This Just In: New on the Net

I’m not an economist—I barely understand how to balance my checkbook—but I’m a little freaked out by the whole Wall Street crisis. Maybe I just like the idea of being a citizen of a first-world country, I don’t know. Anyway, here’s the news:

• The XF sedan has been a success for Jaguar, but since the XJ and the XK aren’t exactly flying out of showrooms, the company has decided to cut production at its Castle Bromwich plant. While it obviously makes sense to adapt production to demand, I don’t get why those uber-hot XKs aren’t selling. Autocar
• If these spy shots are any indication, it looks like Ferrari is going to offer a drop-top version of its 599. It’s not clear if the Prancing Horse will get some engine tweaks to counter the extra weight, but something tells me this baby is going to look sexy as hell topless. Auto Express
• Mercedes has been making armored cars for 80 years, and to mark the occasion, the company has released the S600 Pullman. It’s fast, bullet-proof and also features a self-sealing gas tank, so it’s just perfect for your third world dictator or drug lord friends. Order now to insure delivery by December 25th! Motor Authority
• While racing in second place during the wet and wild Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton slid through a hairpin and wound up in front of leader Kiki Raikkonen. After allowing Raikkonen to retake the lead, Hamilton went on to win. But after some post-race analysis, the FIA determined the slide amounted to an illegal advantage, and docked him 25 seconds, which put Hamilton in third. Of course, the McLaren team was pissed and filed suit, but today a French judge refused to hear the case. Sounds like Hamilton was robbed to me. AutoWeek