2002 Jaguar Xjr Base Sedan 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Next-gen Jaguar XJ spotted in mule form during winter testing

Of course Jaguar Land Rover is using a Range Rover to yank around an electrified Jaguar sedan mule. At least, we think the car sitting on the trailer is a test mule for the recently announced XJ successor. Jaguar has said it’s going to make an all-electric version of the car, but itÂ’s going to use the new MLA platform that will also support a gas engine and hybrid versions. The body itself most resembles that of the XF, but there are a couple tell-tale signs that this car is destined for a battery-electric powertrain. The clearest sign comes in the form of the abnormally high side sills. This taller floor is a typical EV tipoff for mules in testing, as the body work itÂ’s mated to isnÂ’t necessarily designed to mesh with the requirements of an EV powertrain. There are no “Electric Vehicle” stickers stuck to the car to make this extra easy for us, but plenty of other strange elements let us know that this mule is no normal XF. We canÂ’t see through it, but the “grille” is covered up by a large piece of camouflage. Some areas on the bottom and top appear to be mesh, allowing air through, but itÂ’s still rather restricting. The hoodÂ’s fitment and shape are about as funky as can be. ThereÂ’s even a hump in the center of the hood, making it look like some kind of high performance muscle car.  Lending even more credence to this being a next-gen XJ mule is what appears to be a longer wheelbase and wider track. Jaguar extended the fenders outward to accommodate this, but itÂ’s especially apparent in back with the squared-off rear fenders. Since itÂ’s a mule, itÂ’s tough to be certain which powertrain this particular car is hiding. The fuel cap remains on the right rear side of the car, but it appears to be in a different position than the fuel cap on the current XF. Maybe it isnÂ’t a fuel cap, and itÂ’s a covering for the plug outlet instead? There are no other obvious outlets on the car to plug in to, but thatÂ’s nothing out of the ordinary for a mule. One suspicious element we spotted in the rear is the side of a chrome tailpipe protruding from the rear bumper. ThereÂ’s no way to know if itÂ’s a real or a fake tailpipe to throw us off the hunt, but weÂ’ll note its presence nonetheless. Jaguar has already released a teaser image of the rear taillights on the electric XJ successor, but of course this test mule isnÂ’t supporting production lights.

Why Land Rover's reluctant to show concepts: Chinese clones

While the Chinese auto industry continues to grow and expand with new and original products, a number of automakers still refuse to play by the rules. Rather than coming up with original designs, these automakers shamelessly copy designs from other automakers, slapping their badge on the front as if it were an original product. According to Auto Express, Land Rover has grown tired of dealing with these frauds to the point that it's essentially stopped showing concept cars in order to stave off these clones. One of the most notable and brazen examples of these Chinese copycats is the LandWind X7. While that car looks like an obvious ripoff of the Range Rover Evoque, complaints by Jaguar Land Rover were dismissed, and the X7 hit the market for about a third of the price of the Evoque. Further efforts by JLR have done nothing to halt or change the car's production. It seems Chinese authorities are more interested in protecting the home team than upholding copyright laws. Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern said the automaker was "wary of showing new concepts" because they just give these competitors time to work up a copy. Land Rover's latest model, the Velar, debuted in Geneva in production form. Skipping concepts may not stop competitors from making copies, but it does give Land Rover a huge head start when it comes to production. Related Video: Featured Gallery Production LandWind X7 News Source: Auto Express via Road & Track Design/Style Government/Legal Jaguar Land Rover SUV Concept Cars Luxury jaguar land rover

Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy: New EV, new series — Jaguar's going racing

Luxury carmaker Jaguar is teasing the 2018 launch of a five-seat electric sports car based on its I-Pace concept as its first battery-electric vehicle. The Indian-owned automaker released images of the sports car as part of its announcement that it will launch the world's first international production EV race series in 2018. A performance SUV version of the I-Pace, previously reported and presumably based on a concept revealed late last year, is also planned for late 2018. Jaguar has said it plans to electrify all new models after 2020, part of a wave of similar announcements as governments in England, China and elsewhere have announced plans to eventually ban the sale of gasoline or diesel cars. In its announcement, Jaguar said only that the race series would "support the launch" of the I-Pace five-seater. View 7 Photos At the Los Angeles auto show last year, Jaguar said its concept I-Pace crossover SUV would have a 220-mile range from its 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, designed and engineered entirely in-house. The Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series is a support series for the FIA Formula E championship and will exclusively feature up to 20 all-electric Jaguar I-Pace racecars across 10 races in cities including Hong Kong, Paris, Sao Paolo and New York. The racecars will be built at the Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations in Warwickshire, England. "With the launch of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, we have strengthened our commitment to battery electric vehicles, international motorsport and Formula E," Gerd Mauser, chairman of Jaguar Racing, said in a statement. "As a British team, we are proud to announce today the launch of the world's first production battery electric vehicle championship." He added: "Ultimately this innovative series will enhance the technology in our future electric vehicles and benefit our customers." Jaguar says it will release technical specifications, race calendar and costs for the I-Pace eTrophy in 2018. Related Video: Green Frankfurt Motor Show Jaguar Electric Racing Vehicles Performance Sedan Frankfurt 2017 jaguar i-pace