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$4.5M Maryland mansion has a brick street with classic cars in its basement

At one extremely large residence in Potomac, Maryland, the residents need not call the driver to head into town. Instead, the people who lived and will live in this house can simply take a walk downstairs to hit up the post office, or the theater, or the massage parlor. These faux shops are just a small part of a re-created old-style downtown strip, complete with a brick drive and classic collector cars.  Brought to light by Twitter user @victoriaxxviii, 11610 Highland Farm Road, Potomac, Maryland, is a 12,089-square-foot gated mansion that sits on four acres, with the opportunity to buy two more next to it. It has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms in the main house, a guest house with two bedrooms and a bathroom, and a pool house with a full kitchen and a bathroom. The place also has a heated pool and a tennis court. Yet, none of that would be of interest if not for the items hidden in the home's finished basement.  Best understood by seeing the photos above, the lower level of the house was built to resemble an old town. In addition to the aforementioned stores, it also has a sports shop, a flower shop, an inn, a tattoo parlor, a church, and most important, an auto repair shop and gas station. The repair shop is key, as there are several collectible cars positioned throughout the winding town road. Seen in the photos are a Citroen 2CV, a Jaguar E-Type roadster, a scooter, and a third vintage car that appears to be from the '20s or '30s.  The house was built in 1987 and features four garage spots. It is currently listed for $4.5 million, but it is unclear if the downstairs cars are included in the purchase. Visit Washington Fine Properties for more photos of the house and extra information about its amenities. Related Video:    

Jaguar Land Rover puts the freeze on wounded soldier-athletes [w/video]

For athletes, the cold is often a powerful ally in treating injures, with RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) a popular means of treating muscle pulls, bruising and other common forms of discomfort. Did you know, though, that frosty temps are also popular tools for simply recovering from a rough training session?
Well, we're guessing Jaguar Land Rover knew that, as the British company was kind enough to loan out its climactic testing chamber to Jaco van Gass and Luke Darlington, a pair of veterans wounded in their service to Queen and Country. Van Gass, a former private in the Royal Army, and Darlington, a Royal Marine, are attempting to earn a spot on the British Armed Forces cycling team for the upcoming Invictus Games.
The Games, inspired by the Warrior Games held in the United States, are a sporting competition reserved for injured servicemen and women, either active duty or veterans, and is slated to take place from September 10 to 14 in London's former Olympic venues. Van Gass lost his left arm below the elbow after getting hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (he also suffered from a collapsed lung, punctured internal organs, severe shrapnel and blast wounds, a broken tibia and a fractured knee). Darlington, meanwhile, suffered a traumatic brain injury during action in Afghanistan, and he now suffers from weakness in his right side and cognitive issues.

Jaguar brings the new XKSS to Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno is no stranger to the Jaguar XKSS, having driven Steve McQueen's no less. But that doesn't mean he would turn down a chance at another one, and certainly not the continuation model seen in this week's Jay Leno's Garage. This particular XKSS is the first of nine cars built to complete the car's original 1957 production run, which was cut short in a factory fire. The video covers many of the fascinating details that went into recreating the XKSS. Among them are Jaguar's acquisition of an original D-Type engine block to make new castings, and even replicating the type of type of steering wheel used back in the day. Most of the vehicle is made to be identical to the originals, with only a few changes made for usability. This includes better quality materials for the brake lines, and ethanol-resistant materials for the fuel tank. Because this particular XKSS was on its way to the LA Auto Show (where we saw it debut at the Petersen Museum), Leno didn't get a chance to take it for a spin. However, snippets of his drive in McQueen's car were added, since it's the same car for all intents and purposes. What Leno emphasizes is how modern the car feels, also noting that it feels lighter than many other classic Jaguars. To see all the details and impressions, check out the video above. Related Video: