Jaguar E-type Xk-e Convertible on 2040-cars

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Jaguar unveils a Touring version of the XE SV Project 8 super sedan

Jaguar produced just 300 examples of the bonkers XE SV Project 8 super sedan. Now, it's going to build 15 more, but in a new street-spec Touring form. It's essentially the same as the track-spec version, but you lose the extreme aero elements. If you remember the Project 8 from a couple years ago, you know it has an adjustable carbon fiber wing sitting atop the decklid. This one just has a small lip spoiler, giving it a more discreet look. Additionally, the adjustable front splitter is swapped for a smaller fixed one that is less likely to scrape on everything you encounter on the road. Finally, Jaguar removed the aggressive decals, but you're allowed to put those back on optionally if you so choose. The Touring retains the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 making 592 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That's good for a 0-60 mph run in just 3.3 seconds. There is some bad news for those angling for the highest top speed, though. Jaguar limits the wingless Touring to just 186 mph, whereas the more stable, regular SV Project 8 is allowed to hit 200 mph. Another bit exclusive to the Touring is the required four-seat configuration. You were able to option the standard car with a half roll cage in place of the rear seats. But hey, don't you want to drive your friends around in your stupid-fast Jaguar? Weirdly enough, the Touring is actually a hair more expensive than the standard car. You'll be looking at a standard price of just over $190,000 to the regular car's $187,500 starting price. The difference is negligible at that point, and the Touring will actually be far more exclusive than the already limited standard Project 8. We certainly like the looks of the Touring version — it reminds us of the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring in nature and purpose, and there's a whole lot to love about that car. Jaguar says that even though it's only making 15 of them, some slots are still open for ordering. If the most powerful Jag without a wing strikes your fancy, we'd recommend getting in touch with Jaguar sooner rather than later.

2016 Jaguar XF First Drive [w/video]

Jaguar has never had a problem with style or driving joy. Every generation of the British brand's vehicles – with excuses made and accepted in advance for S-Type and X-Type and other outliers – has offered compelling styling and great performance. New kid XF was no exception when it was introduced in 2007. The car's sheetmetal pointed the way forward for the fully up-to-date range we see now, and its confident engines and handling chops were on pace with the best Bimmers, Benzes, and Cadillacs. The first-generation XF made some hay for Jaguar, selling around 280,000 copies through 2014. But those annualized rates still represented a blip on the luxury midsize radar when viewed against the backdrop of the German Three's numbers. Part of that sales story has been down to the E-Classes and 5 Series of the world being consistently excellent, to be sure. But a lot of the blame can be found in Jaguar's historic weak spots. Grace and pace the brand had in spades, but consumer perception of quality and reliability just weren't there, pricing was typically near the top of the class, and the residual values of the cars were low (a combination of all three factors, most likely). Of course, Jag would love to sell a few more cars. But this time, instead of simply building a great-looking, great-driving new XF (which is absolutely the case), the brand is doing some clever non-engineering-based things to put more big cats in more garages than ever before. The tradeoff of very good ride quality is worth the minute amount of roll. After flying all they way to Spain – Pamplona and the Navarra Circuit, by way of Barcelona and a Range Rover adventure you'll hear about soon – I would be remiss not to tell you how the new XF goes down the road. Some 150 kilometers (93 miles) of motorway and challenging b-roads lie between the city with that annual livestock problem and the 2.44-mile, FIA approved racecourse. A route that led me to understand that this XF, in my case the 380-horsepower XF S, has gained more than it has lost in the generational changeover. The company is fully committed to aluminum for its midsizer, with the new car now using a body structure that's 75-percent built from the stuff. I'm told that means a body in white that weighs just over 600 pounds, and an overall weight savings of 11 percent. Body stiffness has been raised by 28 percent in the process.

Jaguar Land Rover may buy Silverstone racetrack for new HQ

Jaguar Land Rover might add another chapter to its venerable motorsports legacy by purchasing the revered UK racetrack Silverstone to use as its new company headquarters. JLR could reportedly offer 22.7 million pounds ($34.1 million at current rates) to buy the circuit, according to Automotive News Europe, which cites several British media sources. The British automaker would then invest the equivalent of $78 million to turn the historic track into a celebration of the brand, including a museum, experience center, and hotel. The company would also construct space for its marketing team and engineers, Automotive News Europe reports. Motorsports would still continue there, too, which means the course's Formula One legacy is safe. Neither JLR nor the British Racing Drivers' Club, which leases the track, have confirmed the rumors. The BRDC only suggested that it received several confidential offers to purchase the circuit. Silverstone has a motorsports history that goes back to the late 1940s and is often the home to the Formula One British Grand Prix. The track's organizers have a long-term deal to continue hosting the F1 race, too. Today, the course also features major events from MotoGP and the FIA World Endurance Championship. In November, Jaguar released a video that celebrated some of its legacy at Silverstone by bringing the modern XJR and Le Mans-winning XJ-R9 LM at the track. If the company's purchase happens, you can expect to see a lot more Jags and probably some Land Rovers lapping the course. Related Video: