2014 Jaguar Xf T 2k Low Miles Vent Leather Nav Parking Assist Sunroof Aux/usb on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar Land Rover signs manufacturing contract with Magna Steyr

Jaguar Land Rover is in the midst of implementing big plans. Those include a raft of new models, and a series of new manufacturing facilities to build them. It seems, however, that the former is outpacing the latter, as the British automaker has just announced a new manufacturing contract to have some of its vehicles built off-site. The latest deal is with Magna Steyr, the contract manufacturer based in Graz, Austria. That could see a Land Rover produced at the same facility that has handled the Mercedes G-Class since 1979, or a Jaguar at the same place that assembled the Aston Martin Rapide until 2012 when production was moved back to the UK. The big question at this point is just what JLR will choose to have Magna build on its behalf. The British automaker isn't saying at this point, but a spokesman confirmed to Autoblog that it will be a future product – not an existing line moved from its current production site to the contract manufacturer, as Mercedes recently did with the R-Class. A timeline wasn't announced at this early stage, either, but we're told it will take about 24 months before new Jaguars or Land Rovers start rolling out of the plant in Austria. Just what those new vehicles will be remains to be seen, but Jaguar Land Rover has a number of new products on their way. It is expected to reveal in the near future a new Defender, a replacement for the current LR4/Discovery, the new Evoque convertible, a new XJ flagship sedan, and possibly a new coupe and convertible to take the place of the old XK. We'll soon see the new Jaguar F-Pace, which may be followed by additional crossovers as well. The company also recently introduced the new XE, XF, and Discovery Sport models, though given the timeframes, they'll almost certainly be produced at JLR's existing facilities. It recently opened its first overseas plant in China, has another one under construction in Brazil, and is also said to be considering a plant in North America on either side of the US-Mexican border. Jaguar Land Rover Signs Contract Manufacturing Agreement With Magna Steyr Whitley, UK - Jaguar Land Rover has agreed a manufacturing partnership with Magna Steyr, an operating unit of Magna International Inc, to build some future vehicles in Graz, Austria.

Jaguar SUV mule doing Ring testing in Evoque clothes

Jaguar has moved its Range Rover Evoque-bodied tests of the production C-X17 Concept from icy streets to the legendary Nürburgring, as work continues on the brand's first SUV.
Really, there's not a great deal of new stuff here. Based on the number plates, this is a different vehicle from the one we saw back in March, which we originally identified as the upcoming replacement for the Land Rover Freelander/LR2. The details, though, appear largely the same. The biggest distinction we can see between the March tests and this are the US-spec headlights, which add amber reflectors at their sides. Based on these shots, it does seem as if the C-X17 should be a fairly poised road vehicle, as the engineers hustle it around the 'Ring.
Of course, as soon our spies can capture images of a production-bodied C-X17, we'll be sure to pass those on to you. Until then, take a look up top for images of the Range Rover-bodied Jaguar as it tests at Germany's Nürburgring. You can also scroll down for our March images for the C-X17 mules testing on public roads.

Jaguar's design boss wants to build another sports car model

The global sports car segment is facing a strong, glacial headwind, but Jaguar believes smoother waters are right around the corner. One of the company's top executives predicted the market will recover in the coming years, and he wants his team to be ahead of the curve when that happens. "Jaguar will always build sports cars. I'd love to do more than one," affirmed Julian Thomson, the man who replaced Ian Callum at the head of the brand's design department, in an interview with British magazine Auto Express. The only sports car currently in the Jaguar portfolio is the F-Type. While enthusiasts still love sports cars, the run-of-the-mill buyers that keep automakers profitable have rejected them in favor of crossovers and SUVs. And, requests for cleaner, more efficient cars make developing fun cars considerably more difficult; even Mazda is looking into taking the Miata into hybrid or electric territory. Jaguar faces the same challenges, but Thomson expects the sports car segment will rise up from its ashes when motorists realize they're trapped in a sea of crossovers. "In this day and age of electrification and autonomous technology, a part of me thinks there may be a resurgence of people enjoying transportation for transportation's sake, and driving for driving's sake," he said. "Whether that makes the market bigger I don’t know, but I think there is a threat to volume production cars, and they are going to struggle to find a position on what they do. IÂ’d hope that truly special and luxury cars, sports cars, will find a place where they have the option to be more exotic." He stopped short of confirming a second sports car is under development, so it's far too early to pinpoint the segment it would compete in. In the meantime, Jaguar just gave the F-Type a facelift (pictured), and its vehicle development team has already started working on the model's successor. The rumor mill has started spinning; we've heard reports of the nameplate pulling a Corvette by going mid-engined, adopting BMW's 4.4-liter V8, and getting a battery-electric powertrain. The latter option would slot neatly into Jaguar's electrification push, but Thomson hinted it's easier said than done. He explained making an electric sports car with a huge amount of power, like the 2,000-horsepower Lotus Evija, is not the answer.