Click for a hi-res gallery of the Jaguar XK convertible
When Jaguar launched the current-generation XK in all its feline ferocity, it reportedly promised that the car would only be offered with gasoline engines. But that was a couple of years ago, around the same time that Audi began to dominate Le Mans racing with its R10 TDI, when BMW put the 3-liter turbodiesel into the 6 Series, but more importantly, before the current fuel crunch made consumers reexamine the prospect of driving a diesel sportscar.
That's why reports now suggest that Jaguar is preparing a diesel version of the XK. Based on the 2.7-liter V6 turbodiesel used in its sedans, the XK is tipped to receive a more powerful 3-liter version with 250 hp - still short of the BMW 635d's 290, but still capable of returning over 30 mpg with torque to spare. Whether the diesel XK would make it to the American market remains doubtful, however.
The original XK120 was an impressive car for its time. Introduced at the 1948 London Motor Show, it wooed onlookers with its sleek design and a 3.4-liter straight-six developing 160 horsepower. It's 120 mph top speed made it the world's fastest production car at the time and over the years, other XK's followed the original's footsteps -- the XK140 in 1955 and the XK150 in 1958 -- both named for their top speed capabilities. Then there's the XKSS, the road-going version of the D-Type race car of which only sixteen were produced. Jaguar will be celebrating these legendary cars at this year's British Motor Show with the XK60, named to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the original XK120. Jaguar is mum about the features of the XK60, but we'll be sure to bring you all the details when it is officially unveiled on July 22.
Click on the above image for our high-res photo gallery of the XF-R
Less than two months after Jaguar XF-R spy shots (followed by a second set) emerged, our man on the ground at the Goodwood Festival of Speed spotted the real thing doing double-time in front of the crowd. He was quick enough to snap five good shots of the fast cat at speed. Power is speculated to be in the 500 hp range, courtesy of a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. Riding on performance rubber wrapped around 20-inch wheels, the sleek sedan will be sure to sink claws into its German rivals when it rolls into showrooms next year.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is claimed to be "... the world's biggest and most diverse celebration of the history of motor sport and car culture." Held on the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England, the event was founded in 1933 and has grown over the years to include a hill climb race, rally stage, design competition, technology showcase, and air show (this year's show will feature a fly-over by the Airbus A380). To celebrate 60 years of the XK, Jaguar will be bringing more than a few special cars to Goodwood this week. They include the XKR-S (the fastest ever production XK), XK 140, XK 120 'Montlhéry' Fixed Head Coupe, D-type "Long Nose," and the XK 120 "NUB 120" (shown above). All will be accompanied by Jaguar's Le Mans winning XJR-9. This is an annual event you don't want to miss. Don't lose sleep if you can't be there in person this year... we've got someone on the ground covering everything beginning Friday.
The 2009 Jaguar XK-R has been spotted and shot doing the rounds in Europe. With so many other pots on the boil, like the XF-R and the new XJ, the XK-R is going the subtle route when it comes to changes. Up front, new intakes will be fitted under the headlights, while out back LED tail lights will be fitted in place of the standard units. One change we are most excited to hear about is the swap from a telescoping aerial to a shark fin on the deck lid. On the convertible, the raised aerial caused all kinds of wind noise, which, frankly, was unacceptable on a $100K car. Inside you'll find, ta-da, Jaguar Drive. The final version of Jaguar's hottest kitten will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show.
Ratan Tata, the man and mover behind Tata motors, is doing a Meet the Parents tour with Jaguar's oldest and largest U.S. dealers. As the best businesspeople do, he is flying across the States to meet the men and women in charge of his newest brand. Incredibly, it is the first time he has ever stepped inside a Jaguar dealership.
Ratan has probably gone on the whistle-stop tour not only to get to know his dealers, but so his new partners could get a glimpse of the man they've all been wary of ever since Tata emerged as a front-running buyer for the brand. What were dealers telling him? They want they want a convertible sports car like the F-Type, a convertible XJ, and an even more upscale car to compete with Bentley.
