The Nissan Z, a car with more the 40-years of history. The Nissan Z started life in 1969 as a lean, beautiful sports purist, only to die slowly of obesity over the following decades, the victim of ham-fisted efforts to appeal to Americans.

Seven years ago, Nissan revived the name with a car that returned it to its roots. The Nissan 350Z was lean, uncompromising chunk of sporting purism. It was relatively light – just over 1,500 kg. And powerful, with a 3.5 liter V6 good for 206kW and a sub six-second 0 to 100 km/h dash. Inside, the Nissan 350Z was 21st century smart, safe and well put together. And, like the original, while it wasn't cheap it was something like affordable.

Most importantly, it was raw -gruff at the tailpipe, hard on the bum. Just to show they meant sporting business, they stuck a stinking big strut brace thing through the middle of the boot to stiffen up the rear end. The result: flat cornering at speed with bugger all usable boot space. What a statement of intent.

Now comes the next generation. As the new Nissan 370Z's change in name suggests, the engine's bigger at 3.7 liters, and more powerful. It's now good for an imposing 245kW and 363 Nm – plenty of grunt for a car weighting in at pretty much the same as the model it replaces.

The Porsche Panamera has been chosen as the best car in its class yet another time. Today Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is receiving the next outstanding award for its new four-door Gran Turismo, with the readers of the renowned motoring journal “auto motor und sport” having chosen the Panamera right from the start in its first year as No 1 in the Luxury Performance Segment.

Following its market launch in September, the Panamera has therefore scored a perfect hat trick in Germany’s largest audience and expert awards, after having won the “Golden Steering Wheel” awarded by “Bild am Sonntag” and “Auto Bild” and the “Auto Trophy“ presented by “Auto Zeitung”.

Two "Dakar” winners like chalk and cheese: The Volkswagen factory duo of Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz complement one another inside and outside the cockpit to form a strong, heterogeneous unit. The two Spaniards – the driver emotional and spirited, the co-driver calm and meticulous – took the trophy to their homeland for the first time in Dakar Rally history. Together with their team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford they secured a one-two-three for Volkswagen in the greatest challenge worldwide in rallying. In Argentina and Chile the Wolfsburg based brand therefore successfully defended its title after the Race Touareg became the first diesel powered automobile to win the desert classic in 2009.

For Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz a long harboured dream was fulfilled following their "Dakar” triumph. In front of enthusiastic spectators the two Spaniards were the stars for millions of fans along the rally route. "El Matador”, as Carlos Sainz is known by his fans, celebrated winning the world rally championship title in 1990 and 1992. With 26 individual rally wins and two world championships the 47-year old looks upon an extraordinarily successful WRC career. He finished the world championship eleven times in the top three. After switching to off-road rallying he won the FIA Cross Country World Cup in 2007. Before the 2010 "Dakar” the Madrilenian celebrated eight podium positions including four victories from 14 off-road rallies. The passionate footballer claimed his most important victory in a desert rally in his 15th cross country rally: the long desired "Dakar” victory.

Triumphant title defence in South America: Volkswagen has won the legendary Dakar Rally for the second time in succession and including 1980 for a third time. After a ‘showdown in blue’ the Volkswagen duos and their TDI powered Race Touareg prototypes celebrated a one-two-three podium lockout at the finish of the toughest challenge worldwide in motorsport. In the process, Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) triumphed by only 2 minutes 12 seconds ahead of his team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) in a thrilling finale on the closing 202 kilometre sprint on the 14th and final rally day. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) claimed third position. Last year’s winners Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) finished seventh.

"I’m incredibly proud of our team. It’s stunning what the drivers, co-drivers and the entire team have achieved on every single day of the Dakar Rally. With this one-two-three triumph Volkswagen Motorsport even surpassed its own lofty goals,” says Dr. rer. pol. h. c. Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, Member of the Board of Management at VOLKSWAGEN AG for procurement, at the finish of the final stage. Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen explains: "Three weeks ago a highly motivated Volkswagen team came with the goal of successfully defending the ‘Dakar’ title won last year. Volkswagen has achieved something historical with this one-two-three. We are not only unbeaten in South America, we are also the only manufacturer to have won the world’s hardest rally up to now with diesel technology. The Volkswagen drivers fought amongst themselves for victory all the way to the chequered flag – sometimes by hard but fair means. This is exactly how we imagine motorsport to be. My congratulations therefore go to every Volkswagen duo who would all have been worthy winners.

Volkswagen provided an impressive example of the power and performance of its TDI technology on the twelfth and longest Dakar Rally stage: All three Race Touareg were more than ten minutes faster than their nearest challengers on the day’s 476 kilometre long stage and continue to hold a convincing lead in the overall standings.

The order in the two classifications is identical: The Volkswagen factory drivers Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) celebrated their second stage win, the sixth for a Race Touareg this year. Towards the middle of the stage from San Juan to San Rafael the two Spaniards were about four minutes faster than their team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D). However, on the second sandier section, Al-Attiyah reduced the gap to 52 seconds by the finish. In the overall standings the Qatari now lies 5 minutes 20 seconds behind Sainz. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) completed the extremely fast starting stage 4 minutes 22 seconds behind in third place. He now trails the leader in the overall standings by 28 minutes 12 seconds in third place.

At 476 kilometres the twelfth stage contained the longest section run against the clock in the rally. However, 130 kilometres of the route were neutralised as planned. The reason: To bypass a nature reserve via a tarmac road. An ad-hoc action by the organisers confirmed just how great the locals’ enthusiasm is for the rally: In the afternoon such a large hoard of fans from nearby Mendoza stormed to the finish that the organisers had to move the finish 6,000 metres to the 470th route kilometre for safety reasons.

