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Jaguar F-Type Rally Car First Ride | This cat likes gravel

SOUTH WALES, U.K. — The invitation is last-minute and somewhat vague. The location, an off-road test area in South Wales known as Walter's Arena, sounds more Land Rover than Jaguar. It's also in five hours, and only a passenger seat tease is on offer. But a Jaguar rally car? Color me curious. First impressions don't disappoint. Basking at the entrance is NUB 120, so-named after its license plate and considered the most famous Jaguar XK120 of all. Built in 1950, it took three consecutive overall wins on the insanely arduous Alpine Rally. Driven by Jaguar dealer (and Olympic skier) Ian Appleyard and navigated by his wife Pat Lyons, daughter of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons, this car helped demonstrate the power and durability of the legendary XK engine in the toughest possible test. Carrying its original paint and a few battle scars, I could stop right here. But its presence is simply justification for what's lurking a little deeper in the forest. That being an F-Type rally car. Which is exactly as wild as it sounds. Based on a regular 2.0-liter F-Type Convertible, the project riffs on Jaguar's little-known rally heritage and pending MY20 updates to the F-Type range. The 16-inch rally wheels, gravel tires, custom fabricated roll cage and hood-mounted spots are not adornments destined for any production F-Type. That said, it's clearly been built to do more than sit on an auto show plinth. This initially seems like the sort of thing that'd be an after-hours project by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations department, the same guys who cooked up the Project 7 F-Type and XE SV Project 8 sedan. But there's something about the Below Zero Ice Driving branding on the support truck that rings a bell. SVO supplied the graphics and items like the F-Type GT4 carbon fiber door cards, but it turns out the actual build was outsourced to a specialist outfit. Their expertise is turning sports cars into rally machines, this following the FIA's ongoing efforts to revive the sport's sideways, rear-wheel drive traditions. See the Toyota GT86 CS-R3 and initiatives like the R-GT Cup, the latter popular with privateers in converted 911 GT3s and inspiring Porsche's recent toe-in-the-water Cayman GT4 Clubsport rally car. Then it clicks — the crew are from Tuthill Porsche, a celebrated restoration and race shop between London and Birmingham with a huge presence in historic competition. They also have a sideline running Swedish ice driving experiences in old Porsches.

Jaguar XE to be built in China

After a six-year absence, the Jaguar XE will return that most English of automotive companies to the compact premium segment, the brand's first whole-hearted launch into that market. For certain Western markets it begins production at the Land Rover plant in Solihull early next year, but it will also continue the brand's venture in to China having been chosen as the first Jaguar to be built there, according to a report in Automotive News. Jaguar-Land Rover owns a plant in Changshu, a joint venture with Chery Automobile, that started building the Range Rover Evoque this year and will add the Land Rover Discovery Sport. Previously, The Leaping Cat was selling cars built from kits at its factory in Pune, India. The brand figures to sell 20,000 cars in China next year, which would be less than a fifth of in-country sales for the JLR group, but the XE is the "spearhead vehicle" that "could make significant inroads" there, according to Jaguar. For comparison, Audi moved 120,450 A4s alone and BMW sold more than 100,000 3 Series models in China in 2013. Globally, Jaguar is predicted to sell 80,000 units this year. By 2017, after the release of the XE, new XF and coming crossover, plus factory expansions in China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, it hopes to get that number up to 200,000 units; Forbes has a piece detailing why they think it's possible. The JLR group is shooting for a target of 850,000 units worldwide by 2020. Featured Gallery 2016 Jaguar XE: Paris 2014 View 12 Photos News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req. via Paul TanImage Credit: Copyright 2014 AOL Plants/Manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover Luxury Sedan jaguar xe jlr

2017 Jaguar Model Year Preview and Updates

Jaguar, the upscale Brit, is currently enjoying a resurgence in the US, built on an improved value proposition, credible quality, better reliability, and an expanded lineup. That larger lineup now includes an all-new XE four door sedan and Jaguar's first crossover, the F-Pace - pictured above. JAGUAR F-TYPE: An entry-level F-Type has been added to the lineup, improving its accessibility by some $3,600 on the F-Type coupe and roughly $2,700 for the F-Type convertible. XE: Jaguar's compact four door is all-new, and intended to make headway into the sport sedan market long dominated by BMW's 3 Series and, more recently, Audi's A4. The XE brings a tightly drawn platform, responsive drive character and three powertrains to the table, including a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel. It is on sale now. XF: Jaguar's midsize 'saloon' adds a 2.0-liter turbodiesel to its menu, along with Configurable Dynamics. This optional package allows individual settings for suspension, steering, throttle and transmission. XJ: Jaguar's 2017 XJ builds on the 2016 refresh with the addition of new colors and wheels. F-Pace: Jaguar's first crossover has everything it needs to compete with Porsche's Macan, BMW's X3/X5 and M-B's GLC/GLE. As this suggests, the F-Pace is a 'tweener, sitting between compact and midsize crossovers. It seats five, and is available with either a 2.0-liter turbodiesel or supercharged V6. The line starts at your local Jaguar showroom.