Jaguar's headquarters and production were located at Browns Lane in Conventry for more than fifty years. Part of the complex included the Jaguar Heritage Museum and its collection of 150 cars, so when the Browns Lane site was sold in 2007 to an Australian developer, the countdown began on the museum's remaining time.
Now comes the formal announcement that the collection will vacate its current spot in September, the tragedy being that it might not relocate to a publicly accessible location. Museum reps say that the collection will continue to be in circulation, either on the historical circuit like Goodwood or on loan to other museums. Even now the Jaguar Heritage Museum only has about 30 cars on-site.
Nevertheless, unless another location is secured you won't be able to just show up, buy a ticket and stroll among cars like the 1935 SS Airline AWR564, 1950 Jaguar XK 120 NUB120 or 1956 Jaguar D-type 'Long Nose' 393RW. You'll also miss Austin Powers' "Shaguar," if that's more your style.
There's little question that the Jaguar XFR (pictured above at left) is an impressive cat, indeed. Five hundred horsepower and a healthy dose of British charm will do that for you, after all. The trouble is that with around 550 hp apiece, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and BMW M5 are that much more impressive. And so Jaguar is reportedly working on a hotter XFR-S.
The more extreme performance sedan has been touted for the past year or so, and has even been spied undergoing development work at the Nürburgring. Following a formula similar to what Jaguar employed to transform the XKR into the XKR-S (pictured above at center), the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 in the XFR-S would have its output - and its price - raised to compete with ze Germans. That means 550 horses and about $90,000.
Would you shell out the extra $8k over the MSRP on the existing XFR, or for that matter, choose it over its rivals? Cast your vote in our poll below.
What binds car enthusiasts to one another? A love for cars, certainly, but we'd argue there's a deeper psychological connection. Namely that we've never quite grown up, and don't really care to. We're all still the little boys we once were, hanging posters of our favorite supercars on the walls of our childhood bedrooms. The only way to convince us of the reality of our own age is to show us how old the then-new supercars we pined for as kids have now become. So it's with a big lump in our collective throat that we bring you the news that the Jaguar XJ220 is now 20 years old - and along with it, that we're all 20 years older than we were when it came out.
The first time we got a glimpse of the mid-engined XJ220 was actually back in 1988 when it debuted at the British Motor Show. But that was in concept form. It wasn't until 1992 that the first customer took delivery. And while it was a fair bit different from the concept version (okay, so the drivetrain was very different, with half the cylinders and half the driven wheels of the V12 concept), what we got was still earth-shattering in its capabilities - particularly for its time, but still by any objective measure. The production XJ220 packed 550 horsepower, hit 60 in less than four seconds and hit a top speed of 213 mph... a new record in the early 90s.
By the time production ceased two years later, Jaguar and TWR had built just 275 examples. The one pictured above is one of ten pre-production prototypes, specifically the example that Andy Wallace piloted to that landmark top speed at Ford Stockton, Texas, in 1991. The yellow example (also pictured in our high-resolution image gallery) was one of the very rare XJ220 S homologation specials with carbon fiber bodywork and 700 horsepower on tap. Click the thumbnails to scope it out and follow the jump for the full press release to take a trip back to your childhood.
This Midsize Cat Discreetly Blows Away its Competitors
The spotlight always shines on the superstars. These are the cars with the most powerful engines, largest wheels and most radical bodywork. In the midsize luxury sedan market, the brightest illumination falls on the flagships such as the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar XFR and Audi S6. These four-doors not only frequently secure the cover shots and garner the lion's share of publicity, they also carry hefty window stickers.
But take a look past the flared wheel arches, side skirts and rear decklid spoilers and drop down a big notch in price. There you will find the unexpected sleepers - vehicles that appear much like their standard siblings yet pack serious firepower under the hood and all the proper go-fast equipment to tame it.
While not everyone in the midsize luxury sedan segment offers a contender in this niche (Audi and Cadillac only muster six-cylinder power), the BMW 550i, Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic and this Jaguar XF Supercharged we recently spent a week with are prime examples of four-doors ripe for the discreet enthusiast.
Jaguar may be in no rush to bring diesel variants to the United States for anything more than a cross-country demo run. But overseas the marque's oil-burning selection keeps growing. The XF is already available in its home market with a 190-horsepower 2.2-liter diesel four, not to mention a 3.0-liter diesel V6 with 240 or 275 horsepower. But if those weren't frugal enough, Jaguar has now introduced an even more cost-effective alternative.
