Prestine Condition on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Watch a Jaguar tow a man on skis to 117 mph

Jaguar wagons are fun. Skiing is fun. Combine the two, and you get the above, which looks extra fun. Apparently there is a Guinness world record for top speed skiing while being towed by a vehicle. According to the video, that record was just under 70 mph. While we're not experts on high-speed skiing, that actually seems a little low, and so did Jaguar and Olympic skier Graham Bell. So Jaguar and Bell went to an undisclosed location in the Arctic Circle to break the record. Jaguar brought along an XF S Sportbrake, a 380-horsepower wagon that is now available in America (yay!). They hooked up a line to the back, Bell suited up, held on, and rode along to a final speed of about 117 mph, a full 47 mph faster than the last record. Frankly, we found this to be a pretty cool activity (no pun intended). We think maybe it should be considered for a new Olympic sport. Sure would be better than ice dancing. It could look something like the Bonneville Speed Week, with a big multi-mile stretch of snow to be towed along. Think about it, International Olympic Committee, you still have time before the 2018 Winter Olympics. Related Video: Image Credit: Jaguar Jaguar Wagon Luxury Videos jaguar xf sportbrake skiing

Watch four hours of fantastic machinery at Le Mans Classic 2016

The 24 Hours of Le Mans came and went, but it wasn't the end of the automotive activities at Circuit de la Sarthe. This past weekend, the venerable racetrack was host to the 2016 Le Mans Classic, in which seven decades of vintage racecars once again competed for glory. The event started with qualifying on Friday, July 8, and racing on the following Saturday and Sunday. Six "grids" of cars each included a different historic racing era, including the early days from 1923 to 1939, as well as that famous period from 1966 to 1971 that featured the all-conquering Ford GT40. The wide range of eligibility also permitted some unusual machines to show up, such as a 1950 Cadillac Series 61 and a 1974 Dodge Charger. This year also marked the debut of the Group C class for more recent Le Mans racers from 1982 to 1993. The 1991 Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B was not present, but one of the Peugeot 905 race cars that gave the marque a remarkable 1-2-3 finish at the 1993 Le Mans came back for the event. The Le Mans Classic also featured the Jaguar Classic Challenge just for cars made by the feline automaker, and the race attracted a bit of human star power. Chris Harris of Top Gear participated in the marque-specific race while behind the wheel of a new continuation Lightweight E-Type. And although the event happened over the weekend, you can catch most of the action via the recorded live stream above. It features a full four hours of vintage racing with commentary in both French and English. It's a great chance to see one of the best combinations of classic cars and historic venues out there. Related Video: Related Gallery Jaguar Continuation Lightweight E-Type View 46 Photos Image Credit: Le Mans Classic Jaguar Automotive History Classics Videos France chris harris vintage racing le mans classic circuit de la sarthe

Jaguar E-Type Zero electrics will enter production

In case you thought the electric, future-proofed Jaguar E-Type Zero concept was merely a flight of fancy, Jaguar is about to prove it's far from that. The E-Type Zero is about to make production, at Jaguar's Classic division in Coventry, England. One of the core ideas with the electrified E-Type is that the new electric powertrain, picked from the I-Pace, takes up roughly the same space as the original XK straight-six engine and gearbox. Not only does this enable building new electric versions from reproduction shells, but it also allows for electric conversions of vintage E-Types, while weight distribution and handling remain close to the way the cars were originally designed — albeit with more power and torque. And the battery pack still wears XK badging to make it feel more at home in the E-Type. The automaker expects a driving range of over 170 miles. The E-Type Zero was originally unveiled a little less than a year ago, and at that point Jaguar remarked it was just a concept. Now things have progressed far enough for Jaguar to announce small-scale production at the same Coventry facility where Jaguar also builds as-new E-Type Reborn versions. In case a prospective client wants to electrify their old E-Type, that is also possible. And, as Jaguar says, the conversion is fully reversible, in case owners would want to revert back to that sweet straight-six sound. "We've been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to the Jaguar E-type Zero concept," said Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director Tim Hannig. "Future-proofing the enjoyment of classic car ownership is a major stepping stone for Jaguar Classic." The first production E-Type Zeros will reach customer hands in the summer of 2020, according to Jaguar. The newest concept version will be shown at California's Monterey Car Week. Related Video: