2005 Jaguar Xkr Base Coupe 2-door 4.2l on 2040-cars

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2014 Jaguar F-Type, Project 7 Concept snarl in Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno gets to drive a lot of nice cars, and the Jaguar F-Type V8 S he pilots in the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage is no exception. Eric Johnson, vice president of Jaguar Western Region brought the car to Leno's garage, which impresses the comedian with its 5.0-liter V8 that makes 495 horsepower, 460 pound-feet of torque and a muscle car-like roar.
But there's a surprise this episode: Leno secured a drive in the Project 7 Concept at Pebble Beach this year, and the experience was caught on video. Based on the F-Type, the Project 7 is a functional concept car that nods to Jaguar's seven wins at Le Mans and features bespoke styling cues, a special exhaust system and, perhaps most importantly, 50 more horsepower from the supercharged V8.
Watch the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage in the video below. You'll need a little over 23 minutes to see the whole thing.

Queen Elizabeth II was a longtime automotive enthusiast

Since driver's licenses, license plates, and passports were issued in her own name, Queen Elizabeth II didn't need them to drive and travel. She started combining the two just before she turned 19, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) transport division in 1945 for vehicle mechanic training. She wanted to help the British effort during World War II and would drive an ambulance — one that, theoretically, she could also fix if it broke down. The war ended before she graduated as an Honorary Junior Commander, the other ATS members dubbing her Princess Auto Mechanic. We donÂ’t know if she got under the hoods of the many official state vehicles and the far more numerous unofficial fleet in the royal garages, but she was still driving herself around England as late as this year. Here is a tiny selection of royal conveyances used during her 70-year reign. Gold State Coach (1762) True, she never drove this one, but a tour of every royal garage should start with the coach. King George III commissioned Samuel Butler to build it in 1760. Butler spent two years on the gilded carriage 24 feet long and more than 12 feet high. The quarters are suspended from the frame by leather straps, so occupants get tossed about even during a slow stroll, which is as fast as the eight Windsor Gray horses can pull it. It wasnÂ’t until the 1900s that King George VI rubberized the wooden wheels. Word is the queen didnÂ’t like it.   1953 Land Rover Series 1 Land Rover gave Queen ElizabethÂ’s father, King George VI, the 100th example of the 80 Series off the line in 1948. She picked up the Landie habit for herself five years later, when a 1953 Series 1 with a custom 86-inch wheelbase was part of the fleet used for her six-month tour of the Commonwealth in 1953 and 1954. That Land Rover became Ceremonial Vehicle State IV. The models above were built in Australia in 1958 as near copies of the Commonwealth tour vehicle, when Australia decided it wanted six identical versions for royal service. ItÂ’s thought the royal family went through around 30 Land Rover Series cars and Defenders since then, and many of the most common photos of her have her posing in or near one, especially the 2002 Defender built just for her. The royal family isnÂ’t finished with them, either: A current Defender 110 served as a luggage hauler for family members headed to Balmoral Castle during the queenÂ’s final days.

Jaguar XJS gets resto-mod treatment from England-based TWR

From the Volvo P1800 to the Porsche 928, the resto-modding trend has propelled numerous classics into the 21st century. Born-again English firm TWR rummaged through its own backyard to jump on the bandwagon: it unveiled an updated version of the Jaguar XJS. Known as the Supercat, the resto-modded XJS shares little more than a silhouette and a few basic styling cues with the coupe that inspired it. It's more muscular-looking thanks to a body kit that adds a front splitter, Group B-esque wheel arch flares, a rear spoiler and a massive diffuser integrated into the rear bumper. It gets modern-looking LED lights on both ends, and it rides on center-locking wheels. TWR notes that the body panels are made out of carbon fiber to keep weight in check. Interior pictures haven't been released, though we're told nearly every part of the car will be highly customizable, and we'll need to be patient to find out precisely what's under the hood. To whet our appetite, TWR mentioned a V12 engine supercharged to 600 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. All told, it has taken the company more than two years to reach this stage, including intensive real-world testing. TWR notes that the Supercat will make its dynamic debut during the summer of 2024 (our money is on the Goodwood Festival of Speed). If you want one, act fast: production is limited to 88 units globally and pricing starts at GBP225,000 excluding taxes, which represents about $281,500 at the current conversion rate. Dollars matter here: unlike some resto-mods, the Supercat was developed with our market in mind. If the XJS isn't your thing, TWR stresses it has additional resto-modded projects in the pipeline. It hasn't revealed what's next, however. Jaguar XJS View 6 Photos The donor car Released as the XJS for 1976 as a replacement for the E-Type, the two-door Jaguar (shown above) was offered in numerous configurations during a production run that lasted well beyond even the company's expectations; it remained part of the range until 1996. It was offered with a straight-six, a V12, a stick, an automatic, as a coupe, and as a convertible, and it received numerous updates inside and out to remain relatively fresh. Related Video: