2011 Jaguar Xj on 2040-cars

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2019 Jaguar I-Pace Drivers' Notes Review | Cool cat

The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is one of the latest and most important models to hit the market in the past year. Finally, we're starting to see automakers roll out models that can compete directly with products from Tesla. The I-Pace has a striking design both inside and out and packs all of the charm you expect from a Jaguar product. So far, we've been impressed by the I-Pace, and we're not the only ones. Check out our discussion on the Autoblog podcast. The I-Pace has an EPA-rated 234 miles of range, and power from the battery is sent to all four wheels thanks to a pair of electric motors. This Caesium Blue model is in top-level HSE trim. Its $81,495 base price includes features like a panoramic sunroof, LED lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a Meridian audio system and air suspension. Our tester is fitted with a number of options, the most expensive of which are the $2,400 performance seats. Other options include a $570 heads-up display, $800 four-zone climate control, $250 for adjustable ambient lighting and $100 for fog lights. All in, this Jaguar will set you back $89,638 before any incentives or tax credits. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I'm really impressed with the I-Pace. It represents a new vision for Jaguar's electric strategy, and it's executed well in nearly all areas. The powertrain, pushing out 394 hp and 512 lb-ft of torque, is spectacular, pulling me back in my seat as I darted through lights and passed plodding traffic. Dynamic mode quickens the pulse a bit more. I didn't notice a dramatic change in driving character, other than a slight tweak to the steering, which is light, precise and direct. It's a good feel. The design is striking. It looks better in real life than in pictures. Analyzing Autoblog's galleries of the I-Pace and its preceding concept gave me pause. This thing is awkward, I mused. But in my driveway, on the street — it's cool. It's slightly lifted yet also chopped, creating a wedge-shaped dynamo of a four-door. Only downside: very little rear visibility. Inside, this one has a gorgeous "oyster" suede headliner, aluminum trim and handsome brown leather. The infotainment works pretty well; Jaguar is getting better at these. I wouldn't mind a few more analog buttons, but this is easier to pick up than it appears. It's sharp and futuristic. The I-Pace wasn't all great.

Say goodbye to Jaguar's vestigial oval grille

Jaguar has been on a campaign to replace any and all retro cues with modern ones. Just look at the current XJ and the one it replaced, or the XF and the S-Type that came before it and you'll know what we mean. The one remnant is the XK and its oval grille, in and of itself a throwback to Jags of old (which started to look more like a certain Star Wars alien in above-pictured XKR-S form). But don't expect it to hang around.
Newer Jaguars have been ditching the oval aperture for a more squared-off one, and the next XK will have to fall in line. But don't expect that to be the only change in store for the next-generation Jaguar coupe and convertible.
With the new F-Type now holding the more enthusiast-oriented ground, the next XK is expected to grow bigger, softer and more luxurious. That will likely mean a more commodious back seat as well, though that shouldn't be hard to do considering the lack of space in the back of the current model...

Frankfurt Motor Show Notes: Why Jaguar decided to build an SUV

It was inevitable. Jaguar had to make an SUV, and that notion became reality this week with the debut of the F-Pace, an all-wheel-drive five-seater that will launch in the United States next spring. Some purists may cringe. But in an era when Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and other traditional luxury brands are all building or (planning to build) SUVs, Jaguar had to evolve. While it seems like a leap for Jaguar to make an SUV, longtime design director Ian Callum said it's been in the works for years. "The first time I was asked the question was when I arrived 16 years ago," he said. So in 1999 (and probably well before that), Jaguar was already thinking SUV. What took so long? "It wasn't a priority," Callum said. Jaguar was concentrating on fixing its existing lineup, which was pockmarked with holes and poorly selling products, like the X-Type. Along the way, Jaguar and sister brand Land Rover were sold by Ford to Indian conglomerate Tata Motors. Flash forward several years, and Jaguar and Land Rover are both experiencing a resurgence in the United States and around the world. Jaguar's lineup is flush with the E-Type's modern successor, the F-Type, plus a new version of the XF. The XJ received a 2016 freshening, and the smaller XE sedan is on the way. Jaguar put its house in order as other factors conspired to make a crossover timely. Fuel prices stayed relatively low, and consumers in the US and China remained steadfast in their love for utility vehicles of all stripes. Making a Jaguar SUV became a priority. "The world was telling us in no uncertain terms this is what they wanted," Callum said. "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." Jaguar proved its intent two years ago when it revealed the C-X17 crossover concept at Frankfurt, and the final production model is close to the prototype's striking looks. "I thought we managed to maintain that spirit," Callum said. It's a true Jaguar, with cues from the F-Type, 1968 XJ, and other famous models. Who would have thought Jaguar would make an SUV? "I certainly didn't," Callum admitted. But the F-Pace is here. If Callum is okay with it, purists can be, too. Quick Hits Opel retrenches for 2016 and beyond Opel used the Frankfurt show to display its new generation of the Astra, a critical vehicle line for the German division of General Motors.