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Say goodbye to Jaguar's vestigial oval grille

Jaguar has been on a campaign to replace any and all retro cues with modern ones. Just look at the current XJ and the one it replaced, or the XF and the S-Type that came before it and you'll know what we mean. The one remnant is the XK and its oval grille, in and of itself a throwback to Jags of old (which started to look more like a certain Star Wars alien in above-pictured XKR-S form). But don't expect it to hang around.
Newer Jaguars have been ditching the oval aperture for a more squared-off one, and the next XK will have to fall in line. But don't expect that to be the only change in store for the next-generation Jaguar coupe and convertible.
With the new F-Type now holding the more enthusiast-oriented ground, the next XK is expected to grow bigger, softer and more luxurious. That will likely mean a more commodious back seat as well, though that shouldn't be hard to do considering the lack of space in the back of the current model...

Jaguar unveils a Touring version of the XE SV Project 8 super sedan

Jaguar produced just 300 examples of the bonkers XE SV Project 8 super sedan. Now, it's going to build 15 more, but in a new street-spec Touring form. It's essentially the same as the track-spec version, but you lose the extreme aero elements. If you remember the Project 8 from a couple years ago, you know it has an adjustable carbon fiber wing sitting atop the decklid. This one just has a small lip spoiler, giving it a more discreet look. Additionally, the adjustable front splitter is swapped for a smaller fixed one that is less likely to scrape on everything you encounter on the road. Finally, Jaguar removed the aggressive decals, but you're allowed to put those back on optionally if you so choose. The Touring retains the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 making 592 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That's good for a 0-60 mph run in just 3.3 seconds. There is some bad news for those angling for the highest top speed, though. Jaguar limits the wingless Touring to just 186 mph, whereas the more stable, regular SV Project 8 is allowed to hit 200 mph. Another bit exclusive to the Touring is the required four-seat configuration. You were able to option the standard car with a half roll cage in place of the rear seats. But hey, don't you want to drive your friends around in your stupid-fast Jaguar? Weirdly enough, the Touring is actually a hair more expensive than the standard car. You'll be looking at a standard price of just over $190,000 to the regular car's $187,500 starting price. The difference is negligible at that point, and the Touring will actually be far more exclusive than the already limited standard Project 8. We certainly like the looks of the Touring version — it reminds us of the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring in nature and purpose, and there's a whole lot to love about that car. Jaguar says that even though it's only making 15 of them, some slots are still open for ordering. If the most powerful Jag without a wing strikes your fancy, we'd recommend getting in touch with Jaguar sooner rather than later.

Recharge Wrap-up: Jaguar Land Rover talks EVs, Batteries should be modular

A new study out of Germany suggests adopting a modular approach to battery offerings in plug-in hybrid and extended range electric vehicles. Automakers could offer the same car with different battery sizes (and different costs, accordingly) to drivers depending on their driving ranges. This would optimize the total cost of ownership for various drivers better than the current approach. Developing a modular battery design and offering appropriate batteries for different customers "is the key for electric powertrains to meet customer expectations and become cost competitive against conventional technologies," according to the report from the Institute of Vehicle Concepts, German Aerospace Center. Learn more at Green Car Congress. Jaguar and Land Rover are looking to offer more electric driving from their vehicles. Wolfgang Ziebart, head of product development for Jaguar Land Rover, said in an interview that its hybrid system is being tweaked for more electric power and "downsized" combustion. He also said the likely target market for EVs would be second and third vehicles, rather than primary vehicles for urban driving. Within that market, Europeans look for something smaller, while American drivers lean toward larger luxury vehicles for their second car. Ziebart uses the Tesla Model S as an example of American tastes, and compares its size to that of the Jaguar XJ. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Thailand will likely approve a Volkswagen factory as early as next week. A German newspaper suggests that Thailand's Board of Investment is set to greenlight the plant, which is planned for a site near the Port of Bangkok. Thailand is a relatively large and growing auto manufacturing country, which seeks to be a major producer of eco-friendly vehicles. The country's "Eco2" program would provide incentives to Volkswagen if it builds clean cars and meets certain production targets. Read more at Reuters. Formula E has chosen Sky Deutschland for broadcasting rights in the German market. The deal includes television rights, as well as online broadcasting. Sky Deutschland has 3.8 million subscribers in Germany and Austria. Showing the races on Germany's largest pay television provider should help generate interest for the series, particularly the Berlin ePrix - the inaugural season's penultimate race - scheduled for May 30, 2015. Read more at the Formula E website.