S Type R, 4.2 Litre Supercharged, 2005, Only 26,750 Miles - No Reserve on 2040-cars

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Ford's J Mays feels vindicated by Fusion reception

It's hard to think back now, but the same man overseeing the design of the 2013 Ford Fusion also presided over a rather lackluster period in Ford design, highlighted by vehicles like the Five Hundred and Freestyle. With the redesigned Fusion receiving high praise, J Mays tells Automotive News that he feels vindicated from criticisms suggesting he's not a daring enough designer.
When Mays took over as lead of design in 1997, he admits to having quite an ego ("My head would barely fit through the door some days. I've long since gotten over myself") and the workload to match. With the Blue Oval's portfolio full of premium brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo at that point, along with the bread-and-butter Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, Mays certainly had quite the challenge.
It was in the mid-2000s that Mays took over just the premium brands, and took on the new title of Chief Creative Officer. At the time, Mays endured some criticism for looking backwards to retro styling, rather than setting a new standard for American car design - criticism that Mays says he is free from with the all-new Fusion.

Jaguar F-Pace SVR with 550 horsepower headlines 2019 F-Pace refresh

Jaguar has introduced the lightly refreshed F-Pace for 2019. The regular models are updated with better infotainment and interior touches, but the big deal is the SVR version with its 5.0-liter V8 engine. We already saw the F-Pace SVR at the New York Auto Show, and it will now be available as a 2019 model. The supercharged V8 engine with a variable valve active exhaust system produces a whopping 550 horsepower and a touch over 501 lb-ft, hitting 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds. The SVR's top speed is 176 mph, and it's priced from $79,990. The entire gasoline-powered F-Pace lineup gets exhaust particulate filters, even the SVR. Jaguar says the ultrafine particle trapping system is regenerated every time the driver lifts his foot off the throttle. Jaguar does say the setup is market-specific. There are also larger, 21.66-gallon fuel tanks for the 250- and 300-horsepower Ingenium I4 cars, the 380-hp V6 version and the SVR, to improve range. There's now adaptive cruise with steering assist, which operates between 0 and 112 mph, and emergency braking and lane-keeping assists are standard as well as a driver condition monitoring system and a rear camera. Safety tech has also been packaged into optional safety packs, called Park Pack, Drive Pack and Driver Assist Pack; the third of these combines the earlier two and adds adaptive cruise with steering assist. The 10-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard, and Jaguar now offers new, 14-way adjustable "slimline" sports seats as an option. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2019 Jaguar F-Pace View 11 Photos Image Credit: Jaguar Jaguar SUV Luxury

2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 First Drive Review | Cat track fever

It doesn't take long for the cognoscenti to spot me. At stoplights, street corners, and parking lots, the 2019 Jaguar XE SV Project 8's swollen bodywork and park bench-sized tail attract the fanboys like iron to a magnet. My Velocity Blue tester is one of the few Project 8 cars in the States, and I can't remember the last modern Jaguar with so much head-turning charisma. If you're not up to speed, the Project 8 is Jaguar's surprise salvo into sedan madness. And Jag didn't half-ass it, either: it's Jag's biggest engine – a 592-horsepower, supercharged 5.0-liter V8 – stuffed into their smallest steed, the compact XE. Think Aston Martin V12 Vantage, AC Cobra 427, et al. Aiding downforce is a wing that delivers 269 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, so much that Jaguar had to reinforce the trunklid to prevent it from denting at high speeds. There's a flat underbody for reduced lift, and lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum body panels replacing all but the front door skins and roof. The purposeful theme is carried into the cabin, with snug racing buckets up front and seating limited to four. The boy racer cues bely some serious equipment. It's 68 lbs lighter than the next-lightest SE, the 380-hp S AWD supercharged V6. There's also a whole lot of tightening throughout, from the spring rates to the firmer engine mounts. In fact, the stiffening feels like it's been cranked to 11 – even in Comfort mode, the ride is taut and sometimes jarring, never quite feeling at ease enough. If you dig feeling every last ripple in the tarmac, it's wonderful, but anyone seeking a wallowy, coddling ride will find the Project 8 too much. The Project 8's razor sharp feedback begs you to drive on public roads like you're lapping Nardo or the Nurburbring – two of the circuits where the car was developed. But despite its legit origins, dicing such an overtly extroverted car through traffic can also be an enormous social liability. Go-fast sticker graphics? Check. Ginormous wing? Yep. Banana yellow brake calipers? Duh. This is weaponized transport for the street, enough to make the meekest driver look like he or she has something to prove. The Project 8's Alcantara-trimmed interior compliments the aggressive exterior, as do the snug-fitting seats, which use magnesium frames for weight savings (non-U.S. markets go a step further, with carbon fiber seats with four point harnesses). Squeeze the accelerator, and the XE responds with a shove and a snort even from low RPMs.