2014 Jaguar F-Type first drive

2014 Jaguar F-Type first drive

Welcome to our latest Top Photos Of The Week post, which this weekend coincides with the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show taking place in China this very moment.

Understandably, most of our photos center on cars present at the show, however, this first one was taken at our recent first drive of the 2014 Jaguar F-Type in Spain.

As the photo confirms, the F-Type is capable of barreling through a corner with poise and confidence. It may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but it’s still plenty capable of pretty much anything you can throw at it including some heavy track work.

How does it fare? You’ll have to read our full drive report to find out but we can say that it qualifies as a potent sports car, albeit one that’s lavishly equipped and quite comfy as long as you’re not too tall.

It doesn’t take much guesswork to figure out that it’s the V-8 model we’d pick. Powered by the familiar 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found (in similar form) in other Jaguar products, the F-Type V8 S generates a stout 495 horsepower.

With its abundant power and speed, the F-Type V8 S can almost feel more like a compact grand tourer than a sports car, particularly once the road opens up and straightens out. But as soon as the curves return and the sight lines shorten, it perks its ears, eager for any challenge.

For even more about the Jaguar F-Type--including another two weeks of coverage--be sure to check out our 30 Days of the 2014 Jaguar F-Type extravaganza.

Mazzanti Evantra V8

Mazzanti Evantra V8

In case one auto show just isn’t enough, this weekend also plays host to the 2013 Top Marques Monaco, an event centering purely on luxury and performance vehicles. One of the stars of the show was this new Mazzanti Evantra V8, a 701-horsepower coachbuilt supercar that will spawn just five examples per year.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario Edition

Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario Edition

One of the big surprises of this weekend’s event in Shanghai was the debut of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario Edition, the second celebratory vehicle for Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary. As its name suggests, the car’s 6.5-liter V-12 has been uprated to 720 metric horsepower (710 horses by American standards) and drive is still sent to all four wheels.

2013 Mercedes-Benz Unimog range

2013 Mercedes-Benz Unimog range

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is one of our favorite vehicles here at Motor Authority simply because it is so utterly insane. This week, an updated version of the go-anywhere, industrial brute was revealed, and we’re glad to report that it’s just as tough as ever.

Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA

Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA

From one of its biggest off-roaders, we now downsize to one of Mercedes’ smallest utes, the upcoming 2014 GLA Class. The new compact crossover was previewed in concept form at this weekend’s Shanghai Auto Show and turned out to be one of the most stylish vehicles on display.

Spartan track car

Spartan track car

This little beauty is the Spartan track car born out of Australia. The vehicle has just been launched for sale and would be ideal for anyone looking for a no-nonsense, reasonably-priced track weapon. Only 300 will be built and deliveries to the U.S. are possible.

Buick Riviera Concept, 2013 Shanghai Auto Show

Buick Riviera Concept, 2013 Shanghai Auto Show

Buick surprised many in Shanghai this weekend with the presentation of its latest Riviera concept. This is the second Riviera concept rolled out by Buick in recent times, hinting strongly that a production version is in the works. Given its overall size and dimensions and plug-in technology, we’d guess the Riviera previews Buick’s own version of the Cadillac ELR and Chevrolet Volt.  

Icona Vulcano concept

Icona Vulcano concept

What you’re looking at here is the Vulcano supercar concept from design firm Icona. It’s one of the stars of Shanghai and also one of the best performance vehicles ever produced, if Icona’s claims are to be believed. The most powerful version of the concept, the H-Turismo, produces up to 950 horsepower and is said to accelerate to 62 mph in less than 2.0 seconds!

That's it for this week. And if for some reason you aren't already following Motor Authority, we highly recommend you look us up on Twitter and Facebook after you subscribe to our YouTube channel.