1971 Jaguar E-type Roadster, 4-speed Manual Trnasmission, Factory A/c! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar E-Type Zero electrics will enter production

In case you thought the electric, future-proofed Jaguar E-Type Zero concept was merely a flight of fancy, Jaguar is about to prove it's far from that. The E-Type Zero is about to make production, at Jaguar's Classic division in Coventry, England. One of the core ideas with the electrified E-Type is that the new electric powertrain, picked from the I-Pace, takes up roughly the same space as the original XK straight-six engine and gearbox. Not only does this enable building new electric versions from reproduction shells, but it also allows for electric conversions of vintage E-Types, while weight distribution and handling remain close to the way the cars were originally designed — albeit with more power and torque. And the battery pack still wears XK badging to make it feel more at home in the E-Type. The automaker expects a driving range of over 170 miles. The E-Type Zero was originally unveiled a little less than a year ago, and at that point Jaguar remarked it was just a concept. Now things have progressed far enough for Jaguar to announce small-scale production at the same Coventry facility where Jaguar also builds as-new E-Type Reborn versions. In case a prospective client wants to electrify their old E-Type, that is also possible. And, as Jaguar says, the conversion is fully reversible, in case owners would want to revert back to that sweet straight-six sound. "We've been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to the Jaguar E-type Zero concept," said Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director Tim Hannig. "Future-proofing the enjoyment of classic car ownership is a major stepping stone for Jaguar Classic." The first production E-Type Zeros will reach customer hands in the summer of 2020, according to Jaguar. The newest concept version will be shown at California's Monterey Car Week. Related Video:

2019 Jaguar I-Pace Review: The EV age is approaching

It feels like we're anxiously inching up the initial mountain of a roller coaster track – click, click, click. On the other side is a massive plunge into a widespread electric future where EV's aren't just acceptable alternatives to gas-powered cars, they're superior. There's indeed a veritable train of luxury EVs coming soon, clicking up that track, but the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is the first from a big-name luxury brand to crest it, providing that first tinge of anticipation for the ride to come. It's wildly fun, surprisingly practical and a more polished product than the perpetually rough-around-the-edges Teslas. It also reimagines what Jaguar can be while also staying true to key elements of its past and present. Driving the silky, effortlessly torquey old Jaguar XF Supercharged was intoxicating, and so is the I-Pace, albeit it in a different and indeed superior all-electric way. Its torque flattens you into the enveloping sport seats slathered in red leather, yet it's responsive without feeling overly caffeinated or neck-snapping. Like other Jaguars, it also provides a little audible pomp to the driving experience. It's no barking F-Type R, but its Active Sound Design system pipes into the cabin a deep, purr-like noise when in Dynamic mode that, if not exactly akin to an actual exhaust system, is much closer to it than the usual high-pitched electric motor whine (you can hear it in the accompanying video). Jaguar recognizes that we expect noise and g-forces to go together. And that goes for g-forces in a straight line as well as around corners. The I-Pace resolutely sticks to even marginal pavement like – well, I've already used the roller coaster metaphor above, so what the hell? – it's on rails. It has the perfect recipe for astonishing grip: all-wheel drive; sticky summer tires on 20-inch wheels pushed to the corners; a heavy battery mounted low and in the middle of the chassis; a 50:50 front-to-rear weight balance; and an available adaptive air suspension that constantly adapts to the road. Oh, and it was engineered by Jaguar, a company widely renowned for its superior-handling cars and SUVs. Steering feel could perhaps be increased a smidge, but through the wheel and the seat of your pants, you do experience what the I-Pace is doing. That adaptive suspension also sops up bumps shockingly well (another Jaguar trait) despite those pretty 20-inch wheels adding some impact harshness (ditto).

Jaguar launches new classic racing series

One-make racing series have become all the rage for customers who want to actually race their exotic sports cars (or competition-spec versions of them, anyway). Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Aston Martin all offer such programs, and Porsche supports several. Now Jaguar is getting in on the action as well, but instead of turning one of its production models - we're looking at you, F-Type - into a spec racer, it's launching an historic racing series instead.
The 2015 Jaguar Heritage Challenge will be open to cars made by the Leaping Cat marque before 1966, including the C-Type, D-Type, E-Type and Mk I and MkII sedans. The series, which builds on the success of the previous Jaguar E-Type Challenge, will be administered by the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) based at Silverstone and will include four races in the UK and one in Europe, with the exact schedule still to be determined.
The program was announced at the launch of the Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience, where Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations director John Edwards was also named chairman of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, replacing former Jaguar managing director Mike O'Driscoll who chaired the organization for the past five years.