with its Dynamic Laser Cruise Control, Acura, Audi, Nissan, Volkswagen, BMW, Infiniti, Cadillac, Toyota and Jaguar.

Adaptive cruise control uses either radar or lasers that signal the car to slow down if it gets too close to another car on the road and accelerate again if the traffic allows it. AAC promises to reduce rear-end collisions in heavy traffic as well as reduce fuel consumption. ACC can also handle twice or thrice today’s traffic.

Among the models with Adaptive Cruise Control, the Acura RL’s has a collision mitigating braking system. Some Infiniti models are equipped with sensors and cameras that read the lane markers and alert the drivers when crossing into another lane. Meanwhile, sensors in the Audi Q7 monitor blind spots.

Come April 13 to 24, 2006, the automotive industry will once again converge at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in the Big Apple to witness the world’s automakers bring out and introduce their newest vehicle models and concepts at one of the biggest auto events this year – the 2006 New York International Automobile Show. The NY Auto Show promises a very exciting presentation this year with automakers expected to pull out all the stops to unveil their latest offerings. Nearly 1,000 cars, trucks, minivans, SUVs and crossover vehicles with prices ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 will go on display at the auto show.

John LaSorsa, the chairman of the NY Auto Show said that “There are more all-new cars and trucks coming to the 2006 Show than we’ve ever seen before, from the luxury new S-Class Mercedes and Jaguar XK Convertible to the nimble and fuel efficient Nissan Versa and Honda Fit, the Javits Center will be overflowing with completely new and re-styled 2006 and ‘07 model year vehicles.”

Expect to see a good mix of both import and domestic car makes and models from industry heavyweights Toyota, Ford, Honda, GM, DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Volvo, Audi and many more. Among the most anticipated new models to be unveiled at the show include the 2007 Ford Edge, the Jaguar XK convertible, the crossovers Mazda CX-7 and CX-9, the Nissan Versa, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford GT, Ford Adrenaline, Saturn Sky, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Mercedes-Benz GL Class, Jeep Compass, the all-new 2007 Chrysler Aspen, a new SUV from Daimler Chrysler and the Audi Q7, a seven seater from the German automaker.

The automakers will also whisk the coves off more than a dozen concept vehicles at the show. These include the Chrysler Imperial, Aston Martine Rapide, Acura RDX, Hyundai HCD9, and the Toyota F3R. The auto show will also witness the debut of several new hybrid vehicles such as the GMC Sierra Hybrid, Ford Focus FCV, Lexus RX 300H Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid and Saturn Vue Hybrid.

All roads will definitely lead to the Javits Center between 34th and 39th streets on April 14. A special public sneak preview will be held on the 14th while the official opening day will be on the 15th. In case you will not be able to go, just stay tuned to The Auto Blog. We will provide you with the latest news, important events and reviews from New York.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has named its top car picks for 2006 in thirteen categories. AAA is the leading member organization in the country that offers motorists with solutions to their automotive needs. The Top Car Picks list for 2006 will help buyers make an informed decision when buying a new car. John Nielsen, director of AAA Auto Buying and Auto Repair Network says that “From fuel-saving hybrids to sporty, high performance vehicles, those looking to purchase a new vehicle in 2006 will be pleasantly surprised to see they have many makes and models from which to choose from .” Notable selections include the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 as the Cool Car of the year. Honda scored two with the Honda Ridgeline topping the Pickup category and the Honda Accord taking the $15,000 - $20,000 car category. The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV was also chosen in the SUV under $30,000 category. The Jaguar XJ8L is the most expensive car on the list. AAA’s Top Car Picks of 2006 are:

Under - $15,000: Mazda 3 - 25/35 mpg (city/highway)

$15,000 - $20,000: Honda Accord Sedan - 26/34 mpg (city/highway)

$20,000 - $25,000: Dodge Charger - 19/27 mpg (city/highway)

$25,000 - $30,000: Toyota Avalon - 22/31 mpg (city/highway)

$30,000 - $35,000: BMW 3 Series - 20/30 mpg (city/highway)

$35,000 - $40,000: Volvo S80 - 21/30 mpg (city/highway)

$40,000 - $50,000: Infiniti M35/M45 - 17/25 mpg (city/highway)

$50,000 +: Jaguar XJ8L - 18/27 mpg (city/highway)

SUV under $30,000: Ford Escape Hybrid - 36/29 mpg (city/highway)

SUV over $30,000: Mercedes-Benz M-Class - 16/20 mpg (city/highway)

Minivan: Honda Odyssey - 18/28 mpg (city/highway)

Pick Up Truck: Honda Ridgeline - 16/21 mpg (city/highway)

Cool Car: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - 16/26 mpg (city/highway)

After 10 long years of existence in the automotive world, Jaguar has finally decided to end the life of the Jaguar XK8, but not without a replacement. As the XK8 leaves the automotive market scene, Jaguar introduces yet another new vehicle in the Jaguar XK. Just like its predecessor, the Jaguar XK would be available in coupe and convertible body styles. But aside from the body styles, the new vehicle seems to have nothing more to share with its predecessor.

Just as everybody could have guessed, the new Jaguar XK is a very luxurious vehicle (for what else can a Jaguar be?). But the company also knows how to pull-off some surprises, and for the Jaguar XK, that surprise came from the vehicle’s construction. Taking the cue from the XJ sedan’s dramatic improvement in performance, Jaguar also used aluminum extensively for the construction of the new XK. With such construction, one can expect that the new Jaguar XK would be quicker, roomier, and lighter than its predecessor.

The 2007 Jaguar XK would come standard with a 4.2-liter V8 engine that produces 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It is coupled with a new 6-speed sequential gearbox that has three basic modes of operation: (1) manual mode for optimum engine power usage, (2) automatic mode for smooth cruising, and (3) Sport mode for improved braking and downshifting. With these components, the Jaguar XK can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds (exactly six seconds for the convertible).

Inside, the XK is a typical Jaguar; that is, a typical luxury vehicle. Just like other luxury vehicles, it is also equipped with a generous amount of comfort and convenience features and electronic components. Despite this, the dashboard does not appear as messy as the dashboards of other luxury vehicles. The Jaguar XK’s interior is also roomier compared to that of the Jaguar XK8.

As to the exterior, the XK sports an entirely new design which may be used on future Jaguars as well. Critics claim that the vehicle’s style resembles that of the Aston Martin. The explanation: it was designed by Ian Callum, who, incidentally, also designed some Aston Martin cars. However, Callum implied that the design of new XK is definitely better than his Astons.

Jaguar is all ready to launch the new Jaguar XK coupe and convertible in Jaguar showrooms. Jaguar lovers, however, would have to wait until mid-April for the vehicle to go on sale.