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2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR is a very fast, very angry kitty

Well, Jaguar has gone and done it. The British marque hit the perfect sweet spot with its newest F-Type, the range-topping SVR, landing squarely in a price/performance segment its butt-engined rivals from Stuttgart aren't playing in. Confirming our previous reports, the new SVR will debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show with the latest version of Jaguar Land Rover's 5.0-liter, supercharged V8. With some fettling by the team at JLR's Special Vehicle Operations, the engine has been boosted to 575 horsepower, 25 more than F-Type R. Torque is up from 501 pound-feet to 516 pound-feet, while the 0-60 time has dropped from 3.9 to just 3.5 seconds. And yes, 200 miles per hour is possible with the hardtop – the convertible will only do 195. That means you'll be getting more power, more torque, a quicker run to 60, and a higher top speed than an all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 GTS, but for just $5,000 more, a figure that's quickly erased by Porsche's insane options catalog. The Jag can't stand up to the 0-60 performance of 540-hp, 2.9-second 911 Turbo or the high speed of the 205-mph Turbo S, but with prices for the SVR Coupe starting at just $126,945 ($129,795 for the droptop), it's going to cost anywhere from $33,000 to $62,000 less than the Carreras. With only modest increases in output, it's pretty clear SVO made some bigger changes to score an extra 14 mph on the high end and cut 0.4 seconds off the 0-60 time. At its most basic level, the SVR is 55 pounds lighter than the F-Type R, thanks in large part to the new Inconel titanium exhaust, which cuts 35 pounds of fat (and makes for a more sinister note, we're told). Tack on the optional carbon-ceramic brakes, along with a few carbon-fiber accents, and the overall savings sits around 110 pounds. JLR is also promising faster performance from the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, which still sends its power to all four wheels. Speaking of which, the new 20-inch forged aluminum alloys are shod in wider Pirelli PZero – 265s in front and 305s in the back, compared to 255/295 on the R model. There is also the usual array of aesthetic and aerodynamic changes. You can check out the more aggressive body work in the full gallery, but know the changes contribute to improved cooling and cut the coefficients of drag and lift by up to 7.5 and 45 percent, respectively, when the adjustable rear wing is in its aerodynamic down position, and 2.5 and 15 percent with the wing up.

2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Quick Spin Review | Special XF no more

The 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake is a wagon, and as such, one must praise its existence. We need more of them. It looks sensational in all its long-roofed glory, especially in Firenze Red and the gloss black exterior trim package — yowza. Plus, its cargo area is deep, wide and generally voluminous. It would be nice if Jaguar included a roll-up net partition for dogs or to prevent high-mounted cargo from flying forward (as Audi does in the Allroad), but nevertheless, the XF Sportbrake should be more functional than many crossover SUVs. It should certainly be more enjoyable to drive, as the XF delivers with Jag's usual steering excellence and body control. While other midsize luxury sedans have drifted away from the sporting realm (cough, BMW 5 Series), the XF maintains its engagement with the driver. As we discovered when driven back-to-back with the Volvo V90, it's one of the sportiest of sport wagons. It's definitely the sportiest of Sportbrakes. However, it's the "XF" bit that disappoints. The original XF was really something when it debuted, featuring seductively sleek styling in a segment of serious German sedans. The distinctive cabin put on a show with rotating air vents and a rotary shifter that rose into your hand upon pressing the start button. The fact that the XF was different inside and outside from its fellow Jaguars also differed from the Russian nesting doll design approach of its competitors. The original wasn't without flaws, but it was special. This 2018 XF just isn't. The cabin is the biggest problem, as it looks identical to those of the cheaper XE and F-Pace SUV, and is pretty unremarkable and, well, dull to behold. Even the "show" elements that have survived seem vestigial now, as only the outer air vents rotate and the shifter no longer rises into your hand since the starter has migrated elsewhere. More concerning, though, is that the materials are just not up to the segment standards, and certainly not in keeping with a test car that has a sticker of $84,815. For instance, the old XF could be fitted with soft leather covering the doors and the broad, downward sloping dash. The new one has coarsely grained pleather. Then there's the matter of functionality. The rotary shifter in the original XF was certainly part of the "show" but it also freed up significant space on the center console for three cupholders/bins. The new one resides in an expanse of wood trim the size of a shift boot, leaving no room for that third cupholder/bin.

2019 Jaguar I-Pace First Drive Review | The future is now

Jaguar's new all-electric I-Pace may be one of the brand's most significant breakthroughs. This is not just because the handsomely muscular all-wheel-drive crossover can travel 240 miles on a single charge to its 90 kWh battery. Or because it will cost a competitive $69,500 before federal and state incentives. Or that it can accelerate from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds — about as quickly as Jaguar's V8 F-Type sports car. It is not even because it may be the first vehicle to feature a small "froot" — "front boot" — which is a hideous British English term for the area known by the equally unappealing American neologism "frunk." The I-Pace ranks high in the Jag insurrective pantheon because it is the first truly competitive all-electric vehicle from a major luxury manufacturer to hit the entirety of the American market since Tesla jump-started (ugh!) the contemporary, fancy, battery-powered vehicle campaign back in 2008. Sure, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, BMW, and others have promised these vehicles, but as far as we know, they don't exist, and we haven't driven them. The best news about the Big Electric Cat is that it's actually enjoyable on the road. Some of this is because of its intrinsic design benefits. The heavy battery pack, housed in the floor, contributes to a low center of gravity as well as ideal 50/50 front/rear mass balance. Both of these aid not only in the vehicle's road-holding capabilities, but in its style of holding the road. Jaguar has always been adept at splitting the suspension difference between German plank and American couch, and the I-Pace follows this general trend, providing a ride that is connected without feeling overly harsh, even on the optional 22-inch wheels and Pirelli P-Zero tires. (Note to self: Reserve the Instagram handle Donk-E.) But the I-Pace does something interesting. Due to its high seating position, and the low placement of its drivetrain components, it provides the sensation that the mechanical action of forward momentum is within the driver's direct and immediate control, but taking place elsewhere. There is no delay, or vagueness — the inputs are precise and it goes where you want and expect. But it induces the odd feeling that you are riding atop a maglev hovercraft. It's futuristic, uncanny, and fun.