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Jaguar sets a lap record at a near-forgotten French race track

If asked to name any race track in France, most racing and car enthusiasts would probably answer the Circuit de la Sarthe, known for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Then there's the famous Magny-Cours or Circuit Paul Ricard, but not everyone remembers the Circuit de Charade near Clermont-Ferrand. This challenging track has been called a "twistier and faster" version of the Nurburgring, and in its original five-mile form, it barely had any straights. Formula 1 races were held there in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but safety concerns saw the French Grand Prix moved to Paul Ricard for most of the 1970s and 1980s, alternating with Dijon-Prenois. Later on, the track was essentially halved during modernization work, and it's now largely used for track days. The full length circuit was last used in 1988. This history lesson about a seemingly forgotten French race track is due to one good reason: Jaguar has returned to the venue to set a lap time with a new, all-wheel drive XE. The flying lap of the full five-mile track was the first one in 30 years, and the 4-minute, 9-second lap time set by Belgian racing driver Vincent Radermecker now stands as a record. Due to changes and the fact that the track originally utilized parts of public roads, the lap now included two gateways and a roundabout. Unshockingly, those weren't around in its racing days. The comparisons with the Nurburgring are apt, as Radermecker's comment confirms. "I set the production (sedan) record at the Nurburgring in the XE SV Project 8 last year and this lap was every bit as demanding. The longest straight is barely 600 metres, so I can see why drivers used to call this the French Nurburgring." The Jaguar used for the record lap is an XE 300 Sport, which is powered by Jaguar's 300-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. It hits 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, and the average speed on the Charade lap was 72 mph. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jaguar XE record lap View 9 Photos Image Credit: Jaguar Jaguar Automotive History jaguar xe

What's better than a garage with a lift and a kitchen? Not much, UK owners say

Some folks look to change houses because they need more room, or perhaps their current home's basement floods. Others want a “perfect garage” with a hydraulic lift. In the United Kingdom — where priorities may be different from those in the United States — research from eBay indicates that nearly two-thirds of UK motorists (65 percent) would consider moving for the ideal garage, and theyÂ’d be prepared to pay about 5% over asking price to have one. Reporting the results of a survey among 2,000 car enthusiasts, eBay says the lift and custom toolboxes would satisfy the need to makes repairs to the Aston Martin DB5 or the Jaguar E-type (the cars respondents said theyÂ’Â’d most want installed in the garage). Certainly a built-in drain would be a nice touch for washing the vehicles, as well as proper ventilation for those paint touch-ups. A small kitchen in the garage and a jukebox would be lovely, also. Those polled were also asked to make a list of nifty additions to the garage space. Among the suggestions: a snooker table, decorative lighting, a La-Z-Boy recliner, and engine hoists. According to the research, more than 4-in-10 homeowners feel that their current garage stops them from fulfilling their passion for cars. More than half would be more likely to own a classic car if they had a garage to store it in. Said Oliver Bindloss of the Bindloss Dawes Architects firm that worked with eBay on the poll: “Garages are so much more than just a functional space for cars, they must be tough and work hard, but also be enjoyable spaces to relax in. For us as architects, the perfect garage has to start with the cars themselves.” Aston Martin Jaguar Car Buying Ownership Parts and Accessories Classics

Chinese patent filing shows what could be next Royal Limo from Jaguar

Someone filed a patent application in China for the Jaguar XJ limousine seen above, but no one's sure who filed it or what the car is for. One camp thinks it's a State limo for UK royals like the Bentley State Limousine, another camp thinks it's the work of aftermarket coachbuilders.
One thing's for sure: Assuming it ever gets made, anyone who buys it wants an XJ in name only; the modifications have removed almost all of the grace of the standard sedan. Estimated to be more than three feet longer than an XJ, the stretched rear doors are backed by an even more stretched rear section that, in losing the trademark XJ C-pillar (the D-pillar on this car), adds all sorts of ungainliness to its backside. What's more, the roof rises from front to rear, we can only assume to make room for people with large hats. Or the NBA player that the Chinese call "Sweet Melon."
Head over to AutoSohu for more photos from the application, if you're sure that's what you really want.