Maria Sharapova sparks 'car-wars' in a Porsche as Jaguar celebrates its first year as the official car of Wimbledon
- British Jaguars delivered guests to the WTA pre-Wimbledon Party
- But Maria Sharapova was seen in a striking blue Porsche Boxster Spyder
- Sharapova is a global brand ambassador for the German car firm
Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova sparked a bout of 'car-wars' on the eve of the Wimbledon tennis championships this week.
As British Jaguars delivered guests to the annual Women's Tennis Association's pre-Wimbledon Party at The Roof Gardens in Kensington, Miss Sharapova squeezed in a sneaky and cheeky drive of a sports car from Porsche, the arch-rival German car firm for which she is a global brand ambassador.
Maria Sharapova is seen here in the Porsche Boxster Spyder on her way to the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party
In its 80th anniversary year, Jaguar is celebrating its first year as The Official Car of The Championships, Wimbledon, supplying 170 luxury high performance vehicles including the new Jaguar XE sports saloon as well as the XF, XF Sportbrake and flagship XJ models.
The Jaguars transported a host of tennis stars including British No 1 Heather Watson, Lucie Safarova and glamorous 21-year-old Genie Bouchard, in a diaphanous backless dress, to the exclusive Kensington party where Sir Richard Branson was one of the hosts.
But five-times Grand Slam Champion Miss Sharapova popped into the Porsche Centre Mayfair to sample the new mid-engined twoseater Boxster Spyder which arrives in British showrooms for first deliveries next month after making its world debut at the New York Auto Show earlier this year.
British tennis star Heather Watson is seen here with a Jaguar XE at the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party
The Spyder — a rival to Jaguar's F-Type — is powered by a 3.8 l, 375 hp engine that accelerates from rest to 62mph in 4.5 seconds and with a top speed of 180 mph it features a classic fabric roof, opened and closed by hand, and is available only with a manual transmission. Prices from £60,459.
As a tribute to the 718 Spyder race car from the Sixties, the Boxster Spyder model has two prominent streamlined 'tear drops' that extend along the rear lid behind the head restraints.
The lightweight roof echoes stylish roadsters from the past, while the aerodynamic fins that stretch to the rear lend the car its silhouette.
Miss Sharapova said: 'This is huge fun — truly thrilling. I love that this new Boxster Spyder is like a classic sports car, but at the same time feels so modern and sophisticated. It's a fantastic car and I need to get one.'
Jaguar is also using wearable wristband technology and sensors at Wimbledon to capture heart-beats, movement and crowd noise at the tournament to measure fans' reactions. Details at feelwimbledon.co.uk.
Earlier this week, Jaguar provided cars for The Ralph Lauren and Vogue Wimbledon Summer Cocktail party attended by stars of tennis, film, music and fashion including former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, actress Alice Eve, Saturdays pop singer Mollie King, and ex-Dr Who Matt Smith Laura Schwab, British marketing director at Jaguar Land Rover, said: 'With the UK tennis season coinciding with the launch of the Jaguar XE, it's a fantastic platform to showcase our new product.'
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid off-roader is now the most popular ultra-green car on the road in Britain, overtaking the Sunderland-built Nissan Leaf for the top spot, analysis of DVLA data by the RAC Foundation has revealed.
It comes as Formula E (electric) racing takes place in London's Battersea Park today. There were 9,688 Mitsubishi Outlanders licensed this spring compared with 5,273 at the same time last year — an 84 per cent increase.
By comparison there were 8,274 pure battery-powered Nissan Leafs, a 21 per cent increase on the 6,838 recorded three months earlier. In third place among vehicles that qualify for the Government's £5,000 plug-in car and van grants is the BMW i3 (2,186, up 43 per cent).
Overall, there were 29,469 vehicles eligible for the grants on British roads, a rise of 37 per cent.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'This weekend Formula E racing comes to London with the express aim of promoting sustainable clean vehicles.'
The two-millionth example of the legendary Land Rover 4x4 Defender model has rolled off a special celebrity production line in which guests, including survival expert Bear Grylls, helped to fit various parts.
The milestone, reached at Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull plant in the West Midlands, has also been celebrated in the baking of a giant 600 kg (1,323 lb) cake in the shape of a Defender.
Jaguar Land Rover is ceasing Defender production at the end of 2015, with the two-millionth model being unveiled by auctioneers Bonhams at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex and then auctioned in London on December 16.
Grylls said: 'The Land Rover Defender has been there for me more times than I care to remember. It was an honour to be asked to take part in the build of this very special car.'
The Earl of March opened the Moving Motor Show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday by driving up the 1.16 mile hillclimb on his estate in the new Mazda MX-5 — one of 21 brand new models to make their first British public appearances.
The Earl of March (pictured) opened the Moving Motor Show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday by driving up the 1.16 mile hillclimb on his estate in the new Mazda MX-5
Mazda has also provided this year's giant central automotive feature outside Goodwood House.
This year's four-day extravaganza, which continues today and tomorrow, also includes the world debut of the new Aston Martin DB9 GT and UK debut of the Vantage GT12, the first British public appearance of the new Ford Focus RS, and world premiere of the new Peugeot 308GTi. Staged every summer since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the world's largest 'automotive garden party', set against the spectacular West Sussex backdrop.
