2010 Jaguar Xf Premium Luxury Sedan 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar Land Rover data leak reveals employee records, upcoming layoffs

A massive data leak has revealed the personnel files of hundreds of employees at Jaguar Land Rover's factory in Solihull, England. The documents reveal details such as sick days used, disciplinary issues and — most notably — red lines indicating potential firings in the weeks or months ahead. In total, the personal records of more than 600 workers were released. JLR is scrambling to contain the crisis. The breach was first reported by the Huffington Post UK, with the automaker initially claiming the story was "fake news." That publicity gaff certainly didn't help matters, especially for employees staring at their name with a red line slashed across it. Last month, the British automaker had said it would be eliminating roughly 1,000 employees at factories in the U.K. The Solihull plant, which produces models like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Jaguar F-Pace and Jaguar XE, was among those mentioned in the statement. JLR, which is owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata Motors, is facing a steep drop in sales, particularly in its home market. The main culprits include a huge slump in sales of diesel-powered vehicles - a vital part of JLR's business in the U.K. and throughout Europe - along with fears about how the upcoming "Brexit" will affect business operations. In the HuffPost UK story, one worker called the situation "disgusting" and "embarrassing," adding that people at the factory now know whether they, or their colleagues, are soon due to lose their job. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Getty Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover economy data

Here’s how 20 popular EVs fared in cold-weather testing in Norway

Electric vehicles are known to suffer diminished performance in cold weather, but some do a better job than others hanging onto their range capacity while cabin heaters and frigid outdoor temperatures sap power from their batteries. Recently, the Norwegian Automobile Federation put the 20 of the best-selling battery-electric vehicles in the country to the test, to see not only how winter weather affected their range but also their charging times. The major findings: On average, electric vehicles lost 18.5% of their official driving range as determined by the European WLTP cycle. Electric vehicles also charge more slowly in cold temperatures. And interestingly, the researchers learned that EVs don’t simply shut down when they lose power but instead deliver a series of warnings to the driver, with driving comfort and speed levels maintained until the very last few miles. Because itÂ’s Norway, the worldÂ’s top market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles by market share, the test included many EVs that arenÂ’t available here in the U.S. But there are many familiar faces, among them the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Models S, 3 and X, Hyundai Kona (known here as the Kona Electric) and Ioniq, and Audi E-Tron. In terms of range, the top-performing EV was the Hyundai Kona, which lost only 9% of its official range, which the WTLP rated at 449 kilometers, or 279 miles, compared to its EPA-rated range of 258 miles on a full charge. It delivered 405 km, just enough to nudge it ahead of the Tesla Model 3, which returned 404 km. Other top performers included the Audi E-Tron, in both its 50 Quattro (13% lower range) and higher-powered 55 Quattro (14% lower) guises; the Hyundai Ioniq (10% lower); and Volkswagen e-Golf (11% lower). At 610 km (379 miles) the Tesla Model S has the longest WLTP range of all models tested and went the furthest, but still lost 23% of its range, though it also encountered energy-sapping heavy snow at the end of its test, when many cars had dropped out. The Model 3 lost 28% of its range. The worst performer? That goes to the Opel Ampera-e, better known stateside as the Chevrolet Bolt. It traveled 297 km (about 184 miles) in the test, which was nearly 30% lower than its stated WLTP range. We should also note that Opel, now owned by Groupe PSA, is phasing the car out in Europe and that Chevy recently upgraded the Bolt here in the U.S.

Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is a 592-horsepower monster

Move over, F-Type, Jaguar has a new performance flagship. The Special Vehicle Operations division of Jaguar Land Rover applied its expertise to the XE sports sedan to create an absolute monster of a car. Named the XE SV Project 8, it features a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 pumping out 592 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That power goes through an eight-speed automatic and an all-wheel-drive system with an electronically controlled torque-vectoring rear differential. In practice, this will rocket the super sedan to 60 mph in a claimed 3.3 seconds on the way to a 200 mph top speed. The XE SV Project 8 is not only about raw power and speed, though. Lightweight carbon fiber bumpers, front fenders, and hood have been fitted. The fenders are significantly wider, too, which cover 265-mm wide tires up front, and Hellcat Widebody-rivaling 305-mm wide tires in the back. The added grip is supplemented by stiffer springs and retuned anti-roll bars and shocks. The front splitter and rear wing are adjustable, as is the ride height. Carbon ceramic brakes are also included with six-piston front calipers and single-piston rear calipers. All of these pieces should come together to make the XE SV Project 8 just as impressive in the corners as in a straight line. View 12 Photos The interior has undergone an overhaul, too. The standard model has seating for four, featuring front buckets with magnesium frames, and more sculpted rear seats. Carbon fiber and Alcantara can be everywhere throughout the cabin. All of the typical Jaguar comforts are still present, as well, including 4G Wi-Fi, climate control, LCD displays, and a 380-watt sound system. The dial shifter in the regular XE also gives way to an F-Type-style lever allowing for manual shifting via the lever instead of paddles if you so choose. There is an additional interior configuration for the XE SV Project 8 that won't be available in the US and Canada. Called the Track Pack, it completely removes the rear seats, and the front buckets are replaced with carbon fiber units. In place of the rear seats is a roll cage with harness points for fitting the included four-point harnesses. The pack also adds a fire extinguisher system along with a black roof and stripes. The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will make its full public debut this week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Only 300 of the cars will be built, and all of them will be assembled at the Jaguar SVO facility.