By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of slow-motion drifting footage on StreetFire, but this is the first clip I’ve seen where F1 machines get the treatment. The amount of force these cars have to take in the corners is just incredible, and seeing how every part of the car is shaking gave me a new respect for what the drivers must go through when cornering. For the record, I still think race drivers are athletes…

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

Here’s hoping F1 takes some action about the racist taunts directed at Lewis Hamilton during testing in Barcelona. How about pulling the city from its calendar? Maybe that’d make the pigs behind that despicable behavior shut the hell up. Here’s the news:

• While Ford is using Homer Simpson to dis one of its own, Renault is hoping an ad campaign featuring America’s first family will draw buyers to its Kangoo. Looks like a serious upgrade… wasn’t their old car made out of used Yugoslavian tank parts?  Auto Express News
• What’s the expression about not even being able to get arrested in Hollywood? Because it seems applicable here: foreign cars can’t even get stolen in Detroit. Detroit News
• Tata’s $2500 Nano sounds like a great idea for India and China. You know who it’s not a good idea for? The US. More cars on the road in those countries means more demand for gas, which means higher prices stateside. Winding Road
• A Ferrari 360 with twin turbos? Sounds like overkill. And dear God, is overkill hot. Fast Lane Daily