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Nearly 200 units of the Jaguar I-Pace recalled again due to fire risk

Jaguar has issued a safety recall that applies to nearly 200 units of the electric I-Pace. The crossovers included in the campaign can catch fire due to a battery-related problem, and they should have already been fixed but ended up not receiving the required software update. Assigned recall number 23V-709 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall includes 199 examples of the 2019 to 2023 I-Pace built between February 15, 2018, and February 7, 2023. These vehicles were also part of recall number 23V-369 issued in March 2023. Jaguar has since received one new report of a car in the United States catching fire; the incident happened on September 8, 2023. When it issued the original recall, it cited eight reports of an I-Pace catching fire on our shores between June 2019 and May 2023. Jaguar explains the recalled cars are at risk of a "thermal overload," which can manifest itself as "smoke or fire" that "may occur underneath the vehicle, where the high-voltage traction battery is located." The company hasn't detailed the root of the problem, but it previously noted that the updated software monitors the battery pack's status, detects when it's at risk of a thermal overload, and warns the driver accordingly. It also limits the battery's charging capacity to 75% if it identifies a problem and instructs the driver to visit a dealer as soon as possible. The issue is that some dealers "used a non-approved service diagnostic tool" that didn't upload the updated software to the car, hence why the 199 vehicles included in campaign 23V-709 are being recalled a second time. Jaguar's fix remains the same: It's asking owners to take their I-Pace to the nearest authorized dealership so that a technician can update the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) software. Owners who have already paid to get the problem fixed will be able to claim a refund from the British brand. And, they're being asked to park their car away from structures, such as a garage or a house, and charge outside for 30 days after the software update has been completed. Jaguar will begin notifying owners of affected cars by mail on December 15, 2023.

Hey wait, not everyone hates the diesel engine in our 2017 Jaguar XE

My friend Joel doesn't seem to care for the turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel engine in our long-term 2017 Jaguar XE 20d. That's fine. He's entitled to his opinion. But he does not speak for the entire Autoblog staff. I, for one, am a big fan of this oil burner. I said so months ago after I returned from a 2,000-mile road trip. The intervening months have done nothing to sway my opinion. It's smooth, efficient, and all the engine you need in a non-performance application. It may not have the raw power or full range torque of the XE's gasoline engines, but it's a fine fit in this car. Not everyone who buys a sports sedan like the XE or BMW 3 Series does so because they want a sharp canyon carver. Some just want a handsome car that will get them from point A to B in relative comfort. The Jaguar XE diesel does just that, and it does so while achieving some pretty astounding fuel economy numbers. We met the 30 mpg city rating and eclipsed the 40 mpg highway rating with ease. It's not like the XE diesel is slow. Sure, a 0-60 mph time of 7.5 seconds isn't blistering, but it's far from what anyone should consider slow or lethargic. That time is right on par with the BMW 328d. Sure, it runs out of breath at peak revs, but so does every other diesel. If you care about wringing it out, buy a gas version. By Joel's own admission, the engine's 180 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque are available when needed for highway passing or city driving. That's all most people really need. So what if it falls on its face at high revs. I will concede that this isn't the most refined diesel on the market. At idle, it shimmies like an unbalanced washing machine. Jaguar has tuned a lot of that out, but it isn't nearly as calm as the competition (though it's miles better than diesels of old). It revs quickly for a diesel, but the exhaust note is one to forget. The engine sounds like a muffled foghorn mixed with a jar of nails. Not good. Once you get moving, it settles down. Highway cruising is a breeze. You forget you have a compression ignition engine under the hood. Even around town, turn the radio on and you'll be fine. Joel is right about the ride and handling totally outclassing the diesel engine. The car is comfortable on highways and city streets but sharpens up on a curvy backroad. The steering and suspension communicate to the driver what the car is doing at all times. The brakes inspire confidence with a firm pedal and sharp bite.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe spotted testing

The automotive world has been hot on fire with the Jaguar F-Type of late. We're still recovering from the excitement of driving Jaguar's new sports car for the first time, and recently we had a predictive look at a coupe version. As it turns out, those 'patent sketches' were just a warm up for the real deal F-Type Coupe, as this brand new set of spy images proves out.
Word from our shooter is that security around the F coupe was and is really tight. The photographer had to hide in the cargo area of his clandestine SUV, just to catch these few, not-perfectly-clear images (that odd color your see is window tint). Still, the photos are good enough to see that the rakish silhouette of the hardtop is going to do justice to the convertible. In fact, the new top seems to flow quite perfectly into the car's rear haunches.
Expect that the F-Type Coupe will share an engine lineup with the roadster, meaning both a naturally aspirated and a supercharged V6, as well as a V8 option. Hot R and R-S versions of the Jaguar coupe are a virtual lock, too, though how far down the product pipeline they are is unclear.