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Jaguar's electric speedboat smashes decade-old record

We knew Jaguars prowl on dry land, but apparently they dabble with water, too. Jaguar teamed up with powerboat racing specialist Vector and Williams Advanced Engineering to beat the existing British and world records for fastest battery-powered boat with some expertise from Jaguar's Formula E team. The team had to top 76.8 mph, a record set in 2008 by Helen Loney in her Firefly electric hydroplane with Agni motors. The attempt was made in the same location, Coniston Water in the English Lake District, where speedboat record runs have been made since the days of Sir Malcolm Campbell as early as the 1930s, and son Sir Donald Campbell into the 1950s and 1960s – including the fateful record attempt that cost the younger Campbell his life in 1967. The company's documented the attempt in the video shown above. It reveals that the 2008 record wasn't easy to beat. At first, pilot and Jaguar Vector co-founder Peter Dredge managed to get the boat to 76.6 mph – annoyingly close to, and just under, the record. But a later run rewarded the team's efforts, with a clear improvement of nearly 12 mph, making the new record 88.61 miles per hour. This achievement is also impressive considering that Jaguar and Vector only announced their partnership in October 2017, so progress has been swift. The tech in the boat is reportedly derived from Formula E technology, though Jaguar Vector and Williams Advanced Engineering have not disclosed the boat's exact specifications nor what parts are based on Jaguar Formula E car parts. Related Video: Green Jaguar Electric Racing Vehicles Videos williams advanced engineering

New Jaguar F-Type to launch — maybe literally — with Hot Wheels' help

An updated and redesigned Jaguar F-Type is going to be revealed Dec. 2, which is less than a week away at this point. The info comes to us via a tweet from Jaguar, teasing out the reveal with a video. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Update: For a split second, the new F-Type appears to be flashed up onto the screen. We screenshot the video and pasted the photo down below. The side profile is similar to the previous F-Type, which comes as no surprise to us after seeing the spy shots. We can see the red LED taillight and a hint of the headlight design from the photo, too. The most intriguing part of this tweet is at the end, where Jaguar says it’s going to reveal the F-Type in partnership with Hot Wheels. Jaguar and Hot Wheels are not the most obvious of pairings at first, but both have a penchant for theatrics and stunts. Jaguar launched the tiny E-Pace with a barrel roll, completing a 270-degree corkscrew jump and launching it through 50 feet of open air. Nobody was expecting that. WeÂ’re not sure what to expect from the F-Type launch event, but the teaser video shows a Hot Wheels track with a loop. Will Jaguar try and top themselves? WeÂ’re not sure, but itÂ’s worth a watch on Dec. 2 to find out. As for what the actual car will be like, weÂ’ve seen several sets of spy shots (above). The most recent set places the Jaguar on the Nurburgring for track testing. Jaguar hasnÂ’t messed with the F-TypeÂ’s design much since it launched earlier this decade, but thatÂ’s no complaint. Even today, the F-Type is one of the best looking sports cars on sale. And even though Ian Callum isnÂ’t around anymore, weÂ’re sure he had a hand in this redesign. Expect a new interior, updated powertrains and more performance from the F-Type in its updated form next week. 

Here's today's round of auto plant closures in response to coronavirus

More automakers have shuttered factories, as businesses everywhere work to slow the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus — and as the pandemic slows sales and disrupts parts supply chains. On Friday, the following closures were announced: • Volvo will close its factories in Sweden and the United States from March 26 to April 14. Volvo's U.S. facility, in Charleston, South Carolina, makes the S60 sedan. Its assembly plant in Torslanda, Sweden, turns out the XC90, SC60, and V90. Other Swedish facilities make engines and component parts. A Volvo factory in Ghent, Belgium, that builds the XC40 and V60 closed earlier this week and is expected to remain offline until April 6. Volvo's four factories in China have been reopened after a shutdown earlier this year. • Jaguar Land Rover announced that it will suspend production at its assembly plants in the UK over the coming week. The shutdown is expected to last until April 20. Elsewhere, production continues at the company's factories in India and Brazil, and JLR's joint-venture plant in China reopened at the end of February. • Bentley is closing its factory in Crewe, England, for four weeks, effective today. • Bugatti has put its atelier in Molsheim, France, on hiatus. No date was given for when assembly of its supercars might resume. • Mercedes-Benz on Monday will shut down its SUV factory in Alabama and its van assembly plant in South Carolina. Both will remain closed for a minimum of two weeks. Tesla yesterday revealed that it will suspend operations at its Fremont, California, vehicle assembly plant next week, on order from local officials there. Yesterday's factory closure announcements also included the U.S. assembly plants for Toyota (until April 6), Volkswagen (through March 29), Subaru (through March 29), and Hyundai (no time period specified). They join GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, and Harley-Davidson, which earlier this week announced the suspension of production at their facilities. Plants/Manufacturing Bentley Bugatti Jaguar Land Rover Mercedes-Benz Volvo coronavirus