1967 Jaguar E-type Series 1 Convertible. Recent Concours Judging Score on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar F-Type SVR and Range Rover Evoque Convertibles go rainbow for Pride

BMW isn't the only automobile company getting involved in Pride Week, as Jaguar Land Rover announced it also has cars that will participate. And yes, they're convertibles with rainbow stripes. On Sunday, June 30, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will participate in the NYC Pride March with several themed vehicles and employees walking next to them. JLR chose two of its most intriguing vehicles in the Jaguar F-Type SVR convertible and the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. Jaguar unveiled two different F-Type SVRs, one in a gorgeous blue and the other in white. Both cars have the same detailing, though, including rainbow stripes on the the sides, rear bumpers, and hoods. The F-Types also have rainbow stripes across the tops of their windshields, and "JAG YOU ARE" decals across the windshields and rear bumpers. The silver Evoque is only slightly different. It, too, has rainbow stripes across its doors, rear bumper, and windshield. Rather than a "JAG YOU ARE" decal, however, "EVOQUE" is spread across the front bumper in rainbow lettering. You can check out these unique models at the Pride parade in NYC.

Jaguar upgrades I-Pace with increased range for free

Jaguar launched the I-Pace eTrophy racing series in 2018, and ever since, it's been collecting data on its battery electric crossover. Using that research, Jaguar has managed small refinements that incrementally improve how the car runs and drives. In past times, these types of upgrades were implemented during a refresh or redesign, but thanks to the computerized nature of modern vehicles, tuning information can be relayed to the vehicles immediately. Installed by dealers, Jaguar is releasing a free I-Pace software update that affects the battery, aerodynamics and all-wheel-drive system.   Jaguar already offers one of the best battery-operated vehicles on the road today, but the competition pool is quickly improving and becoming more crowded. In order to keep the I-Pace fresh, Jaguar decided to share its learnings from its eTrophy racing series and "more than 50 million miles" of real-world driving.  As it stands, the I-Pace packs a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery that is EPA-rated at 234 miles on a single charge. It has 394 maximum horsepower, 512 lb-ft of torque, and Jaguar claims it can do 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. With the new update, Jaguar says the battery can "run to a lower state of charge than previously without affecting drivability, durability, or performance." This only affects range and efficiency, though, not power. All I-Paces are all-wheel-drive, and the update directly affects the car's traction system. Jaguar has refined the torque distribution between the front and rear motors, which improves the car's efficiency in ECO mode. A third update deals with the car's aerodynamics. Jaguar has refined thermal management control by using the active radiator vane system more frequently. Finally, small tweaks also improved the regenerative braking system.   All said, these upgrades potentially equate to an 8% increase in range, which is about 12 miles, depending on usage. Jaguar did note, however, that the official EPA number would not change. Those who own I-Paces can take their cars to a local dealership, and a technician will update the software, which also includes advanced over-the-air functionality. 

Junkyard Gem: 1973 Jaguar XJ6

It requires a certain high level of commitment to keep an old Jaguar on the road, and so plenty of first-generation Jaguar XJs end up as projects that never get finished, sitting in yards or garages for decades before winding up in the nearest U-Wrench yard. As I clomp through car graveyards around the country in search of interesting machinery, I see so many 1980s XJs that I don't bother to photograph many of them … but a genuine Series I early Jag is a different story. Here's a '73 XJ6 whose final parking space (prior to facing the cold steel jaws of The Crusher) sits right next to that of a same-year Mercedes-Benz 450SLC in an East Bay yard. How the mighty have fallen! The C107 was too picked-over to be worth photographing, but you can admire the photos of this much nicer '72 I found in Denver a few years back. Unlike the last Series 1 XJ6 that I've photographed (in the very same yard, albeit 13 years ago), this car has not had its original straight-six engine replaced by a small-block Chevrolet V8 (because Jaguar parts were expensive and Chevy parts were cheap during the 1970s, that swap happened frequently). The US-market XJ6 got 150 horsepower from this smooth-running DOHC six, 40 fewer horses than the (far more expensive) 450SLC that year. The interior looks ravaged by the decades, but you can still discern the opulence that once reigned in this wood-and-leather-lined space. The dash boasts a full complement of authentic Smiths gauges, with a tasteful Kienzle clock right in the middle. Here's why we can assume that fewer than two of those instruments functioned at any given time during the life of this car: wiring by The Prince of Darkness! Working on electrical faults in these cars built up your patience while undermining your faith in symptom-to-problem relationships. The six-digit odometer ensures that we'll never know if we're looking at a 56,819-mile car or a 356,819-mile car. I'd guess 156,819 if I had to, based on pedal wear. These cars were very popular in the Bay Area, which has been full of European-car aficionados since the first Renault AXs sputtered off the docks of the San Francisco waterfront. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, you'd never see an old XJ without one of these pre-EU "GB" stickers on the back. The faded condition of this one suggests decades of sitting in the sun, probably while the car sat dead in the driveway due to electrical problems.