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News 3 Sep, 2013

The Bentley Continental GT V8 S ups the ante with an extra 21bhp and a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds

Pictures 3 Sep, 2013

Pictures 3 Sep, 2013

Producer Harry Pallenberg is almost done with his historical race track DVD and#8220;Where They Raced,and#8221; which ghost-hunts all the great race tracks of Southern California, from Beverly Hills board tracks, to Gilmore Stadium to Ascot and Lions...

Producer Harry Pallenberg is almost done with his historical race track DVD and#8220;Where They Raced,and#8221; which ghost-hunts all the great race tracks of Southern California, from Beverly Hills board tracks, to Gilmore Stadium to Ascot and Lions...

The Renault group said it was making progress, in terms of both market share and volume, in a falling French market, boosting its PC/LCV market share by three points to 26.7 %. PC market share rose 3.2 points to 25.6%.

The Renault group said it was making progress, in terms of both market share and volume, in a falling French market, boosting its PC/LCV market share by three points to 26.7 %. PC market share rose 3.2 points to 25.6%.

Hyundai Europe is scaling back its growth goals due to the economic crisis, Chief Operating Officer Allan Rushforth told Automotive News Europe in an interview.

Hyundai Europe is scaling back its growth goals due to the economic crisis, Chief Operating Officer Allan Rushforth told Automotive News Europe in an interview.

Hyundai is scaling back its European growth goals due to the economic crisis, the automaker's Chief Operating Officer Allan Rushforth said, during an interview with Automotive News Europe Managing Editor Paul McVeigh.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars achieved success by exceeding expectations. Karim Habib, head of design for BMW Automobiles, is this year's Eurostar winner for Design.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars rose above the rest by pushing their companies to new heights. Ford of Europe Director of Earned and Social Media Elena Cortesi is this year's winner for Social Media Executive.

Honda chases down animal crackers while Ford goes after skaters.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars achieved success by exceeding expectations. Karim Habib, head of design for BMW Automobiles, is this year's Eurostar winner for Design.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars rose above the rest by pushing their companies to new heights. Ford of Europe Director of Earned and Social Media Elena Cortesi is this year's winner for Social Media Executive.

The fate of GM and Toyota assembly plants in Australia hangs on the September 7 election that pits a government committed to subsidies against an opposition vowing to scale back support.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars achieved success by exceeding expectations. Karim Habib, head of design for BMW Automobiles, is this year's Eurostar winner for Design.

The executives chosen as 2013 Automotive News Europe Eurostars rose above the rest by pushing their companies to new heights. Ford of Europe Director of Earned and Social Media Elena Cortesi is this year's winner for Social Media Executive.

Former Formula 1 driver and CART series' champion, Italian Alex Zanardi continued to impress by taking his first para-cycling world title with time trial victory in Canada.

Zanardi, who lost both legs in a terrifying accident on the Lausitzring oval in Germany during a CART series' race in 2001, won the H4 category after covering the 17.3km course in 27min15sec.

The likeable Italian, who already won two gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, wrote on Twitter: "Well that's it, World Champion! I know it won't last, but now I'm happy."

Following Zanardi's latest victory, three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti wrote on Twitter: "Congratulations Zanardi - you continue to amaze!"

Alex Zanardi in London, in 2012. (Photo: London 2012)

I know that it's a big gap, the last time I was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen I was 17, and it was a 1986 Jetta! Imagine the shock, it's like switching from a Commodore 64 to a PC overnight. In spite of the fact that I only spent a few hours behind the wheel, my Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid experience was enough to reconcile myself with the brand...but not enough to consider purchasing this vehicle.

Photo: Volkwagen

I liked the car's styling, which is definitely not flashy or gaudy like some others, yet distinctive enough to stand out in a crowd.

Notwithstanding the fact that I blew my knee on the steering wheel's telescoping control stalk, I would give the interior of the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid a nearly perfect score. The friendly and accessible dashboard incorporates a lovely touchscreen interface that doesn't require a learning curve.

On the road, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid is powerful enough considering its aspirations. Transitions between the various operating modes are often seamless. However, like my colleagues Marie-Laurence Paquin and Matt St-Pierre, I had a really hard time adjusting to the regenerative braking system.

My three sons could have stayed in the back without running out of air, but since my youngest son has to sit in a child seat, they would have lacked comfort during long trips. Overall comfort is good, though. As for the trunk, it boasts decent cargo capacity despite the space-consuming battery pack. Had we undertaken a full weekend getaway, however, a cargo rack would have been a must.

At the end of the day, my two eldest sons liked the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid very much. As for my four-year-old, anything new means a lot of fun for him, especially the rear window button. Thank God he didn't throw his toys off the window while on the highway!

I would consider the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid if I had just two kids; its many amenities and good driving dynamics won me over. However, I have a large family and wouldn't want to own more than one car. I'll keep an eye on it just in case because, you know, kids grow up eventually...

Don't miss the full reviews of the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid by Marie-Laurence Paquin and Justin Pritchard.

Photo: Volkswagen