1971 Jaguar Xke Series 2 Roadster. Yellow With Black Interior. on 2040-cars

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Jaguar XF Sportbrake headed for the door? Maybe not [UPDATE]

Update: A Jaguar spokesperson reached out to put the brakes on the XF wagon's demise, writing, "Jaguar Land Rover North America President and CEO Joe Eberhardt did not discuss the status of the current Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which is currently in the Jaguar lineup — making up 20 percent of XF sales. The remark was that in the long term, features and types of vehicles that are less popular would likely not make it into the United States. The current Jaguar XF Sportbrake remains in the lineup and is available at retailers and for ordering, including for the upcoming 2020 Model Year which should be announced soon. This should be good news for wagon enthusiasts." Indeed. Previous story appears below: The Jaguar XF Sportbrake only just got here, hauling its first load of mettwurst and Coca-Cola to a junior varsity soccer tailgate party in 2017. According to a report in The Detroit Bureau, the comely wagon could be on the way out later this year thanks to two massive turnaround campaigns. The outlet interviewed Jaguar USA CEO Joe Eberhardt, who conveyed the message that only the strongest products will live. That means no more manual transmissions after this year, simplified trims, and easing up on diesels. It also means, in TDB's words, "you'll no longer see wagons ... in the U.S." If this ends up true, it would be a shame. Wagon sales were up 29 percent in the U.S. last year. We just included the XF Sportbrake as one of the potential reasons Audi teased its Twitter fans about the return of Avants. And if there's anyone who doesn't like the XF Sportbrake, we haven't met them. Our review said the slinky wagon "Puts SUV appeal on ice." Jalopnik called it " The best-kept sleeper wagon secret you can buy." Road & Track labeled it " A high five to America." High fives and good secrets don't pay the rent, though. The push for global sustainability after last year's shocking Q4 loss at Jaguar Land Rover has compelled two turnaround campaigns called "Charge" and "Accelerate." One focuses on immediate cost matters, the other takes the long strategic view. Both need to incorporate the fact that Jaguar's crossovers, the F-Pace and E-Pace, represent 70 percent of Jaguar sales. On that matter, Eberhardt said, "I don't want to say the speed of change took us by surprise, but they were too quick for us to react to immediately.

Jaguar's V8-powered F-Pace SVR gets quicker and meaner-looking for 2021

Jaguar is making several visual and mechanical changes to the F-Pace SVR for the 2021 model year. The modifications turn the SUV into a quicker, meaner-looking cat with an appetite for all things Cayenne-flavored. Power for the SVR still comes from a supercharged, 5.0-liter V8 rated at 550 horsepower, but its torque output increases from 502 to 514. Although that's not a drastic improvement, it's enough to lower the SUV's zero-to-60-mph time to 3.8 seconds (three-tenths of a second quicker than before), and to raise its top speed from 176 to 178 mph. Jaguar also gave the F-Pace the XE Project 8's torque converter, and a Dynamic Launch function that relies on driveline inertia to ensure the power flow to the wheels isn't interrupted when the transmission shifts. Revised suspension components and a retuned steering system complement the driveline tweaks. Engineers also developed a recalibrated braking system with an electric booster that improves stopping performance. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission linked to shift paddles continue to come standard. Stylists made subtle visual changes that add up to give the F-Pace a cleaner, sharper design while reducing drag by 35%. Up front, the hood now stretches all the way to the edge of the grille, the headlights gain two individual strips of LED accents, and the trim around the air dams on the lower part of the bumper has been reshaped. Out back, the lights ditch the hemisphere-shaped insert -- a nod to the F-Type -- for a completely horizontal design. The nip-and-tuck is aligned with the one Jaguar performed on the non-SVR variant of the F-Pace. In 2020 more than ever, technology is the yardstick used to measure luxury cars, so Jaguar invested a significant amount of time and money into making the SVR smarter and more connected. It added a 12.3-inch high-definition touchscreen for the Pivi Pro infotainment system, the ability to receive over-the-air software updates, a wireless device charger, and active road noise cancellation technology, among other features.  As the flagship of the F-Pace family, the SVR needs to look and feel suitably posh inside, and our time behind the wheel of the outgoing model suggests that wasn't always the case. Jaguar tells us it addressed this shortcoming. The 2021 SVR's interior gets a split-rim steering wheel, a redesigned center console with more storage space and a shorter gear selector, plus a new-look climate control panel.

Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK revival | Autoblog Podcast #543

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We talk the possible rebirth of the Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK, as well as the recent goings-on at Tesla. Then we share some of our experiences driving in Europe. We also discuss the cars we've been driving, and help spend another listener's hard-earned dough in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #543 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Dodge Viper and Jaguar XK to make a return? Tesla Model 3 braking issues and Elon Musk vs. media Driving in Europe Cars we've been driving: Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, Infiniti QX50, Range Rover Velar Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Auto News Green Podcasts Dodge Infiniti Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Tesla Car Buying Used Car Buying Driving Safety Performance jaguar xk infiniti qx50