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Jaguar may join the FWD, small-car parade

Was it right for Chevrolet to detune the 1975 Corvette's base engine to 165 horsepower? Was Aston Martin wrong to make the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet? Is BMW crazy to be testing the new 1 Series with three-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive? It seems now, just as in the 1970s and 1980s, that emissions regulations and social considerations are driving some automakers to adopt unbefitting practices to maintain acceptance in the eyes of governments and consumers. Jaguar has jumped on the bandwagon, and is considering development of small, frugal, front-wheel-drive cars to help lower Jaguar Land Rover's average vehicle CO2 levels in light of tightening European emissions regulations, Autocar reports.
By 2020, the European Union expects the model range of every manufacturer to average 95 grams per kilometer, which is a new law passed by the European Parliament in April. Manufacturers who make more than 300,000 vehicles per year must meet these targets, and JLR is expected to be producing up to 700,000 vehicles per year by then. CO2 regulations after 2020 will only get stricter, as EU politicians already are talking about lowering CO2 levels to between 68 g/km and 78 g/km. (To put that in perspective, Autocar posits that driving a fully charged electric vehicle in Europe produces about 75 g/km when factoring in the power-generation infrastructure.)
Jaguar has some choices here, but so far they all have drawbacks. It could develop a new, compact chassis architecture for a line of compact vehicles, but the investment required for such a project could be prohibitively expensive. Jaguar has been looking into using the Land Rover Evoque platform for a small SUV, Autocar reports, but Land Rover brand manager John Edwards raises issue with such a plan, saying it may not be financially feasible.

2017 Jaguar XE

You've seen this movie before. Topple the BMW 3 Series has gone more rounds than The Fast and The Furious and The Transporter combined. But like any good cinematic retread, this time it's different. For starters, the latest installment is a zombie flick. Born from the ashes of Ford ownership and the failed X-Type, the 2017 Jaguar XE is coming to save us from the somnambulant, undead Bimmer. Think Army of Darkness with luxury sport sedans, and you'll understand what we're going for. Okay, the plot is only based on a true story. The reality in the automotive world isn't as dramatic as most car journalists would like you to believe. But the XE is hugely important for Jaguar's desire to increase global production. You're looking at the future best-selling model. It's built on an all-new body structure that forms the basis for all the brand's upcoming sedans. The smallest, most affordable Jaguar also launches with a new engine family, built in a new factory in England. The XE arrives stateside in early 2016 with two available engines. A 2.0-liter diesel from the new Ingenium lineup is the entry-level model. Above that is the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 familiar to the Jaguar and Land Rover lineup. A turbo 2.0-liter gas engine will come in below the diesel at a later date, with an optional manual transmission. The XE versions on launch will offer rear- or all-wheel-drive. Pricing information is yet to be revealed. Until then, just assume the XE will mimic its competitors for price and content. We spent most of our time driving the 35t with R-Sport trim, but check back for a driving impression of the diesel in a few days. As we reported in our prototype drive of the XE earlier this year, this car has incredible steering feel. It's the supernatural aid in the XE's monomyth if any film buffs are still paying attention. The electrically assisted system ranks in the hall of fame with the rack on the current Porsche 911 Carrera. Lightly weighted, the loads build up in the steering wheel like it's wired to strain gauges on the sidewall of the front tires. It's not just good programming that makes the XE steer so well, although that's a big part. The rest comes from the chassis. Jaguar engineers claim the double wishbone front suspension uses lessons learned from the F-Type. The rear part of the car's quick responses comes from a multi-link setup Jag calls integrated link. A body 20-percent stiffer than the current XF also contributes to sharp reflexes.

Jaguar Land Rover releases a vintage-looking infotainment system for classics

Jaguar and Land Rover have a new option for owners of its older vehicles: a touchscreen infotainment system. Much like the Porsche classic infotainment head unit released a few years ago, this one tries to blend in with its interior surroundings. Five distinct designs of these "Classic Infotainment Systems" are offered in an effort to have an option that fits well with the interior of any particular car offered by Jag or Land Rover over the past few decades. Chrome and black options are available for Jaguars, while brushed aluminum and black are the choices for Land Rovers. The infotainment system has navigation with 2D or 3D maps and Bluetooth audio. Sure, you don't need to stream Spotify in a 1970s Land Rover, but now you can. Jaguar says it'll offer much higher quality sound with a 4 x 45 watt output from the single DIN head unit, but you might need to upgrade those ancient speakers to actually take advantage of it. There's no mention of satellite radio like Porsche's unit offers, unfortunately. It is a radio though, so we get both AM and FM functionality. Jaguar says it's "compatible with negative earth vehicles" (newer vehicles use negative grounding systems) and retails for $1,796 before taxes in the U.S. You can buy and have it professionally fitted at an "authorized" Jaguar or Land Rover dealer if you'd like as well. It's easy to shake your fist at such a device for classic cars, but this head unit tried hard to be an elegant piece — we're still not sure about slotting it into an old E-Type though... Here are U.S. specific model fitments: Jaguar XJ40; XJS; XJ Series 3 Sedan Land Rover Defender 90, 110; Range Rover Classic (93-96); Discovery 1 (94-98); Freelander (97-04) Related Video: Featured Gallery Jaguar Land Rover Classic Infotainment System News Source: Jaguar Jaguar Land Rover Technology Infotainment