The same 2.2-liter diesel four can now be had in a cheaper 163-horsepower trim for a grand less, at £29,950 on-the-road price (OTR, inclusive of the 20% Value Added Tax). Considering, however, that - at 9.8 seconds - the new version takes more than a second longer to reach 62 mph from a standstill (compared to the 190hp's 8.5-second run), yet returns the same 52.3 mpg combined rating on the UK scale, we're not sure the cheaper price makes this a good value.
What the new diesel spec does offer, however, is an intriguing id to the XFR's ego: Compared to the top-of-the-line supercharged model's £65,350 OTR price, 22.5 mpg UK combined rating and 4.9 second sprint to 62, the bottom of the range is now less than half the price off the top, gets more than twice the fuel economy, and takes twice as long to reach highway speeds. Follow the jump for the full press release.
With only 350 cars built, the Jaguar XJ220 is a collector's item, but some examples are rarer than others.
Having relied heavily on Tom Walkinshaw Racing for the development of the XJ220 in the first place, Jaguar turned to the outfit when it came time to assess the possibility of a competition version. Three XJ220C race cars were born as a result, but in order to homologate them for competition, Jaguar and TWR built six roadgoing examples dubbed XJ220S. One of them is now going up for auction.
To create the XJ220S, TWR removed all the aluminum bodywork (except the doors) and replaced it with carbon fiber, adding a front splitter, rear wing and wider side sills in the process. That helped drive weight down to just over 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs), while the twin-turbo V6 was retuned to deliver 680 horsepower.
This particular car's owner recently had TWR install a titanium exhaust and recalibrate the engine output to nice round 700 hp. He also had it repainted the same shade of grey as the Lamborghini Reventon, fitted more modern headlights, and refurbished the magnesium wheels. As a result, RM Auctions expects it to fetch between $225,000 and $300,000 when it crosses the block in Arizona next month. Full details in the auction listing after the jump.
Playboy has been around since 1953 for a reason: It's an arbiter of good taste in the arena of male interests. Sure, that includes naked ladies, but it also encompasses fashion, movies, music and any other consumable that tugs at the heart strings of a man's billfold. The fashionable male of the modern era also consumes cars, and so Playboy has an opinion about which ones are worthy of their hard-earned dollars. Each year the magazine's resident four-wheel expert, Ken Gross, and its editors pick their cars of the year, and this year's list is out in the January/February issue hitting newsstands now.
We'll spoil the surprise between the pages and tell you that the magazine's overall 2012 Car of the Year is the Jaguar XKR-S. A solid pick to be sure, and an impressive win for Jag considering its company on Playboy's short list.
The Lamborghini Aventador and Bentley Continental GTC occupy the six-figure side of the list's price spectrum, while solid luxury sedans choices like the Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG offer room for some family and friends. If a sports car is what you're after, Playboy recommends the BMW 1 Series M and Ford Mustang Boss 302, while the budget-conscious among its readership should look at the Fiat 500 and Hyundai Veloster. While the list contains no serious off-roader, one could venture off your tree-lined driveway with the magazine's choice of the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, and last but not least is the Lexus CT 200h for those looking for luxury, performance, practicality and fuel efficiency in one gloriously compromised package.
You can check out the full list for yourself over at Playboy.com (yes, the page - but not the whole site - is Safe For Work), as well as vote for which vehicle you think should be Heff's Car of the Year.
The latest BMW M5, Jaguar XFR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and Porsche Panamera S all have lots of things in common. They all have four doors, V8 engines underhood, hail from high-end European automakers known for luxury and performance and can all be had for a wee bit under $100,000.
But which one is fastest?
Well, that depends on how you're planning to measure speed. Do you mean top speed? The time it takes to circle a given race track? Or do you mean in a drag race, the quintessential way to compare a car's ability to accelerate in a straight line?
If that's the case, you'll find your answer in the video after the break. You'll see each of the aforementioned automobiles lined up against one another, racing flat-out over the distance of 1,000 meters.
You may conjure up visions of luxury sedans and boulevard cruisers when you think of Jaguar, but the Leaping Cat marque has also made some wickedly fast sports cars over the years.
Foremost among them is surely the XJ220, the all-out, world-conquering supercar Coventry produced in the early '90s. A Jaguar XJ220 set the Nürburgring lap record in 1992 when John Nielsen recorded a 7:46 lap - a record that held until it was finally unseated at the turn of the millennium.
