2003 Xk8 Used 4.2l V8 32v Automatic Rwd Convertible Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Autoblog Podcast #339

Farewell, Zach Bowman; Pikes Peak 2013; Datsun; 2014 Ram lineup
Episode #339 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and it's the last rodeo for Zach Bowman before he departs for other pastures. The crew this week consists of Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross, who talk about the astounding records set at this year's Pike's Peak hill climb, the return of the Datsun brand name and the recently-announced 2014 Ram truck lineup. Of course, we start with the garage and end with your questions and comments. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #339:

2018 Jaguar E-Pace Video Review | Jag's smallest SUV is a high-priced hit

The following is the transcript from our above 2018 Jaguar E-Pace video review. To read more about this compact luxury SUV, read our E-Pace first drive review. There's nothing like some Sunday morning driving. And today I am driving the 2018 Jaguar E-Pace, which is Jaguar's latest gasoline-fueled crossover offering, not to be confused with the I-Pace, which is their electric vehicle. This particular model is powered by a 246-horsepower turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 269 pound-feet of torque. It's mated to a nine-speed ZF automatic transmission, and my biggest gripe about the engine is that it can be a bit laggy, especially driving around in the mountains, particularly in Comfort mode. I would also appreciate paddle shifters on all of the models, not just the R-Dynamic, the lack of which on a $54,000, so-called sporty crossover is pretty disappointing. My disappointment doesn't linger very long, however, as the nicely weighted steering in this cub makes driving on these mountain roads pretty enjoyable. All-wheel drive does come standard on all varieties, and each feature four drive modes: Comfort, Dynamic, Eco, and then Rain/Ice/Snow. Let's talk about looks. Jaguar chief designer Ian Callum knows how to design an SUV. The F-Pace is my favorite looking vehicle in the segment and the style translates nicely to the smaller E-Pace. While it's not as good looking as its big brother, in my opinion, it definitely takes the crown over the Range Rover Evoque and the Discovery Sport, both of which share its platform. In fact, the E-Pace would rather easily be the best-looking vehicle in its class, if not for the newly-released Volvo XC40. This Cesium Blue paint is one of my favorite colors on the market, well worth the $590 price tag, in my opinion. I'm not a huge fan of chrome in general, and while this car is no exception, you can opt for the Blackout Pack, which replaces all the chrome on the car with gloss black paint. My biggest gripes with the F-Pace? Interior, infotainment and price. Those issues remain in its smaller sibling. When it comes to interiors, the Germans and the Swedes do a much better job, and when it comes to price, there are much better interiors out there. Most of the materials inside that you touch do feel pretty nice, but there are still a few cheap-feeling plastics around the cabin. And until there's a significant update to the infotainment system, JLR is always going to be behind the competition.

Jaguar appoints Joe Eberhardt as North American President

Jaguar Land Rover North America has appointed a new president, Joachim Eberhardt. The German exec, 50, had previously done stints at Chrysler Group, DaimlerChrysler UK, Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler-Benz.
Eberhardt joins JLR NA in a good, but challenging time for the company. It's fresh off the launch of the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Type, which have been subject to rave reviews, and its overall sales are up 21 percent over 2012. Still, as Automotive News points out, the two manufacturers face a fight to become the equal of A-list competitors like BMW and Mercedes in the eyes of consumers.
"Joe brings a proven industry track record and valuable global leadership experience in luxury sales, service and marketing. We look forward to Joe leading our North American team in working with our retail networks to further grow the business and better serve our customers," JLR's group sales operations director, Andy Goss, said.