Dealer reaction has been effusive. The head of Jaguar's dealer council -- who said India was no place for Jaguar -- reversed himself after meeting Tata, saying flat out, "I was wrong." And said Norm Aron, owner of a 55-year-old dealership in Illinois, "I'm telling you this: He's going to make something out of Jaguar. We're in good hands now." Score one for Mr. Tata, and please, Ratan, keep it up. Thanks for the tip, Mannix!
If you have a passion for Tata-owned British luxury vehicles and you're willing to move to central England, then Jaguar/Land Rover may have the opportunity of a lifetime for you. The newly Indian-owned British marques are looking to fill 600 positions to beef up their engineering staffs that work on emissions performance. Both experienced engineers and yungins fresh out of college are needed, as well as a few HR schmucks and some purchasing and finance bean counters. The reason for the new hires includes tough new European CO2 emissions targets coupled with the fact that former parent Ford Motor Company had been supplying much of the brain-power to meet those targets. Many earth-saving technologies have already been developed, like an engine stop/start system for Land Rover, but more bodies are needed if game-changing products like the LRX are to see the light of day. If you apply, remember that reading Autoblog daily is considered a total asset by HR people.
We're back for a fifth week in a row, a recent record at the very least. Chris, Sam, and Dan edge us ever closer to number 100 with Autoblog Podcast #98. Of note this week, we cover the new SVT Truck from Ford, whatever it'll be called, as well as BMW's Light Visionary Model, the Le Mans finish, burnouts in a CTS-V, and the impending tumble into a gaping chasm of suck into which NBC might soon take us when the U.S.-spec Top Gear debuts. A stroll through the Autoblog Garage is in there, too, plus the usual insight and witticisms. Please keep the emails rolling in to podcast at autoblog dawt com with comments and suggestions, especially any good ideas for the soon-arriving episode 100. Thanks for listening, see you next week!
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A few weeks ago we would have baulked at the thought of someone paying $7 million for a car, except that some crazy Brit paid a record $10.8 million for a California Spyder last month. Still, it seems like a lot of money to pay for a car, even for this one-off racing prototype Jaguar E2A that Bonhams will be auctioning off in Monterey this August. Undoubtedly the car's biggest draw is its link between the legendary D-Type race cars that won Le Mans three times and the E-Type production cars. It was also driven competitively by Dan Gurney, Walt Hansgen, Jack Brabham, and Bruce McLaren. While we don't know if this will be enough to demand $7 million, we will be on hand in Monterey to bring you the results, as well as additional coverage of all the events during the Pebble Beach weekend in mid-August.Thanks for the tip, Alex!
The two sedans may look like Jaguar S-Types, but according to Fast Lane Daily's spy shot A-Team, they aren't. They are actually XF-R mules disguised as S-Types with large wheels and big, bulging fender flares. They were caught during hot weather testing recently in Death Valley, U.S.A., and FSD reports that their engines did not sound supercharged, a la the XK-R. Rather, they sounded like the naturally aspirated V8 from the Aston Martin Vantage. Though they're not part of the same happy Ford family anymore, Jaguar could now buy engines from Aston Martin and not worry about stepping on the toes of its sister company. However, this is the first we've heard of the engine in the XF-R not being supercharged, so take it with a big grain of salt for now. Follow the jump to check out the latest episode of Fast Lane Daily that features more of these XF-R mules, and check out our own gallery of the XF-R prototype below.
It looks as if Ford is finally putting a fork in the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors... it's done. According to a statement from Ford, which can be read after the break, the sale of the two British automakers has been officially finalized as of today. Ford also wishes the best for its recently departed companies and their employees. Awww, isn't that sweet? We're glad we can all still be friends.
At Jaguar Land Rover, things seem to be business as usual. The company has announced that its new proud papa, Tata Motors, has named former CFO David Smith the new CEO for Jaguar and Land Rover. You may recall the untimely death of Geoff Polites, the company's previous CEO. Today's announcement of Smith's new appointment comes right on schedule based on past information provided by the company. Smith has already been the acting CEO since Polites' death late last April.
With the cash-infusion that Jaguar and Land Rover are getting from their recent acquisition by Tata Motors, hybrid vehicle development for the two brands is now underway. Indeed, production hybrid vehicles are expected within the next five years. A three-liter liter diesel six cylinder engine, an enlarged version of the current 2.7 liter, and a new five-liter direct injected V8 will be used for these planned hybrids. While JLR knows it wants a hybrid, the exact system for development is still under debate. Mercedes plans to use a new transmission from supplier ZF for its upcoming S-Class, and Jaguar is said to be considering this unit as well. According to Autocar, another option for Land Rover is known internally as the 'Electric Rear Axle Drive' electric motor.
Both Jaguar and Land Rover have recently received government funding for the development of eco-friendly technologies, and much of the work for the upcoming hybrids is expected to be completed as part of these initiatives.
Proving that Jaguar is truly serious about dumping its staid, old man-ish image is a lone spy shot of the upcoming redesigned XJ sedan's new interior. True, Jag's bread-and-butter sedan has not seen much in the way of changes since... well, never, but we weren't sure just how far Jaguar management was willing to go for its interior redesign. As it turns out, they didn't go very far at all, as the new XJ's duds seem to closely mimic those of its little sibling, the new XF sedan. Gone is the sweeping swath of wood. In its place is a large leather-lined panel that also houses a big touchscreen, which has proven to be refreshingly easy to use in past Jaguar models.
Also making the jump from XF to XJ is the now familiar rotary gear selector called Jaguar Drive, which rises from its console-mounted position when the vehicle is started. In the XF, this is all part of the so-called "Jaguar handshake," and we'd bet that the starting procedure will stay roughly the same in the new XJ. While some may miss the old-world atmosphere with which Jaguar has soldiered on for so long, we find the new-look interior absolutely stunning in the XF. And while we're sure that it won't be exactly what we see in this spy shot, we look forward to seeing it in person in the next XJ, as well.
Still mourning the untimely passing of CEO Geoff Polites, Jaguar and Land Rover have been managed in the interim by chief financial officer David Smith. But as the British automakers transition ownership from Ford to Indian automaker Tata, the twin companies are preparing to name a new chief executive.
Since initially announcing the deal, Tata has reiterated that it wanted to retain as much of the current management as possible. However, many of the jobs that were once managed by Ford and its Premier Auto Group, under which Jaguar and Land Rover fell, will need to be filled. As a result, the automakers are reportedly recruiting externally for several senior positions. Whether Tata ultimately decides to promote from within or hire a new chief executive from outside the company remains to be seen, but an announcement is expected as early as June 2.
Click above for high-res gallery of new Jaguar XF-R spy shots
Yesterday we showed you the first clear spy shots of Jaguar's upcoming XF-R super sedan courtesy of CAR, but our own photogs have caught a black version of the cat driving around city streets in the UK, and we thought they'd be the perfect accompaniment to the tuna fish sandwich you're eating in your cubicle right now. We think the exterior mods are even more apparent on this car than the white one caught yesterday. Black tape can be clearly seen surrounding new hood vents and also adorns the more sinister front air dam that we're guessing gulpa a lot more air than the standard XF. The traditionally chromed vertical fender vents now match the jet black body color of the car, as do the new side sills that give it even more curves. New 20-inch wheels with a turbine-style design are fitted and project the appropriate degree of mechanical competence this car will offer, while quad exhaust tips out back complete the transformation. As we mentioned yesterday, speculation says power will be provided by a direct-inject, supercharged V8 producing 500 horsepower. The German super sedans must be at least a little worried, because not only will the XF-R be just as fast as them, in our opinion it looks a whole lot better, too.
As our First Drive suggests, the new Jaguar XF is the most fun you can have behind the wheel of a modern-day Jag, but that doesn't mean that Coventry is resting on its laurels. An XF-R prototype has been spotted undergoing testing and judging by the exterior mods alone, Jaguar has Germany's super sedans set in its sights.
The cloaked from fascia appears to get a set of larger air intakes on either side of the bumper, along with hood vents that hint at the beast that lies beneath. Car is speculating that Jag will use a direct-injected, supercharged 5.0-liter V8 to put out over 500 hp, while simultaneously keeping emissions in check. Other exterior changes include color-matched side sills (in favor of the chrome vents on the standard XF), a new 20-inch wheel design, quad tailpipes, a subtle rear spoiler and possibly a rear diffuser. Expect the Jaguar XF-R to make its debut sometime next year.
For decades, Ford has carried Jaguar like an 800 lb guerrilla on the company's back. And just as Ford is able to unload the money-burning British marque, the leaping cat responds by posting its first sales increase in two years. Jaguar's April sales were up a ridiculous 69.6% in Europe, and while Automotive News somehow gives credit for this sales success to Tata Motors, it likely has a hell of a lot more to do with the all-new XF sedan. Jaguar has 18,000 customers in line for the new 4-door, which has given sales figures a big lift while helping other Jags leave the dealer lot, too. The slow-selling X-Type and the underrated XJ also got a lift from the extra showroom traffic.
At first glance, it appears Ford's luck just can't change, as Jaguar is finally looking interesting just as the Blue Oval sells it off. What's more likely is that Ford wouldn't have gotten as much cash for the leaping cat if it couldn't dangle a hot-looking sedan to potential suitors.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Arden Jaguar XF AJ 21.
Last month, we got a sneak peak at Arden's interpretation of the Jaguar XF, with its aggressive front fascia, LED running lights and rear brake cooling ducts integrated into the side skirts. Now, we've got the official details on the AJ 21 and as is almost always the case, the mods are hardly skin-deep.
The top of the line, supercharged V8 engine has been stroked out from 4.2- to 4.5-liters, with output cresting the 500 hp mark. To make better use of those additional ponies, Arden developed a sports suspension to keeps things planted at speed, while 21-inch "Sportline" wheels are up to the task of combining a bit of style with a dose of functionality. Arden is developing packages for the entire range of XFs, but if we had to choose one, this is it.
For Jaguar fans, the one car that's been missing from the lineup for far too long is a direct replacement for the legendary E-Type. While Jaguar tried to compete on volume with Mercedes and BMW by producing cars like the S-Type and X-Type, concepts like the 2000 F-Type were left to whither on the vine. Now that Jaguar is under new management from the sub-continent, things are starting to change. A new, smaller sports car along the lines of the F-Type now seems to be set to arrive, perhaps as soon as 2012. Unlike the concept that looked like a smaller version of the previous generation XK, the production roadster is likely to take cues from new Jags, including the recently launched XF and the upcoming XJ. Power is expected to be provided by a variant of the current 3.0-liter Duratec, and while a turbocharged, direct-injected V6 variant of Ford's EcoBoost might not be out the question, it remains highly unlikely. The other question would be the name. Now that Jaguar has a pattern with XF, XK and XJ, it seems unlikely the new roadster will get badged as an F-Type. Do we hear XD, hearkening back to the old D-type?
The sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata means that the two British marques will have to look elsewhere for the parts normally supplied by Ford. Following the news that Daimler could be a supplier to both automakers comes word from Dr. Z himself that a deal is a distinct possibility.
Daimler holds a seven-percent stake in Tata Motors, which could make an easy case for Mercedes to supply Jag and L.R. with the necessary components to wean them off of Ford. Dieter Zetsche told Auto Motor und Sport that, "If Ratan Tata approaches us regarding the supply of components, we would be open to talks." AMG-powered XF, anyone?
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
We're back for a fifth week in a row, a recent record at the very least. Chris, Sam, and Dan edge us ever closer to number 100 with Autoblog Podcast #98. Of note this week, we cover the new 
