It's make or break for Jaguar, with the long rumoured sale of the company due to be finalised soon. And it's no exaggeration to say the very future of Jaguar rests with the success - or otherwise - of the XF. But can the S-Type replacement really ditch the firm's pipe and slipper image and take it head to head with the might of the German marques? First impressions would suggest a thumbs up for the new approach, the new Jag apparently going as well as it looks. And with the XF going on sale in February Jaguar's new owner will be hoping for a success story.

The lack of a diesel engine is a big problem for Subaru. But that'll be soon changed. The firm's first diesel motor keeps the trademark boxer configuration and is, according to a spokesman, 'very smooth and refined'. The 2-litre engine will have around 150bhp, 250lb ft of torque and emissions of about 150g/km, well in the ballpark of the new common-rail 2-litre diesel likely to dominate the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda ranges in the near future. It debuts in the Legacy in February and will be in the new Forester in September. But it's the prospect of a diesel Impreza, due in December, that could be the real breakthrough.

After a long spell making deeply uninspiring cars it looks like Citroen has finally got its act together. The C4, C6 and new Picasso all demonstrate style is back on the agenda and the theme looks set to continue with the new C5. It's going to have its work cut out, what with the Mondeo, Laguna and new (and very impressive) Mazda 6 all vying for a share of this high volume sector. So why should we be excited? Citroen is playing to established strengths and ensuring the new C5 boasts class leading safety innovations and ride comfort, the latter courtesy of the firm's Hydractive Plus adjustable suspension.

The Germans have long dominated the V8 super saloon sector, and with four-door and cabrio versions of the new M3 and the Mercedes C63 AMG landing next year this would seem set to continue. But here comes Lexus, roaring out of the rising sun with its IS-F. And doesn't it look wild, what with its Fast And The Furious bodykit and quirky, vertically stacked exhausts. With an eight-speed automatic gearbox (with a locking torque converter for faster shifting) and a 5-litre 417bhp V8 it's certainly got the firepower too. Can it really take on the M3 and C63? It looks good and is just what Lexus needs to inject some spark into the brand.

OK, so the Fiesta-based Fusion pseudo 4x4 didn't exactly set the world alight. But the Kuga is a whole different animal, and takes the toughened up MPV/hatchback idea to a new level. Sharply styled in Ford's 'kinetic design' language, the Kuga will no doubt be relentlessly marketed as a lifestyle accessory. But by combining the best of hatchback usefulness and wrapping it in a much more exciting looking package could be a masterstroke. Token four-wheel drive ability is part of the package, as is a Range Rover style split tailgate and engines and gearboxes from the Focus, including the 2-litre TDCI diesel engine/six-speed manual combo.

Bye bye Vectra, hello Insignia. The crucial Mondeo rival marks a departure for Vauxhall and the decision to drop the Vectra badge reflects that. Details are limited at the moment but company says the styling will be inspired by the GTC concept car shown at Geneva this year. With the new Corsa receiving wide critical acclaim for its quality feel and refinement Vauxhall will be hoping it can pull the same trick off with the Insignia and start snapping at the heels of the prestige brands that have eaten into its market. We'll find out if it has succeeded when the Insignia debuts at the British Motor Show in July.

Has Audi gone mad? A quick look at the stats for the new RS6 might be enough to make you think so. With 572bhp from a twin-turbo V10 engine, the new mega estate threatens to humble even the R8. It might weigh over two tonnes but with 479lb ft of torque from just 1500rpm the 4WD estate goes from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds and does 0-124mph in 14.9 seconds - the same as the R8. With stats like this rivals like the M5 Touring and E63 AMG estate don't have a hope and if Audi can inject some of RS4's magic into the handling it should be on to a winner.

The Lancer on which it is based will be here first but it's hard to get excited by that when the latest chapter in the Evo saga lands in March. And with the new Impreza dividing opinion could 2008 be the year Mitsubishi finally lands a decisive blow on its Subaru rival? While still pretty aggressive looking the new Evo looks less like a badly constructed Airfix kit than previous iterations, and with a new optional dual-clutch gearbox called Sport Shift Transmission (SST) it's got plenty of new features too. But has the Evo got too serious and lost the wild edge enthusiasts love? We'll find out in the spring.

OK, so it will lose the dramatic scissor doors but Renault appears serious about its glamorous take on the new Laguna. Outside of the hot Clios and Meganes the Renault isn't really associated with building exciting, sporty cars but the new coupé will feature a fancy '4RD' four-wheel steer chassis for sure-footed handling. The system has been developed by Renaultsport and if some of the sports division's handling expertise can be incorporated into the new coupé there's a hope it will be more than just a pretty face. Engine wise expect a new turbodiesel V6 to make its first appearance in the car.