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Jaguar may enter Formula E to advance electric portfolio

The FIA Formula E Championship looks poised to gain another major automaker. According to reports from the UK, Jaguar Land Rover is preparing to announce a new electric vehicle strategy this week. And that is tipped to include participation in the all-electric racing series. According to Sky News, Jaguar's electric racing program would give the British carmaker the opportunity to showcase its prowess in electric propulsion. Quoting an unnamed insider, the UK news service reported that Formula E "offers live testing for electrification technologies in areas such as batteries and drivetrains; that's why it looks valuable to them." The program would likely be launched in conjunction with Williams, the F1 team with which it partnered on development of the aborted C-X75 hybrid supercar project recently unearthed for a starring role in the latest James Bond film Spectre. Williams helped develop the battery system that powers the electric spec racer used in Formula E. The partnership could take over from the Trulli team that is expected to soon drop out of the series. JLR wouldn't be the first automaker to participate in electric racing. Audi supports the Abt team, Renault the e.Dams outfit, and PSA Peugeot Citroen's DS brand the Virgin Racing squad. Mercedes and Volvo have also been reported to be looking carefully at participation, while BMW provides support vehicles for the series. Jaguar participates in vintage racing and Land Rover runs the Bowler off-road racing series. However, the last time the company supported a top-level works racing program was between 2000 and 2004 when Jaguar Racing (the precursor to today's Red Bull team) competed in Formula One. It has since offered the XKR GT2 racer and has been rumored to be considering a return to sports car racing, but the trend towards electrification now appears to be driving the Formula E initiative instead. We're waiting to hear back on requests for comment from Jaguar. But Sky reports that an official announcement will be made on Tuesday, so watch this space. Related Video:

Jaguar C-X17 resurfaces in China with gold finish, five-seat cabin [w/video]

Some concept cars make the rounds of the auto shows and are then retired. But a number of automakers are showing that a fresh coat of paint can go a long way towards rejuvenating a show car and giving it a new lease on life - at least as far as the auto show circuit is concerned. Lexus did that recently with the LF-LC concept, initially unveiling it in red at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, then repainting it a dark shade of blue for the subsequent shows in Australia and LA. Mini did the same with the Rocketman concept. And now Jaguar has done it again with its C-X17.
Initially unveiled in electric blue at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Jaguar then rolled the crossover out again in liquid silver for the Dubai Motor Show earlier this month. Now the concept is back again at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China with a fresh coat of rose gold.
Looking decidedly more luxurious than the previous iterations, this gilded C-X17 concept also bears another change: while the previous versions featured a four-seat cabin, this one has been redone with a more conventional five-seat configuration that more buyers would likely go for. It's also got a new interactive infotainment system and another system that warns passengers of pedestrians or cyclists approaching from the rear before they open the door. Check it out in the high-res image gallery above and the video clip below for a closer look.

40th Jaguar E-Type ever made sells at auction for lb88k

The 40th Jaguar E-Type ever built, a right-hand-drive 1961 model, hit the auction block and was bought by an anonymous British buyer for 88,000 pounds ($141,310), ITV reports. The Jaguar had been stored at the previous owner's estate, in dry storage, at a derelict farm in Le Mans, France since July 1974.
E-Type chassis No. 860040 was bought by the previous owner in 1969 and was originally gray. But it was driven home to France and painted it in its current aubergine in 1974, before it was put into storage. During that time it was considered missing by experts, but there it sat under a dust sheet car cover for most of its life, so the body is in good condition. The family mechanic said that the car was last started about five years ago, and the engine recently was turned over. Coys auction house describes the original interior, which is also preserved well, as a "time warp."
Chris Routledge of Coys before the auction said, "They're sort of a mythical beast for enthusiast, at the time they were all handmade on special order, so Jaguar collectors look at the first 100 cars in a different way," BBC News reports. He added, "We estimate it to be worth between 20,000 and 40,000 pounds (about $32,100 to $64,200) but our feedback from collectors and interest worldwide suggests it could sell for between 80,000 and 100,000 pounds (about $128,500 to $160,600)." Of course, his revised estimate was right on target.