1958 Jaguar Xk 150 Coupe on 2040-cars

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Jaguar creates custom Greatest Hits XJ for Iron Maiden drummer

Manufacturers like Alfa Romeo and Toyota are trotting out Nurburgring-themed special editions like NRING and GRMN, but for Jaguar, it's all about the NWOBHM. That's New Wave of British Heavy Metal, for those who do not start their day with some '80s hair metal turned up to 11. Jaguar is celebrating the venerable XJ sedan's 50 th anniversary this year, and as part of that, the Jaguar Classic Works department in Coventry, England, has built Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain's perfect Series III XJ. The custom car, nicknamed "Greatest Hits," is the product of over 3,500 work hours and 4,000 redone parts. The Series III is, for some, the ultimate development of the first XJ body style, and McBrain's car is his third Series III. It's in most respects a restomod, as the front and rear bumpers, headlights, wheels, infotainment and other details have been modernized; the interior features rock-inspired custom touches like the guitar amplifier-style rotary knobs on the dashboard. The speakers of the 1,100-watt audio system are from the 2012 model year Jaguar XF, as those are what McBrain prefers. The steering wheel logo is a combination of the Iron Maiden mascot, "Eddie," and the Jaguar "Growler" logo. The Jaguar leaper mascot on the hood is from McBrain's first Jaguar XJ6; the paint is a special deep purple, and the interior has been retrimmed with Pimento red leather. But it's not just the appearance of the "Greatest Hits" XJ that has been massaged, as the 4.2-liter straight six of the 1984 XJ6 has been upgraded with three E-type SU carburetors. It also has a custom exhaust with quad tailpipes. There have been nine XJ series so far, and the 10th version is expected to arrive sometime next year. There are persistent rumors that it might eschew internal combustion completely, facing a reinvention as an electric sedan instead. Related Video: Featured Gallery Iron Maiden Jaguar XJ "Greatest Hits" View 13 Photos Image Credit: Jaguar Aftermarket Geneva Motor Show Jaguar Luxury Classics Sedan 2018 Geneva Motor Show

Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels

The wheel ranks right up there with the telescope and four-slice toaster in the pantheon of inventions that have moved humankind forward. But what if a circle in three dimensions had never occurred to anyone, and we all had just moved on without it? Perhaps we'd be driving around in Lucas Motors Landspeeders with anti-gravity engines. Or maybe we'd have the same cars we do today, just without wheels.
That's the thought experiment that seems to have led French photographer Renaud Marion to create his six-image series called Air Drive. The shots depict cars throughout many eras of motoring that look normal except for one thing: they have no wheels. The models used include a Jaguar XK120, Cadillac DeVille (shown above), Chevrolet El Camino and Camaro, and Mercedes-Benz SL and 300 roadsters.
Perhaps one day when our future becomes our past, you'll be able to walk the street and see with your own eyes the rust and patina of age on our nation's fleet of floating cars. Until then, Monsieur Marion's photographs will have to do.

Jaguar Land Rover might buy another luxury brand that it doesn't need

It seems that Jaguar Land Rover may be getting bigger in the near future. According to Bloomberg, the company is looking at acquiring some tech companies, and possibly yet another luxury car brand, provided that it fits with the current lineup of cars. On the surface, this makes some sense since Bloomberg reports that a whopping 78 percent of Tata Motors' revenue comes from luxury brands. And of course, any kind of tech acquisition could be useful considering the rapid development of electric and autonomous vehicles. But dig a little deeper, and a possible luxury brand acquisition just doesn't make sense for Jaguar Land Rover. The main reason for this is that the Jaguar and Land Rover brands have the luxury market thoroughly covered. Both brands offer full luxury lines from entry-level to high-end ( Discovery Sport to Range Rover on the Land Rover side, and XE to XJ on the Jaguar side). They also cater to every kind of luxury, from sporty vehicles such as the F-Type and SVR Land Rovers, to cushy luxury machines such as the XJ and Range Rover. So whether the company is competing with BMW or Mercedes, Jaguar and Land Rover have the bases covered. There aren't any other typical luxury brands that would actually add anything to the current lineup. In fact, adding another conventional luxury brand could actually result in the new brand poaching existing Jaguar and Land Rover buyers, rather than picking up new ones. What would make more sense for Jaguar Land Rover would be to pick up either a more mainstream brand, or an ultra-luxury marque. Neither Jaguar nor Land Rover has something that competes directly with the likes of Ford or Toyota in the mainstream game, or Rolls-Royce or Bentley at the top of the luxury heap. Picking up a brand in one of these segments would allow JLR and Tata Motors to actually expand offerings and pick up more sales, rather than having an internal competitor. What path would be ideal? Probably going even farther upmarket. Supercar makers and ultra-luxury brands continue to sell well, and there's the potential for significant profit by layering on features and content to existing platforms. Perhaps the best possibility for a high-end complement to Jaguar Land Rover would be Aston Martin. Not only does it have a strong reputation and line-up, it also could handle both supercars and luxury sedans, thanks to its Lagonda sub brand. Of course it would require Aston Martin to be receptive to a purchase.