2008 Jaguar Xj Vanden Plas Super V8 on 2040-cars

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Jaguar shows off production XE body in camo

Jaguar turned to Twitter and Facebook to reveal the production form of its coming XE sedan that we'll see for real at the Paris Motor Show. This is the first of a series of show-offs, Jaguar planning to wrap the bodywork in see-through camo that shows off the aluminum monocoque and other internals the company will use to promote the XE over its German rivals. That aluminum structure, which Jaguar calls iQ[Al], will also be used for other Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.
Underneath that long bonnet and ahead of that terribly short trunk will come a series of Ingenium engines, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines in diesel and petrol forms that will come in a variety of power options, and the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that can also be found in the F-Type. Before the XE goes on sale early next year, you can click the image above to get a slightly larger view of what the The Leaping Cat's near future looks like.

GM, Audi, Jaguar halt Russian sales amidst ruble's collapse

The value of Russia's ruble currency has sunk like a stone tossed in the Volga for much of the year, losing over 40 percent of its worth since June. The change is having bizarre effects on the auto industry there and leaving some automakers scrambling to adjust. According to Bloomberg, Russians are buying up luxury goods including automobiles at the moment to have a physical investment in case the ruble sinks further. However, with the money worth so little, the companies aren't making much from these transactions. Things are so dire that several automakers are temporarily ending deliveries until the situation stabilizes. According to Bloomberg, General Motors stopped sales on December 16 with no set date to start again. Audi did the same thing but with the intention to resume once it has adjusted model pricing. Jaguar Land Rover terminated business until December 19 to see how things changed. Toyota is increasing its pricing, as well, but keeping business open at the same time. Some automakers have subtly been reacting to the slumping Russian auto market all year. The moves have included Volkswagen cutting production by 30,000 units from its factory in Kaluga. Ford also got rid of 950 workers from two plants due to low demand. Some analysts have even speculated that the contracting industry and possibility of lower import duties into the country could cause companies to end their manufacturing in Russia completely.

Jaguar F-Pace gets 300 Sport and Checkered Flag special editions

Jaguar has applied the 300 Sport treatment to the F-Pace, as it did with the XE and XF sedans last year, and there's a Checkered Flag treatment for the F-Pace, too. In other markets, the 300 Sport comes with the choice of the 2.0-liter Ingenium four-cylinder gas motor or the 3.0-liter V6 diesel, but we don't get the 3.0-liter diesel in the United States. Exterior tweaks start with dark satin gray trim on the grille and window surrounds, side vents, mirror caps, rear fascia and door finishers. The package wears 22-inch gray wheels and plenty of 300 Sport badges. Three colors are available: Yulong White, Indus Silver and Santorini Black. Inside, yellow contrast stitching on the instrument panel and seats marks the beast, plus embossed logos on the front headrests. The steering wheel, carpet, and sills also get 300 Sport badging. The full-fat Touch Pro navigation with Connect Pro comes standard. Overseas buyers can upgrade with a sliding panoramic roof, but all U.S. F-Pace models come with that. We don't have domestic pricing yet, but UK figures equate to saving almost 50 percent compared to speccing options separately on the gas model, and a savings of about 90 percent on the diesel version. The Checkered Flag Special Edition starts with the R-Sport and adds plenty of gloss black, including 20-inch gloss black wheels. Color choices here are Yulong White, Eiger Grey and Santorini Black. Only the 2.0-liter four-cylinder units get the nod, either the 247-horsepower gas engine or — in other markets — the 237-hp diesel we don't get. Our diesel is a 2.0-liter, 180-hp unit. Spec is a bit reduced compared to the 300 Sport, with 10-way electric front seats instead of 14-way, and the Touch Pro navigation without Connect Pro thrown in standard. A UK buyer would save about 40 percent compared to ordering a la carte.