It’s been just over a year since Cadillac captured the title of fastest production four-door car when John Heinricy circulated the Nürburgring’s north loop with a CTS-V in under eight minutes. Considering the pace of leap-frogging between the Nissan GT-R, Corvette ZR1 and Viper ACR it’s a bit surprising that it took this long for someone to top the super-Caddy. What’s not surprising is that it was a Porsche that finally outran the CTS-V.

Now that the four-door Porsche Panamera has been thrust upon the world, it was only a matter of time before one the test drivers from Weissach brought the crown back to the fatherland. The 500-horsepower Panamera Turbo lapped the Nordschleife in 7 minutes, 56 seconds, 3 seconds faster than the Cadillac.

When Heinricy set his 7:59 time last year, it was done in an automatic CTS-V in a single hot lap at the end of a test session. With any luck, we’ll see Heinricy or perhaps one of the Corvette C6.R drivers like Johnny O’Connell head back to the Eiffel mountains for another go.

The 2010 Ford Taurus is barely into its launch, but plans are already being laid for the next-gen model. In what should be a surprise to no one, the next Taurus is expected to be smaller than the current car. According to The Detroit News, Ford is likely to move Taurus to a common platform shared with the Fusion and Mondeo. The combining of the Fusion and Mondeo has been planned for some time already and the Taurus will probably use a longer (and perhaps wider) variant of the same C/D segment architecture. The current Taurus platform will still be around for at least four more years and it’ll also underpin the new Explorer that’s expected to bow in 2010.

Similar plans are believed to be underway at General Motors for the Chevy Impala, whose next iteration will probably move to a stretched version of the Epsilon II platform along with the Buick LaCrosse and the next Malibu.

If you close your eyes and think about the Volkswagen product lineup, products like the Golf, Jetta, and Passat are sure to come to mind. Most won’t picture the Routan minivan, because most Americans don’t even know the rebadged Dodge Grand Caravan exists. Sales of the Routan are so bad that the minivan hasn’t been made since January, and production isn’t picking up again until August.

Volkswagen is hoping to change the fortunes of its invisible minivan by giving away two Routans on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The move could prove to be a boon for VW, particularly after Oprah’s 2004 stunt where the media madam gave away 276 Pontiac G6 models. Two weeks after the show, public awareness of the new sedan shot up to 87% and Pontiac was off the charts in Google and Yahoo searches, too.

Since Oprah is giving away two Routans instead of one to each member of her audience, we’re guessing this giveaway won’t have the same punch as the G6 scheme. The association with Oprah probably won’t hurt, though, and any discernible bump in showroom traffic would make the Routan giveaway a success. With only 2,099 sales in June and 1,390 in May, the Routan could use all the help it can get.

Honda has confirmed what’s been suspected for some time: the Honda CR-Z is coming next year and the Fit Hybrid will be released in late 2010.

The brief press release (below the fold) touts the two hybrids as the latest expansion of the automaker’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, along with its focus on highly efficient, lightweight and compact conveyances.

The CR-Z, a sporty hybrid inspired by the CRX and unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, will go on sale in Japan this February, with the Fit Hybrid hitting shores across the Pacific later next year. Honda hasn’t explicitly announced whether the two models will be available in the States, but we’d expect a formal announcement when the production CR-Z and Fit Hybrid debut at the Tokyo Motor Show this October.

If you’re interested in honing your track skills behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Jim Russell Racing School has partnered with Mitsubishi to host a full day of instruction at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

Russell’s involvement with Mitsubishi began by fitting the last generation Evo’s 4G63 engine into its Lola-built open-wheeled race cars, and according to the school, the next step was to offer a full course based around the all-wheel drive sedan.

When General Motors’ Bob Lutz talks, we listen. The reason, of course, is that he always gives us something good to write. Over the weekend, we told you about an interview Lutz had with Automobile Magazine where the Maximum One said that the G8 will live on as a Chevrolet Caprice. Lutz’s comments looked like a sure thing to us, as it’s hard to misinterpret these words.

“The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste.”

Just a few days later, Blogger Bob sounded a bit less certain about the future of the G8 as Chevrolet. On the company’s Fast Lane Blog, Lutz simply said “we’re studying the feasibility of bringing (the G8) in as a Caprice for both law enforcement and the public.” That doesn’t sound nearly as certain as the Automobile interview.

Kicking Tires reportedly received a similar statement from GM brass, saying “As part of its reinvention, General Motors is exploring every opportunity of effectively utilizing its global portfolio of vehicles, facilities and talent. While this exploration includes the possibility of extending imports of Holden vehicles (such as the recent Pontiac G8) to North America, no decision has been made at this time.”

We’re hoping this is corporate speak for ‘We’re going to do what Bob says, but we just don’t want to promise anything just yet.’ Turning the G8 into a Chevrolet model looks to us like the cheapest possible way to keep a terrific vehicle available in the States, and with the Bowtie’s significantly larger dealer network, maybe GM can finally figure out how to turn a profit with with the awesome Aussie.

Back in late 2008, auto executives from General Motors and Chrysler warned of dire consequences in the event that one of their companies was forced into bankruptcy proceedings. With the help of the federal government, little of that doom and gloom materialized, at least when it comes to used car residuals.

Back in May, Automotive Lease Guide used impending bankruptcy as reason to slash the 36 month residuals of all Chrysler-branded products by a substantial 6% off the original retail price. That dropped the residual value of a Chrysler vehicle to an average of 28.8%, while Dodge and Jeep were at 31.3% and 32.5%, respectively.

Just one month later, with Chrysler’s bankruptcy in the rearview mirror, and residuals are nearly back at April levels. Chrysler has climbed nearly four points to 32.5%, Dodge is at 34.8%, and Jeep is now at 37.4%. ALM admits that bankruptcy didn’t effect residual values like the company thought it would, and as a result, resale values for GM-branded vehicles won’t be downwardly adjusted.

Kelly Blue Book reportedly told Automotive News that some of the bounce-back in residuals is due to the fact that relatively low gas prices are making used trucks and SUVs a bit more appealing to customers. With new car sales in the tank, we suspect used vehicles have been in higher demand as well, helping to boost up residuals.

Jaguar caught everyone’s attention last week with the launch of the brand-spankin’-new-for-2010 XJ sedan and there are already rumors afoot of a two-door version in the works. In the here-and-now, the stoic British automaker says that orders for its new flagship sedan are already up to speed.

According to Jaguar, in the few days since the car’s launch, they’ve already received 55 orders, seemingly a modest figure, but that apparently already puts it at the same pace as the XF has experienced. While some of the orders were placed at the XJ’s launch at the Saatchi Gallery in London last week, others have been placed sight unseen. Production is slated to gear up in September with the first units being delivered in January, but from the looks of things, many buyers aren’t about to wait around six months to get the ball rolling.

Ever since General Motors announced this spring that it was killing the Pontiac brand as part of its restructuring, fans of the Holden-developed G8 sedan have been clamoring to save it as a Chevrolet. After company officials repeatedly said over the past two months that no such thing would happen, Bob Lutz re-lit the fire last week in one of his first pronouncements after un-retiring. Lutz proclaimed that the G8 would indeed become a new Chevrolet Caprice.

During our first drive of the new Buick LaCrosse this week, we had the opportunity on one of the legs to ride with GM CEO Fritz Henderson, and we pressed him for more details on the Caprice plan. Unfortunately it turns out Henderson brought his portable fire extinguisher with him, telling us:
We’ve been looking at it for police applications. As for whether or not it’s broader than police applications, I am not a believer in re-branding and re-badging. We’ve been talking about in terms of potential police applications and we’ll leave it at that.”

Suzuki’s upstart SX4 Crossover has continually surprised and delighted the automotive press with perky driving dynamics and nifty features like standard pop-up navigation. While we enjoyed the SX4 Sport we tested last year, we prefer the usability and all-wheel drive capability of the five door Crossover. AWD does add cost to the modestly priced SX4, though, and the added weight and parasitic drag have a negative impact on fuel economy.

Suzuki is reportedly further addressing that situation for the 2010 model year, as it is planning a front-drive SX4 hatch with SportBack trim. The front-drive SportBack, available only in Touring trim, will lose the Crossover’s roof rack while gaining the sporty demeanor and lower ride height of the sedan.The Car Connection says that Suzuki will also raise the power output of the SX4’s 2.0-liter engine across the range, bringing the stallion tally to 150. Without all-wheel drive, the SX4 SportBack will be lighter and more efficient, and without a roof rack, sitting lower to the ground, it figures to be more aerodynamic, too.