1999 Jaguar Xk8 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

We're spending six months with a Jaguar XE diesel

It's hard to discuss the Jaguar XE sedan without at least mentioning the BMW 3 Series. So here we are doing it. The XE was built to compete with the 3 and the likes of the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It's the smallest Jag sedan in a long time, and it's poised to be one of the brand's best-selling vehicles. We're putting one in our fleet for half a year to see how it is to live with. What we got For the detail-oriented, this is a 2017 Jaguar XE 20d AWD Prestige painted Ammonite Grey with a Jet and Latte interior. Translation: a midlevel trim with a diesel engine, all-wheel drive, dark gray paint, and a cabin with light tan leather seats and a black dashboard. It's a handsome combo. Base price for the model is $46,395. This one has plenty of options, which raise the price to $55,485. For $2,400, the Vision Package includes things to help you see and some more that help the car see for you: xenon headlights with washers, auto high beams, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitor, and cross-traffic detection. The $2,100 Comfort and Convenience Package adds heated and cooled front seats, heat for the rears, a power trunk lid, and an electric rear sunshade. A 10.2-inch wide-format touchscreen, navigation, WiFi, and an 825-watt sound system are included in the $2,700 Technology Package. And then there's the little stuff: metallic paint for $550, a head-up display for $990, and $350 to get the SiriusXM working. Other details include an eight-speed automatic transmission, engine stop-start, and some nice 18-inch wheels. What we skipped This XE most notably lacks a place to put gasoline – we didn't get the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder or any of the tunes of supercharged V6 in the pricier models. We also skipped the upper trim levels, which for 2017 included R-Sport and Portfolio (an S model is new for 2018). The only other big item you can put on a Prestige is the $360 Black Design Package; it swaps out the shiny grille, vent trim, and window surrounds for – you guessed it – black parts. Why we got it It's a completely new model in a popular segment. Sport sedans are fun. And Jaguars are pretty. There are likely to be some mini comparisons between the Jag and our succession of long-term A4s. What's next On the other end of the new-Jaguar spectrum is the F-Pace, a crossover that has a lot in common with the XE. So we're going to spend some time with one once the XE leaves.

Stunning Jaguar collection with O.G. E-Type is a museum exhibit all on its own

At what point does a personal automotive collection become a museum exhibit that's just not in a museum? Dr. Christian Jenny blurs the line between the two with his unreal lot of classic Jaguars that includes not only the first E-Type ever seen in public, but also the "Lost C-Type" and what is considered to be Jaguar's first sports car, the 1935 S.S. 90 Prototype. Switzerland-based collector Jenny is selling 12 cars individually through classic car broker Pendine Historic Cars Limited. The collection includes some of the most important Jaguars ever built, nearly all of which have open-air tops. It's so special, in fact, that Pendine has created an entirely separate tab on its website dedicated to the set. The 12-pack includes the 1935 S.S. 90 Prototype, a 1952 C-Type, the E-Type Series I fixed-head coupe (aka "The Geneva Launch Car"), a 1935 S.S. 90 "Captain Black," a 1937 S.S. 100 2.5 liter, a 1938 S.S. 100 3.5 liter, a 1949 alloy XK120 Roadster, a 1950 XK120 Roadster, a 1955 XK140 SE Roadster, a 1960 XK150 3.8 S Roadster, an E-Type Series I Roadster, and a 1972 E-Type Series III V12 Roadster. All of the cars have been beautifully photographed and recorded by Michel Zumbrunn, author of British Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Though every one of these cars holds heavy significance, the 90 Prototype, the C-Type, and the Geneva E-Type stand to be some of the most noteworthy in British history. The S.S. 90 Prototype is considered Jaguar's first sports car before the company was even called Jaguar. It has a sidevalve 2.6-liter straight-six engine that makes an estimated 90 bhp and has won numerous Pebble Beach Concours awards. For years, this C-Type was floating in the ether and earned the nickname "The Lost C-Type" when it was the only car of the 53 C-Types that was not located. It was raced for numerous years and has since been restored. Any E-Type is highly valuable, as it's largely considered one of the most beautiful cars ever built, but this specific car has extra history. The coupe shape was reportedly hand-built from an open-top model and became the first E-Type ever seen in public. The experimental prototype, chassis No. 885005, was on display at the 1961 Geneva show. Read more detailed accounts for each car and ogle the gorgeous photography, of which each car has plenty, at Pendine. As of now, only the 90 Prototype has an offer.

UK electric motor maker YASA expands production 50-fold for EVs

LONDON — British electric motor manufacturer YASA said on Thursday it was increasing its production capacity from 2,000 to 100,000 units with a new factory to tap into growing demand from carmakers for greener technologies. Automakers are racing to build greener vehicles and improve charge times in a bid to meet rising customer demand and air quality targets but Britain lacks sufficient manufacturing capacity, an area the government is building up. Last year, the government picked a site in central England to house a new automotive battery development facility, which will develop the processes required to manufacture the latest battery advancements. On Thursday, YASA, based near the English city of Oxford, said it had raised another 15 million pounds ($21 million) as part of its expansion. "Our customers are looking to adopt innovative new technologies such as YASA's axial-flux electric motors and controllers in order to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding hybrid and pure electric automotive market," said Chief Executive Chris Harris. The firm exports 80 percent of production and has worked with companies including Britain's two biggest carmakers Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan as well as Aston Martin. JLR will decide this year whether to build electric cars in its home market, previously citing factors such as pilot testing and support from science and government as pre-requisites. Reporting by Costas PitasRelated Video: