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Jaguar envisions future without V8 engines

With tighter emissions and fuel economy regulations looming, Jaguar may have to do more than make a small, fuel-efficient hatchback to lower its model range's consumption figures - it also might give up its venerable V8 power, Drive reports. But not anytime soon, says Steven de Ploey, Jaguar's product and marketing director, who recognizes that the V8 can be replaced only by something that offers the same, or better, performance. But he has a word of caution: "We are not wedded to V8s."
In the meantime, de Ploey says there are other ways to reduce emissions. One of the first steps Jaguar could take is to shift away from the use of superchargers, which aren't as good as turbochargers at maintaining efficiency and making power. But he adds that supercharging still is "at the heart of Jaguar's performance proposition," and that the company has addressed the current downsizing trend by "replacing our naturally aspirated V8 with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6."
Consider one of de Ploey's comments on the cancelled C-X75 supercar (pictured) for some clue about Jaguar's future: "Some of the stuff we have already exploited to the extreme in the C-X75 is the kind of thinking for us and is an essential test bed to see how we could evolve from today to something that is sustainable in the future."

Jaguar XF Sportbrake headed for the door? Maybe not [UPDATE]

Update: A Jaguar spokesperson reached out to put the brakes on the XF wagon's demise, writing, "Jaguar Land Rover North America President and CEO Joe Eberhardt did not discuss the status of the current Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which is currently in the Jaguar lineup — making up 20 percent of XF sales. The remark was that in the long term, features and types of vehicles that are less popular would likely not make it into the United States. The current Jaguar XF Sportbrake remains in the lineup and is available at retailers and for ordering, including for the upcoming 2020 Model Year which should be announced soon. This should be good news for wagon enthusiasts." Indeed. Previous story appears below: The Jaguar XF Sportbrake only just got here, hauling its first load of mettwurst and Coca-Cola to a junior varsity soccer tailgate party in 2017. According to a report in The Detroit Bureau, the comely wagon could be on the way out later this year thanks to two massive turnaround campaigns. The outlet interviewed Jaguar USA CEO Joe Eberhardt, who conveyed the message that only the strongest products will live. That means no more manual transmissions after this year, simplified trims, and easing up on diesels. It also means, in TDB's words, "you'll no longer see wagons ... in the U.S." If this ends up true, it would be a shame. Wagon sales were up 29 percent in the U.S. last year. We just included the XF Sportbrake as one of the potential reasons Audi teased its Twitter fans about the return of Avants. And if there's anyone who doesn't like the XF Sportbrake, we haven't met them. Our review said the slinky wagon "Puts SUV appeal on ice." Jalopnik called it " The best-kept sleeper wagon secret you can buy." Road & Track labeled it " A high five to America." High fives and good secrets don't pay the rent, though. The push for global sustainability after last year's shocking Q4 loss at Jaguar Land Rover has compelled two turnaround campaigns called "Charge" and "Accelerate." One focuses on immediate cost matters, the other takes the long strategic view. Both need to incorporate the fact that Jaguar's crossovers, the F-Pace and E-Pace, represent 70 percent of Jaguar sales. On that matter, Eberhardt said, "I don't want to say the speed of change took us by surprise, but they were too quick for us to react to immediately.

More Jaguar F-Pace details revealed [w/video]

The Jaguar F-Pace will make its full debut on September 15 at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. But for folks like us that want every detail about the compact crossover ahead of time, Jaguar is continuing the ongoing tease. This time, the company puts the emphasis on the CUV's suspension development and includes a video to prove that it works. The F-Pace is promising to be quite a crisp handler with a double-wishbone layout for the front suspension and an integral link setup at the rear. Cornering is further enhanced by an all-wheel-drive system that features torque vectoring adapted from the F-Type. Stopping shouldn't be an issue either because the brakes are also based on the units from the sports car. In addition, the company is making the lofty promise that crossover's electric power-assisted power steering offers "greater feedback and control than hydraulic systems." Production of the crossover should get underway at the Solihull, UK, factory soon because the F-Pace hits the market in 2016. The powertrain range is expected to include the new Ingenium four-cylinder engine family and the brand's fantastic sounding, supercharged V6. All the details should be officially revealed in Frankfurt, though. Until then, give the F-Pace a listen in the clip below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. JAGUAR F-PACE: THE ULTIMATE PRACTICAL JAGUAR SPORTS CAR 26/08/15 Double wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension enable exceptional handling and ride comfort Outstanding agility delivered by F-TYPE-derived technologies including Torque Vectoring2 Electric power-assisted steering designed to give immediate response and connected feel Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September On sale in 2016 (MAHWAH, N.J.) - August 25, 2015 - Featuring sports-car derived chassis systems and evaluated on the same demanding roads as all other Jaguar vehicles, the new F-PACE will bring new levels of dynamic ability to the brand when it goes on sale in 2016, after debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. The new F-PACE will reward drivers and passengers alike with a blend of agility and comfort that is unique to the small performance SUV segment; making it the most practical Jaguar sports car ever.