The question is, could Jaguar's latest production model match the aging Super Cat for pace around the Norschleife? To find out, Evo's Chris Harris took the new XKR-S down to Eifel and brought along the XJ220... piloted by the same John Nielsen, no less. Follow the jump to see how it went down.
It likely comes as no shock to hear we're all sorts of excited about the prospect of a Jaguar XF Sportbrake. Even though we know the model may never show up on our shores, we're happier in a world in which a machine like this exists. Ivan Martinovic has been so kind as to render what the longroof XF may look like once Jaguar strips off all the swirls. Is it faithful to the final product? Your guess is as good as ours, but we're hoping the production version has a bit more elegance to its rear when it drops.
As we've already heard, the XF Sportbrake is an attempt for Jaguar to snap up buyers who would otherwise spend their hard-earned cash at their local BMW or Audi dealership. Jaguar has made it clear that its new wagon won't be coming to the U.S. due to a tangle of federal regulations. That means we won't get to cram the family in this luxury hauler any time soon. More importantly, it means the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon and the inevitable - we hope - Jaguar XFR Sportbrake will simply have to glare at one another from the across the pond. Head over to PS Garage for a closer look.
There are plenty of attributes we associate with Jaguar. Luxurious, powerful and attractive all spring readily to mind, but we're not sure we'd tie the world "playful" to the brand. Jaguar seems to think otherwise, and has released a new ad showing three of its most sultry models frolicking about in jungles both natural and urban. The spot ends with the tagline "Welcome To Our Jungle," though Axl Rose and Slash are conspicuously absent.
The XJL Supersport, XFR and XKR-S all share some time on screen set to a little Spanish guitar and the bark of delicious supercharged 5.0-liter V8 exhaust notes. The agency behind the spot, Spark44, says that the goal was to show the vehicles as animate, fun objects.
We can certainly attest to these vehicles' ability to paint a smile on your face. The ad does still seem plenty conservative, however. While there's a bit of sideways action here and there, the vehicles mostly seem constrained to speed limits and turn taking. We want to see some sibling rivalry. Hit the jump to check out the full clip for yourself.
Toyota FT86 and Subaru BRZ, Chevrolet Volt fires, Maybach done, Jaguar XF Sportbrake, Cadillac diesel
Episode #258 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan and Zach this week. Topics include the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ coupes, the investigation into Chevrolet Volt fires, Mercedes-Benz winding down Maybach, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, and the possibility of diesel-powered Cadillacs. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
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We record Episode #258 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
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It was confirmed over the summer that Jaguar was working on an XF wagon, and now the spy photogs at KGP have caught it testing. We've been told it's called the XF Sportbrake, and it's hard to pin down the exact lines in back with those bulging light units, but it should make itself right at home in the handsome XF line.
This car will begin the expansion of Jaguar's lower-end offerings as it tries to win over the buyers that have been lining up for Audi and Mercedes wagons. The last time Jaguar had an entry level load-lugger, the unlamented X-Type Estate. The XF Sportbrake, even with the swirlies and disguised taillights, already looks promising, and we know from experience that the 2012 XF sedan is a terrific driver.
Don't get too excited about it, though, because it's not heading Stateside. Jaguar's U.S. VP of communications released this statement:
Today in the news from the UK, Jaguar Cars confirmed the ongoing development and testing of a new Jaguar XF derivative, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake (a sport wagon). No vehicle information is being released at this time. Please be aware, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake is not scheduled to come to North America due to significant design changes that would be required to meet U.S. federal regulations.
So there. You can admire it from afar in the attached photo gallery, at least.
The droptop version of the Jaguar XKR-S - the one introduced to the U.S. at the LA Auto Show that's already sold out - has been thrown around the Nürburgring by test driver Sascha Bert, and the recipe contains all the basic ingredients: a lot of music and suspension travel, a little bit of roaring and opposite lock. You knew this was coming, but that doesn't make it any less fun to watch when it happens, right?
Four minutes and 26 seconds of your day will disappear right after the jump...
With the X-Type standing as a rare exception, for the entirety of its history, Jaguar has meant rear-wheel drive. Want drive at all four corners? That's what its sister brand, Land Rover, has been for. But not everyone who wants luxury with foul weather prowess wants an SUV. In fact, a growing number of luxury sedan buyers look for power channeled to all four wheels, and Jaguar apparently thinks it can no longer afford to sit by and watch those buyers go to the likes of Audi (with its iconic Quattro models), BMW (with its xDrive offerings) and Mercedes-Benz (which offers 4Matic on several models).
