Last week we posted a story about a cross country trip that Jaguar was doing in a euro-spec Jaguar XF equipped with a 2.2 liter diesel.

Well, they've completed their trip, traveling 2,884 miles across the United States of Americaland, from New York, to California.

They averaged 52.3 MPG! Mind you, this is a full size luxury sedan, with navigation, heated seats, and room for five adults to sit comfortably.

So here's the thing, this blows the Toyota Prius out of the water, why can't we have this in the United States?

Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Kindle Fire vs. iPad vs. iPhone Comparison

By Scott Brady

As long-time Amazon Prime members, we ordered an early release Kindle Fire for evaluation.  Given the form factor, we considered its suitability for adventure travel.  Being just in the middle of the iPad and iPhone on size, the Fire immediately feels more portable and with the rubber surround, more robust.  
Without question, the Fire lacks some critical functionality native on the iPad, principally the navigation apps and available GPS chipset.  This is important for the traveler, in particular those who venture off of the beaten path by adventure motorcycle or 4wd.

Phase 1: Intro; Northern/Central Mexico

Most Americans drool over the legendary Land Rover Defender 110, and especially ones newer than 25 years old, which cannot be legally imported & registered in the United States. Friend & Overland Journal contributor, Cyril Mischler, while living in Guatemala purchased a 2007 model and did a Dormobile conversion with the purpose of doing a several-month overland adventure in the American Southwest with his wife, daughter, & dog. Upon completion of that trip, he initially left the vehicle parked at his parent’s house in Phoenix. Later, it would be parked at Overland Journal headquarters in Prescott, and will be published as a Feature Vehicle in an upcoming issue in 2012.

Well, the time came for the vehicle to go back to its origins: Antigua, Guatemala. Cyril invited me to be his co-driver, since the nearly 5,000-km journey would be quite strenuous for just one person to undertake in a short timespan. We’re both fluent in Spanish & somewhat well versed in international travel, so the idea of making a quick trip through Mexico didn’t even faze us. So thus begins the adventure south by a Frenchman & American in a Guatemalan-plated British vehicle.

Electric Motorcycles: Soon to be flying through the air on a television near you!

At Expedition Portal - We’re all a huge fan of alternative fuels and energy. We love seeing products made more environmentally friendly - especially when they can be made fun and interesting. That is why we’re so exited about the new Freeride E from KTM, the first production electric motorcycle from a major manufacturer. The Freeride isn’t meant to be a commuter motorcycle, or to drive around the world. It’s meant to do wheelies, big ones. The recipe is simple, 200 lbs + 42 nm of torque at 1 RPM = wheelie.

Freeride bikes aren’t for expeditions -  that’s why they’re a perfect candidate for an electric drivetrain. KTM has made some great additions to what we’ve already seen come out of the electric motorcycle industry. They’ve included an easily removable battery in the Freeride E, with a run time of what KTM calls “20 minutes professional, 45 minutes amateur.” The charge time is a respectable 90 minutes to full capacity.

The Freeride E has instant power, no clutch, and no foot controls. Where the clutch would normally be located there is a rear brake, just like the bicycle you rode as a kid. Allowing you to concentrate more on your riding, and less on what your feet are doing.

KTM is clear to say that the 300v brushless motor and drivetrain is completely sealed from dust and water. They also mention that you’d be able to power wash the bike just like you would your other off road toys. We’re waiting to see if this drivetrain makes it into any of KTM’s Adventure models - we’d really, really start to get exited then.

You can find more information on the KTM Freeride E on their website

I received a call from the nice folks at Land Rover last week. They mentioned that they would have the new DC100 concept in LA for the Auto Show this week.

If you haven't already heard, the DC100 is a design concept to look at possible replacement options for the Defender.

Since they were going to be arriving in LA a couple of days before the vehicle had to be on the stand, they asked if I'd like to come out and give it a go.

I of course said YES! I didn't even ask if I'd have to raffle off a first-born or a couple of limbs.

Upon arrival I was handed the keys to the Sport version.

I'm going to tell you something that is genuinely frustrating for me. There's a country, it's called Brazil, besides being known for the Amazon, Carnival, and Samba music; it's known as being the last country in the world where you can buy a brand new Volkswagen T2 Bus. This isn't the "Eurovan" that VW would like you to believe is the modern day reincarnation of the T2, it's the real thing, called the Volkswagen Kombi. The same thing you could buy in the 60's in the USA is still being sold in Brazil. The frustrating part? I can’t get my paws on one.

It was a fall day in Prescott, the smell of autumn in the air. In fact, I remember it like it was just yesterday. I was at the Overland Journal - Adventure Trailers open house, the crowd was beaming with excitement and curiosity. A new vehicle had just pulled into the gathering, a vehicle that you really can’t compare anything to.  The new vehicle immediately took away the star power of the Jeep J8; a vehicle one in its own in the US, sitting just a few paces away.