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Autoblog Podcast #396

Episode #396 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, and Chris Paukert talk about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, the 2016 Jaguar XE, and the 2015 Lexus RC. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #396:
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2021 Jaguar F-Pace First Drive Review | A jam-packed update with a lot to like

As one of Jaguar’s top-selling models, the F-Pace serves as an unofficial ambassador for the brandÂ’s lineup as a whole. Its rather dramatic 2021-model-year makeover coincides with an effort by Jaguar (and sister brand Land Rover) to significantly overhaul its product offerings in an attempt to adjust to changing customer tastes. Consequently, the list of updates to the 2021 F-Pace reads like what youÂ’d expect from a complete redesign, rather than a mere mid-cycle refresh. To give you an idea of how dramatically Jaguar is streamlining its offerings, consider this: In 2020, Jaguar sold 12 variants of the F-Pace. Starting in Â’21, that drops to five: P250, P250 S, P340 S, P400 R-Dynamic S and the top-dog SVR. We say the 2021 model year, but thanks to COVID and the resulting supply disruptions, the timelines went a bit wonky. In just a few weeks, Jaguar will have 2022 models hitting showrooms. With the exception of the SVR, each model in the F-Pace lineup is named for its approximate power figure (in PS, because it has to be a little quirky for the American audience, right?). P250 models come with a turbocharged four-cylinder making 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. The P340 and P400 R-Dynamic S utilize Jaguar Land RoverÂ’s new 3.0-liter, 48V mild-hybrid inline-six. The P340 offers 335 hp and 354 lb-ft, while the P400 R-Dynamic S packs 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The SVR gets a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 550 horses and 514 lb-ft. All engines are coupled to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and rear-biased all-wheel-drive system. Unlike JaguarÂ’s sedans and coupes, its crossovers arenÂ’t offered in RWD form. While the F-Pace received a handful of styling tweaks for 2021, the most noteworthy changes are inside. Just about everything in the cabin is new or updated, from the dash to the center console and even the steering wheel. The new design is more angular, with horizontal lines replacing some of the sweeping curves found in the 2020 edition. At the center of all this is JLRÂ’s updated Pivi Pro infotainment system, which is much prettier, snappier and easier to use than the one it replaces. Speaking of replacements, Jaguar chucked the F-PaceÂ’s rotary gear selector in favor of a more conventional shift knob – a welcome reversion, and one that is happening throughout the JLR portfolio. Elsewhere, the interior looks clean, sharp and upscale, but weÂ’d shop short of calling it characterful.

Jaguar Land Rover tech tracks brainwaves, heart, lungs

Jaguar Land Rover has been on a bit of a tech kick lately, and its latest is called Mind Sense, which uses biometric sensors to monitor and enhance the driver's level of alertness. Jaguar is installing brainwave sensors adapted from NASA into the steering wheel of an XJ sedan, along with medical-grade heart and respiratory sensors in the seat. Together, the sensors would determine if the driver is focused on the road, dozing off, merely thinking about something else, or if the driver's stress level suddenly peaks. The system would enable the vehicle to better prepare for an emergency, or for a future autonomous vehicle to hand off control to a better-prepared driver where needed. At the same time, JLR is also working on an enhanced infotainment system designed to reduce the amount of time the driver's hands are off the wheel and their eyes are off the road. The system determines which control they're reaching for on the display and engages it while their finger is still in mid-air, deploying an ultrasonic pulse to provide artificial haptic feedback without actually having to touch anything. Finally, a new haptic accelerator pedal is under development that could alert the driver to respond to an impending situation without overloading the senses with chimes and beeps. These latest developments follow the demonstration of a remote-control system installed on a Range Rover Sport, and follow in a long line of new technologies under development by the British automaker. JAGUAR LAND ROVER ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH INCLUDES BRAIN WAVE MONITORING TO IMPROVE DRIVER CONCENTRATION AND REDUCE ACCIDENTS - Jaguar Land Rover's pioneering Mind Sense project is researching measuring brainwaves to monitor driver concentration in the car - Researchers are developing a Wellness Seat in a Jaguar XJ which analyses the driver's heart rate and breathing to monitor driver health and stress - Touchscreens that predict which button you want to press as the user's fingers are in mid-air - to minimise time spent with eyes off the road - Jaguar Land Rover researchers use new haptic accelerator pedal to communicate hazards to the driver Whitley, UK: Jaguar Land Rover has revealed a range of new road safety technology research projects that are being developed to reduce the number of accidents caused by drivers who are stressed, distracted and not concentrating on the road ahead.