2004 Jaguar S-type Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Top torque-to-weight ratios under $100k, $50k and $25k

Horsepower may steal a lot of headlines, but the always-more-complex torque figure is often a critical one for both the workingman and the motoring playboy. The measure of rotational force represents the twist that can liquefy one's tires or haul one's horse trailer. Good stuff.
It follows then, that as with the horsepower-to-weight list that we assembled for you a few months ago, a list of cars that offer the most pound-feet with the fewest pounds to carry, is an interesting one to break down. Sure, there's a big difference in how the torque is applied from a turbocharged six-cylinder in a Swedish luxury sedan and a massive heavy-duty truck's turbo-diesel. But being the car/stat geeks that we are, we think it's kinda neat that those two vehicles rank near each other where torque and weight intersect.
As with the horsepower list, we've given you figures as pounds per every one pound-foot. Again broken down into broad price categories, we've got a mixed bag of 2014 and 2015 models here, too. Every effort has been made to select the most up-to-date prices and specs, and we've also to omitted some '14 cars that won't be re-upped after the ongoing yearly changeover.

Jaguar F-Pace R-Dynamic is back in Black Pack

When Jaguar rationalized the F-Pace lineup for 2021, streamlining 12 variants into just five, old names and packages got left in last year. The previous R-Sport model is history, as are last year's special edition visual packs: Chequered Flag and 300 Sport. The F-Pace R-Dynamic is the new breed of mid-grade sporty in the 2022 lineup, coming in below the SVR, and Jaguar's just unveiled a Black Pack for it in the UK. A familiar name in the Coventry history books, the Black Pack does now what it's always done — dress up the exterior in gloss black. That means the grille and grille surround, fender vents, side window trim, door mirror caps, rear valance below the bumper, and rear badges come in the same color as deep space. Only shinier. The rolling stock is tailored to match, a set of 20-inch gloss black rims hiding red brake calipers. Flourishes inside the cabin include Satin Charcoal Ash veneers, bright metal pedals, privacy glass, and a fixed panoramic glass roof. The entire range sees a few tweaks in the cabin besides. Upgraded Premium Cabin Lighting adds 20 more colors, making 30 in total. For owners sensitive enough to day-old oxygen in their $70,000 crossovers, the Air Purge function can be set to clear the interior of stale air before occupants arrive by setting a timer in the infotainment system or on the Jaguar Remote App. A CO2 sensor keeps the ambience effervescent while on the go, unobtrusively adding fresh air when carbon dioxide exceeds the recommended daily allowance. The fastidious will also be able to monitor particulate levels inside and outside the vehicle in a display on the touchscreen. And coming over-the-air updates for the Pivo Pro infotainment system will enable wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.  Outside, there's a new color called Ostuni White (pictured), as well as self-sealing tires that can be had on 19-, 20-, and 21-inch wheels when shod in all-season rubber. Finally, adaptive cruise control received steering assist to keep the F-Pace centered in its lane. These updates haven't made it to the U.S. yet, but we expect them to arrive on the boat with the 2022 models for our market.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

All-electric Jaguar XJ coming soon on platform shared with 'Road Rover'

We've been posting on the likelihood of electric Jaguars for a while now, especially the XJ leading the charge as a new EV flagship. Rumors at the beginning of 2018 predicted an XJ EV on our doorstep by the end of 2018, the 50th anniversary year of the XJ. By April this year, it was looking like the battery-powered XJ would use the I-Pace platform and make an appearance sometime in 2019. Now, Automotive News Europe reports that during Jaguar Land Rover's Investor's Day presentations, the automaker said it would debut a "large SUV and a large premium sedan" on its Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) suitable for EVs, hybrids and traditional ICE-powered cars. The sedan in question is the next-gen XJ. Nick Rogers, JLR's product engineering boss, said electric MLA vehicles will get 90.2-kWh batteries that return range of up to 400 kilometers (292 miles) on the European cycle. That would effectively be the same size battery as the I-Pace, which rides on its own one-off platform, and the same range; in the U.S., the I-Pace is rated at 234 miles. It's said the XJ's design, produced by former Jaguar design chief Ian Callum and his team, has already been cleared. It swaps the four-door body for a five-door, a la the Audi A7, and introduces a new design language for the car and the carmaker. Car and Driver says the new statement sedan aims to be "a cutting-edge alternative to the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class," and Autocar saying it will "remain Jaguar's flagship in preference to a large SUV, such as the rumored J-Pace." The point of introducing the EV first is to establish the car's technology and sporting credentials — hopefully before the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT arrive. Eventually, an ICE version of the XJ powered by an Ingenium inline-six should come; that will welcome buyers not ready to make the all-EV switch, a necessary move in keeping with the XJ's competition for global sales with the S-Class and 7 Series. However, leaving room in the design for a conventional drivetrain will force compromises that the all-electric competition doesn't face. Production of the current XJ ends at the Castle Bromwich facility on July 5. The new sedan is slated to be "announced in the near future" and built at JLR's plant in Solihull, which assembles Land Rover products. The same MLA platform will support a road-focused Land Rover as a sibling to the XJ, dubbed the "Road Rover" internally.