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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

2017 Jaguar F-Pace First Drive

We know what you're thinking, and we tend to agree: The world probably doesn't need another crossover. But premium European automakers keep building them because people keep buying them. Before we even got behind the wheel of the 2017 F-Pace, we knew that it would be Jaguar's best-selling model by year's end. Now that we've driven the brand's first crossover, it's apparent that there is more to the F-Pace than future sales success. This is a real Jaguar. It would have been easy for Jaguar to borrow a platform from corporate sibling Land Rover. Instead, Jaguar's engineers decided to chart their own course, starting with the aluminum underpinnings of the XE sedan. As it turns out, that was a brilliant decision. The F-Pace looks and drives like a proper Jaguar, but it has some surprises hiding under its shapely sheetmetal that make it the most practical vehicle the brand has ever offered. The F-Pace sports a familiar face, with a voluminous chrome-ringed grille flanked by twin air intakes that are almost as large. Long horizontal headlamps flow into the fenders, and just behind the front wheels sit additional vents that are the only extraneous bit of styling flair on the entire vehicle. The overall look is smooth and taut, with lots of surface tension along the car's bodysides. Not that Jaguar would have done it, but we're glad this is not an overwrought Lexus RX clone. The F-Pace's proportions emphasize the chassis' rear-drive roots, although Jaguar will only sell the crossover with all-wheel drive in the US. By default, 90 percent of engine torque is routed to the rear wheels, and that can drop to as little as 10 percent as dictated by available traction. While the good old KISS acronym applies to the car's styling, it applies equally well to the driving dynamics with one slight modification: keep it sporty, stupid. A rigid aluminum chassis – it would be all-aluminum if the rear floor weren't steel to ensure proper 50/50 weight distribution – is derived from the same architecture as the XE sedan, rejiggered to sit higher off the ground and allow for greater suspension travel. As you'd expect, the F-Pace drives a heck of a lot like a sport sedan, only giving up the illusion if you notice how high you're sitting from the road. Jaguar has nailed the driving dynamics of the F-Pace. Steering is linear and, in Dynamic mode, perfectly damped. The ride on models equipped with adaptive suspension is firm and controlled, even with massive 22-inch wheels fitted.

V12-powered Jaguar E-Type Series 3 the restomod treatment from UK firm

As Jaguar tries to figure out its future, a growing number of aftermarket companies are reinventing its past. British restoration shop E-Type UK is the latest company to announce a restomod program for the popular sports car released in 1961. It's working with later Series 3 models, which is a little unusual, and it leaves no part untouched. E-Type UK starts every Unleashed project with a donor car; it doesn't build an E-Type from scratch. After strengthening the basic platform, it bores out the V12's cylinders to increase its displacement to 6.1 liters, 800 cubic centimeters more than stock. Additional modifications, like an electronic fuel-injection system and a free-flowing exhaust system, boost the engine's output to 400 horsepower, and a five-speed manual transmission sends the cavalry to the rear wheels. Four-piston front brake calipers ensure the Unleashed stops as well as it goes. With the engine finished and tuned, E-Type UK turns its attention to the chassis. It fits the E-Type with technology the original model could only dream of, like fully adjustable shock absorbers. Wire wheels are standard equipment, they fit the car's sleek profile well, but their diameter increases slightly to 16 inches to clear the bigger brakes. Designers restyled the bumpers, the grille, and the exterior emblems, though the changes are relatively subtle, and they added LED headlights to give the E-Type the visibility of a modern car. Inside, the only limit is the thickness of the buyer's wallet. Anything is possible; the options include different types of leather upholstery and various trim options. Heated seats, LED lighting, a push-button ignition, Bluetooth connectivity, and a surround-sound system are among the equipment added by E-Type UK to encourage future owners to drive their Unleashed often. All told, each build requires at least 4,000 hours of labor, which partially explains why pricing starts at GBP325,000 (around $447,600 at the current conversion rate) before the cost of a donor car enters the equation. For context, that money could buy you two examples of the Lamborghini Huracan Evo and a garage to keep them in, a small plane, or 447 examples of your favorite $1,000 econobox. And yet, we doubt E-Type UK will have a difficult time finding clients. Restomods are a big trend in the industry, some are even Volvo-based, and they're never cheap. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.