As a result, a new story from Autocar indicates that Jaguar is preparing to launch all-wheel drive versions of the XF and /or XJ sedans. The move is targeted specifically at "the snowbelt of America," where Jaguar reportedly believes all-wheel-drive vehicles account for some 70 percent of sales.
The development of an all-wheel drive system is likely being conducted in conjunction with Land Rover, and is expected to arrive within the next two years. The project is being given a higher priority than the development of hybrid propulsion, since Jaguar estimates that its buyers are more willing to pony up for an extra set of driving wheels than a battery pack and a pair of electric motors.
When we think of British automobiles, they tend to land in one of two extremes: big luxury vehicles from Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Range Rover on the one hand, and Mini on the other. Both extremes are quintessentially British, but if any company can bridge that divide, it's Jaguar.
The Coventry marque makes vehicles of various sizes, and if its design chief has his way, it could branch southwards into the city car segment. Speaking with Britain's What Car? magazine, Ian Callum expressed his viewpoint that a properly high-end small hatchback, coupe or sedan could anchor the shallow end of the company's lineup, though he did qualify that his was a "personal view."
In that respect, any such car would be following in the footsteps of former sister-company and longtime rival Aston Martin - whose DB7, Vanquish and Vantage were also designed by Callum - which recently teamed up with Toyota to offer the Cygnet city car. As long as Callum doesn't envision a Tata Nano with a Leaping Cat on the hood, we'll wait and see how this turns out.
Jaguar has pulled the covers off its 2012 XKR-S Convertible here at the LA Auto Show, the droptop variant of the XKR-S Coupe which arrived earlier this year. Fitted with a power-operated folding cloth roof, the two-door takes its passengers from shade to sun in just 18 seconds at the touch of a button.
The most powerful and fastest open-topped GT Jaguar has ever built, the new flagship convertible is fitted with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 rated at 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. With a standard six-speed paddle-shifted automatic, acceleration to 60 mph from a standstill takes just 4.2 seconds, says the automaker. Top speed for this king of the XK range is 186 mph.
In addition to its upgraded suspension, there are a host of aggressive functional aero bits including a carbon fiber front splitter, side sills and a carbon fiber rear valance. Inside, there are 16-way adjustable sport seats trimmed in carbon leather.
Each XKR-S Convertible carries a sticker price of $138,875 (including $875 destination), which represents a $6,000 premium over its closed-rood coupe sibling. Limited to just 25 units in the States, all have reportedly been sold in advance of the car's debut.
It's not every day that you see a diesel Jaguar XF on these shores. In fact, at least officially, there's only one. And it just completed a cross-country road trip that took it from New York to Los Angeles.
The trip kicked off last week in the Big Apple and just wrapped up earlier this week in LA. Over the course of the eight-day journey across eleven states, three time zones and 2,884 miles, the bone-stock XF with the 2.2-liter diesel four averaged a highly impressive 62.9 miles per gallon (even better than the previous European tour), hitting a peak of 67 mpg as it approached the West Coast.
Not too shabby, especially for a luxury sedan that is, at the end of the day, anything but a lightweight. Check out the updated image gallery to see how the oil-burning Jag progressed, and follow the jump for the official press release.
Earlier today at a private event in Los Angeles, Jaguar presented an updated version of the C-X16 Concept that initially debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in September. The car, freshly clad in a coat of White Pearl paint, was presented by Jaguar design chief Ian Callum who all but confirmed that a version of the C-X16 would be put into production.
The C-X16 Concept certainly looks ready to takes its place as a modern rendition of the E-Type with various design cues that pay tribute to the legendary two-seater. The technical aspects of the car are anything but retro, however, with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 under the hood paired with an electric motor built into the 8-speed transmission. The combination produces 468 horsepower and 505 lb-ft torque, which Jaguar says is good for a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph.
Whether items like the hybrid power system will make it into production is certainly questionable, along with the trick side-opening rear hatch (an E-type tribute) and the stunning red leather interior with carbon fiber race seats that are more likely to remain conceptual features only.
You can see our live photos of the updated C-X16 Concept sporting its new White Pearl paint in the high-res gallery above.
