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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:

Ian Callum wanted to call Jaguar's crossover X-Type [w/poll]

Jaguar raised some eyebrows when it announced that it would call its upcoming crossover F-Pace. But the British automaker didn't just pick the name out of a hat. Speaking with Auto Express, Jaguar's design director Ian Callum said the company entertained several possible nameplates for its first crossover, and that he personally advocated for resurrecting the name X-Type. The nameplate was, of course, previously used on the marque's entry-level sedan – the predecessor to the upcoming XE that was based on the front-drive platform of the Ford Mondeo and which was also offered with all-wheel drive. The connection with that much-maligned model is reportedly ultimately what dissuaded the company's marketing gurus from using the nameplate again, even if it might have been more suitable. Another nameplate Coventry reportedly considered was XQ, but the latter letter's use by rival Audi for its crossovers and by former sister company Aston Martin for its personalization range ruled the prospect out for the Leaping Cat marque. Auto Express notes a connection between the name F-Pace and Jaguar's 1960s ad campaign hailing its products as offering a combination of "Grace, Space and Pace." For his part, Callum didn't dismiss the possibility the slogan could could lead to additional models wearing similar nameplates like F-Grace or F-Space. What do you think – did Jaguar pick the right name for its first foray into the crossover market? Share your thoughts in Comments and cast your vote in our poll below.

Jaguar releases C-X75 concept build story

If you want to know what was going through the minds of decisionmakers at Jaguar when the company decided to build the batty C-X75 Concept, look no further than the quick video after the jump. Jaguar set about building a car with the performance of a Bugatti Veyron, the electric range of a Chevrolet Volt and the emissions of a Toyota Prius, and they turned to a legendary engineering firm to help make it happen. Williams, the same crew behind Williams F1, helped Jaguar stitch the concept car together, and the result is unlike anything we've seen before.
The twin-charged 1.6-liter four-cylinder mounted amidship is paired with an electric motor at each wheel for a combined output of over 850 horsepower. And, since the whole chassis is hewn from carbon fiber, a production version would've been light enough to give machines like the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari a run for their money. Shame they apparently couldn't make the business case work. Watch the concept build story in the video below for yourself.