As the US elected Barack...

As the US elected Barack Obama as its next president, we celebrated the work of another famous American with a strong vision for the future тЂ“ Henry Ford.

For the first time, we assembled the firmтЂ™s finest sporting cars in one place to produce a definitive list of the best fast Fords ever. We pitted classics such as the Lotus Cortina and Capri against more modern exotica including the RS200 Group B rally car and stunning GT super-coupé. We also rooted out more obscure creations, such as the Granada Scorpio V6 and Escort RS1600i. In the end, the honour of being Auto ExpressтЂ™s favourite fast Ford went to the 1986 Sierra RS Cosworth. That same month, we broke news of another fascinating creation from the firm тЂ“ the B-MAX. The Fiesta-based supermini-MPV is certain to be a hit with families.

Our exclusive images showed the chunky newcomer will be significantly more attractive than the Fusion it replaces when sales start in 2010.

Firm finally reveals its new saloon (Issue 1,040)

A ROLLERCOASTER year for Porsche was rounded off with another shock. No sooner had we sampled the facelifted Boxster S, than the Stuttgart marque unveiled its much hyped four-door luxury saloon, the Panamera. Following in the tracks of the firmтЂ™s Cayenne SUV, the Panamera divided opinion with its elongated looks and ungainly overhangs. Only time will tell if the project is a step too far for Porsche.

Last of the line goes out with a bang (Issue 1,037)

THE 200mph Mercedes SLR McLaren supercar bowed out in style in November, and our exclusive story revealed that the German firm was planning to auction off the final model тЂ“ a unique car with bespoke Sienna Pearl metallic paint and a one-off Tobacco Brown interior. Mercedes also announced that proceeds from the auction would go to charity.

Spares tested (Issue 1,038)

How safe is your space-saver? ThatтЂ™s what our test team wanted to find out when it assessed emergency tyres. As an increasing number of space-savers are supplied instead of full-size spares, many drivers face the prospect of having to get home on spindly looking emergency rubber. Our test revealed RenaultтЂ™s latest 80mph-rated tyre is one of the safest, while SubaruтЂ™s 50mph-rated rim is far from ideal. MINIтЂ™s run-flats and VWтЂ™s foam-sealant ContiSeal rubber also got the thumbs-up.

Sounding off about emissions rules (Issue 1,037)

DEVOTEES of oil-burners got a shock when we revealed the latest dervs are getting noisier! The news came as car makers got to grips with Euro V emissions regulations, which have forced engineers to compromise between emissions, fuel consumption and refinement. We discovered one of the many new models affected is the Vauxhall Insignia. The firm is working on a solution, but a spokesman admitted to Auto Express: тЂњNoise can increase, due to delayed combustion.тЂќ

Behind the wheel of BMWтЂ™s plug-in prototype (Issue 1,040)

When the announcement came from MINI that its new electric variant would be faster than a Cooper, we suspected someone at the firmтЂ™s Munich HQ got their sums wrong. However, when we climbed aboard for our post-Los Angeles Motor Show first drive, we soon realised the bold claim was anything but hot air. Our testers reported the battery-powered model delivered lively performance and had an impressive 280-mile range on a single charge. BMW told us the initial trial, carried out in the US, would be followed by one in Germany.

тЂ�BritishтЂ™ brands revived (Issue 1,039)

Fans of the MG and Rover brands got an early Christmas present when we revealed that the two marquesтЂ™ Chinese owners were putting the finishing touches to the cars which would spearhead their glorious return to British showrooms. Our exclusive images of the new MG ZS showed that parent company NAC really is serious about taking on the likes of the Ford Focus and the next-generation Vauxhall Astra. Rover fans also received some welcome news after we secured a drive in the Roewe 550 тЂ“ the car that is scheduled to make an appearance on these shores next year.

Radical Jag (Issue 1,040)

THE hotly anticipated XF coupé moved a step closer to reality, as we unveiled exclusive images. Created using insider information, we showed a dramatic profile and design cues taken from the firmтЂ™s original C-XF concept. Jaguar bosses said they were committed to production as soon as 2010, adding that a roadster version was also likely.

Change to Euro safety test (Issue 1,040)

Drivers who see motoring as a pain in the neck had even more cause to grumble when Euro NCAP introduced a whiplash score for its car safety ratings. Its revised data showed a number of previously high-scoring models such as the Peugeot 308 CC and Ford Kuga fared much worse as a result. However, the new procedure wonтЂ™t be introduced officially until February.

Lewis gets licked! (Issue 1,040)

How do you speed up the post? Stick a Lewis Hamilton stamp on the envelope! We revealed the Post OfficeтЂ™s plan to honour BritainтЂ™s newly crowned Formula One champion with a set of commemorative stamps. A spokesman said a decision on the design was тЂ�under consideration.тЂ™ The Brit became the youngest-ever F1 world champ when he beat Felipe Massa by one point.