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Jaguar likely moving HQ to Britain's most iconic racetrack

Jaguar Land Rover looks increasingly likely to make Britain's iconic Silverstone race track the automaker's new headquarters. There isn't a final deal in place yet, but the British Racing Drivers' Club, which owns the circuit, plans to have the membership vote on whether the negotiations should move forward, according to Autosport. BRDC leaders already presented the plan to members, and they were open to the idea. "The response was favorable so we will now set up an EGM for the members to vote and give the board a mandate to proceed with the deal and continue with the negotiations with JLR," BRDC president Derek Warwick told Autosport. There's no guarantee yet that JLR actually completes the deal. "There's still a lot of work to do to get the deal to where both sides are happy and more importantly what's right for the BRDC and its members." Warwick said. Rumors in early December suggested JLR was among the firms submitting bids to purchase the track, and the automaker allegedly offered 22.7 million pounds ($34.1 million at the time) for it. The company would also reportedly invest nearly $80 million to renovate the site, including adding a museum, experience center, hotel, and offices. The track would still be open for motorsport, too. Silverstone has hosted the Formula One British Grand Prix many times over the decades, and organizers signed a 17-year deal in 2009 to keep things that way well into the future. Series like the FIA World Endurance Championship, MotoGP, and British Touring Car Championship also compete there. Related Video:

2021 Jaguar E-Pace spied on the Nurburgring hiding its styling changes

We just spied a Jaguar E-Pace lapping the Nurburgring covered in camouflage from front to back. Jaguar released the first E-Pace as a 2018 model year, so we’re fast approaching what will be the modelÂ’s first light refresh. Things donÂ’t appear to be drastically changing from an exterior design perspective. The same shapes, cutouts and vents are all visible on the rear fascia and hatch. Even the slick taillights look largely the same as the E-Pace thatÂ’s on sale now. If thereÂ’s going to be some change in this crossover, we suspect itÂ’ll be up front where the coverings change from skin-tight camo print to pieces of fabric that completely disguise whatÂ’s underneath. Two cutouts in the fabric are visible on the side air intakes, presumably allowing air to pass through to keep the E-PaceÂ’s vitals cool on the Nurburgring. Possible changes include a new grille and front bumper design, most likely mimicking the lightly massaged F-Pace front end design. Seeing that Jaguar spent most of its time upgrading the F-PaceÂ’s interior, thereÂ’s a good chance Jaguar is doing the same with the E-Pace. ItÂ’s definitely the area that requires the most attention, especially now that the F-PaceÂ’s interior is so handsome. WeÂ’d love to see Jaguar put as much tech and style into its small crossover, and this is its chance to do that. Powertrain options shouldnÂ’t depart much from what you can buy now. ThereÂ’s a P250 packing a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder thatÂ’s good for 246 horsepower. The upgrade is the P300 with a more potent four-cylinder, raising output to 296 horsepower. Seeing as the recently redesigned Evoque still has no engine more powerful than the E-Pace, the Jag will likely carry over these power units, as well. If anything, the E-Pace will gain a mild-hybrid powertrain option, which could be what Jaguar is stress testing on the Nurburgring right here. Jaguar still hasnÂ’t announced the 2021 E-Pace, so this model could be the refresh. If theyÂ’re not as far along as we guess, itÂ’ll certainly end up being the 2022 E-Pace. Either way, an improved E-Pace isnÂ’t that far out.

Jaguar considers BMW X1 fighter

It's no secret that the sub-compact crossover is the next big thing in the auto industry. From the Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, and Jeep Renegade to the Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, and BMW X1, automakers the world over are pushing hard to get a piece of this brand-new pie. Autocar is reporting that Jaguar could soon join the ranks of them. While the manufacturer is hard at work on the new F-Pace, this new CUV would slot in below and could even be priced under the new entry level XE sedan. "A family [of CUVs] is not confirmed but we are investigating it," Steven de Ploey, Jaguar's brand director, told Autocar. "If we want to grow, a compact model is the obvious opportunity. The arguments about this are twofold. It has to be a Jaguar in design and performance, and it would be a challenge to do this. The second is the business, both in terms of scale and competition." While the brand may be toying around with the idea of a compact CUV, de Ploey points out that there are a number of issues preventing a vehicle below the F-Pace. "You'd not just be competing with premium brands but high-end mainstream manufacturers, too. There are lots of other things we have to do before this, but we have opportunities and permission to play there," de Ploey said. "There is also a cost challenge. We'd need a different architecture. What we have is scalable, but that low? You'd really have to investigate taking it down. You need to tick the box with the business case." Related Video: