1999 Jaguar Xj8 Base Sedan 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar's latest beast is the 2018 XJR575

Hot off the rear wheels of the insanely quick XE SV Project 8, Jaguar is back with another pumped-up sedan. It's called the XJR575, and although it isn't as extreme as the aforementioned XE, it still packs a version of the company's 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that makes 575 horsepower and 517 pound-feet of torque. According to Jaguar, that will get the full-size luxury sedan to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186 mph. There isn't much on the outside to tell this hot-rodded kitty from the regular XJR. The front bumper, rear spoiler, hood vents, and side skirts are all the same as the lower-powered version. It does come standard with black wheels, but they can also be optioned on a normal XJR. There are only a couple of unique points. One of which is the addition of XJR575 badges. The other is the application of a model-specific paint color. Buyers of the XJR575 will have the option to coat their cats in the Satin Corris Gray seen above, or a hue called Velocity Blue. Inside, seats are upholstered in black leather with red stitching. They feature diamond-stitched panels, as well. In the seat backs, the number 575 is embroidered. The sill plates also feature the XJR575 logo. The infotainment gets an upgrade, too, in the form of a bigger 10-inch touchscreen. Jaguar hasn't announced pricing or availability of the XJR575 yet. However, we will likely know soon, as the company will be revealing some updates for the rest of the XJ line-up for the 2018 model year. We expect to get details on pricing and availability at that time. Related Video:

Jaguar's next-generation XJ will be electric, but it won't bend design rules

Jaguar's next-generation XJ won't roar like a lion or purr like a kitten. It will ditch gasoline-powered six- and eight-cylinder engines in favor of electric power, the British company confirmed, but that's not an excuse to completely change its proportions. It will still be recognizable as a member of the decades-old XJ family. "We're there to make the best-looking cars we possibly can, so the new XJ, it does have a [hood] on it. It's a very, very elegant shape; it's probably a little bit more traditional than the I-Pace," explained Julian Thomson, the man who replaced Ian Callum as Jaguar's head of design, in an interview with magazine Auto Express. The aforementioned I-Pace is a segment-bending crossover with short overhangs and an unusually spacious cabin; it takes full advantage of the possibilities offered by compact electric technology, and it looks like nothing else on the road. Thomson confirmed his team won't take the XJ in this direction, and spy shots (pictured) taken far north of the Arctic Circle illustrate his point while keeping finer details under a swirly black and white wrap. Although it's built on a massive lithium-ion battery pack, the next-generation XJ seemingly wears the typical long front, short back proportions that have characterized the model for generations. The most dramatic change is the presence of a hatch instead of a trunk lid. It was added to give the sedan a more fastback-like appearance than its predecessor; it has nothing to do with what's under the sheet metal. The XJ has been the segment's underdog for many years so keeping the classic three-box silhouette would have been marketing suicide. "It's going to be a very, very luxurious, very, very calm, tranquil piece of transportation. But, it's not overtly flashy, it's not overtly expensive," summed up Thomson. His comments suggest it will be a better match for the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which is being designed around comfort the firm is known for globally, than for the Porsche Taycan, which stays true to the badge on its nose by putting a greater focus on performance. The electric version of the seventh-generation BMW 7 Series due out in the early 2020s will split the difference. Jaguar is putting the final touches on the next-generation XJ, and it plans to introduce the model before the end of 2020. It's too early to tell if the big, silent cat will make its debut at one of the few auto shows left on the calendar, at a standalone event, or online.

Why Jaguar Land Rover's Havn ride-hailing service sounds nicer than Uber or Lyft

Havn is a new app-based ride-hailing service that has launched in London, and promises a more upscale experience than Uber, Lyft, or the city's characteristic black cabs. Havn is backed financially by Jaguar Land Rover, and it exclusively uses Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs, which are definitely a step up from the Camrys and Accords that seem so popular over here. Havn calls itself a chauffeur service, but it functions similarly to an app-based ride-hailing service. One difference is that you need to request a ride at least 30 minutes in advance. When scheduling a ride, customers are able to specify a music playlist, cabin temperature, and — most compelling of all — your preferred level of "chauffeur interaction." Those chauffeurs, interestingly, are all full-time employees, not gig workers. Havn pricing is based on time plus distance, with a 20 GBP (~$25) minimum charge. Hourly rates also are available, while airport runs have a fixed pricing schedule. Heathrow airport to central London is 74 GBP (~$95), for instance, and Gatwick to West London is 108 GBP (~$140). Airport pickups include an hour of wait time, while other scheduled pickups include 30 minutes waiting at no extra charge. It will be interesting to see whether this service succeeds in London, and whether it makes the leap to our side of the Atlantic. Whether it's Havn or some other startup, a trend toward a better ride-hailing experience, both for passengers and for drivers, would be a positive for an industry that has suffered its share of negatives even while quickly becoming part of the fabric of the modern transportation system. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.