The Chevrolet Captiva has been doing rather well in the soft-roader segment, which is really no surprise thanks to its marvelous VCDi diesel powerplant. With only the petrol-engined Honda CR-V and Suzuki Vitara for competition, the Chevrolet Captiva has managed to hold it own in the market.

For design the Chevrolet Captiva has bold wheel cutouts and powerful shoulder line. Eye catching air intake ports in front fenders and satin silver finished skid plates in the front and rear adding to an aggression look for the open road. Three dimensional headlamps, chrome lined window sill and turn signal integrated in exterior mirrors give that touch of sophistication needed to hit the urban roads.

For power the Chevrolet Captiva features a next generation Variable geometry turbo common rail direct-injection (VCDi) diesel engine. The engine four cylinder unit delivers power of 150ps. The Variable Geometry Turbo charger (VGT) system creates torque of 320Nm even at low engine speeds.

Volkswagen defended its lead on the eleventh of the 14 stages in the Dakar Rally: The three Volkswagen Race Touareg cars continue to lead the overall standings after the second Andes crossing from Chile to Argentina. The name of the potential winner still remains wide open: The leaders Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) lost 5 minutes 38 seconds of their lead to Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA). The closest rivals – Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) in an X-raid BMW – are already 2 hours 9 minutes behind the leader in fourth place.

Sainz was forced to accept a setback on the descent of the Andes from an altitude of around 3,000 metres: Two slow punctures threw him back. In the overall standings he now leads by only 4 minutes 28 seconds from his team mate Al-Attiyah from Qatar. Mark Miller is still third 23 minutes 50 seconds behind. Best Volkswagen drivers on the day were Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D): Last year’s winners recorded the third fastest stage time ahead of Al-Attiyah and Miller and remain seventh overall. Victory on the day went to Guerlain Chicherit/Tina Thörner (F/S) in an X-raid BMW.

The Spaniards Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) increased their lead over their two team mates in the overall standings following the duo’s first stage victory and Volkswagen’s fifth so far this year in the 2010 Dakar Rally. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) are now second 10 minutes 6 seconds behind the leaders, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) in the third Race Touareg trail the leaders by a margin of 28 minutes 19 seconds.

The former Rally World Champion Sainz was completely in his element along the small mountain passes from La Serena to Santiago. Stony tracks, tight corners and many braking manoeuvres – the demands were rather more reminiscent of a rally world championship than a desert rally. Nevertheless his task was anything but routine: Sainz won the desert classic’s tenth stage in the Race Touareg with a 28 second margin over Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) in an X-raid BMW. Another rival in the fight for victory on the day was Volkswagen team mate Mark Miller who even led after having completed 148 of the 238 total kilometres. The American finished third on the day ahead of team mate Nasser Al-Attiyah.

After ten of the events 14 stages of the event the Volkswagen trio hold a considerable advantage at the head of the overall standings: Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) are 2 hours 14 minutes 20 seconds behind in fourth at the wheel of an X-raid-BMW.

Volkswagen claim first three positions on stage, three "Blues” head overall standings: The TDI diesel powered Race Touareg continued to set the benchmark on the ninth of the 14-day long 2010 Dakar Rally. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) claimed the day’s victory on the route between Copiapó and La Serena in Chile ahead of their team mates Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) and Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D). Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) recorded the fifth fastest time in another Race Touareg behind the French X-raid driver Guerlain Chicherit in a BMW. Carlos Sainz continues to lead the overall standings from Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mark Miller. Al-Attiyah reduced his deficit to the leader by six minutes to only 8 minutes 36 seconds.

Of particular interest: In the process of taking Volkswagen’s fourth stage victory this year Nasser Al-Attiyah’s winning margin of 5 minutes 59 seconds represented the largest lead for the winner of a stage during the 2010 Dakar Rally. The rally professional from Qatar achieved this notable performance on the shortest stage so far, which ran, however, through difficult dune fields in the Atacama Desert. The original 354 kilometre long section was reduced by more than half to only 170 kilometres. The organisers postponed the start by 3 hours 45 minutes due to isolated fogbanks.

The ninth "Dakar” day saw the competitors finally leave the Atacama Desert behind them. Beforehand, however, it was a case of overcoming dune belts and deep, soft sand. The key to success was the drivers’ ability to read the steeply falling dunes scattered with camel grass vegetation so as not to get bogged down on the opposite side and lose time as a result.

Volkswagen shows a positive mid-point track record at the Dakar Rally: Three of the five Race Touareg cars that started to the ‘Dakar’ are clearly leading the world’s toughest rally on its only rest day.

After seven of 14 legs Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) are ranking 11m 03s ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) and 22m 06s in front of Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA). Three stage wins have so far gone to Volkswagen, on four days one of the driver/co-driver pairings with TDI power led the event. The legendary motorsport cross-country marathon put extreme demands on "man and material” during the first rally week: On the first seven legs from Buenos Aires (Argentina) via Iquique to Antofagasta (both in Chile) the rally featured quick sections as well as dizzying altitudes of up to 4,726 metres above mean sea level during the first crossing of the Andes. Deep and soft sand, towering dunes, steep mountain ranges and endless scree fields are again making the desert classic the greatest challenge motorsport has to offer.

The extreme demands took a toll on Volkswagen too. The title defenders Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) lost several hours on the third stage due to damage that occurred as the consequence of an accident. On the sixth rally day the Brazilian duo Maurício Neves/Clécio Maestrelli retired due to injuries suffered in an accident.