1997 Jaguar Xk8 Base Coupe 2-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar demanding customer data from reluctant dealers

Nearly every major business is collecting consumer data these days, and keeping that data secure has come to the forefront of many customer's minds. Jaguar Land Rover North America's decision to begin requesting more customer info from its dealer network appears unfortunately timed, however. If it had come a few years ago, it might have been ignored, but in today's climate of heightened awareness, a few dealers are pushing back. To put the showrooms in an even tougher position, JLR NA is threatening to deny quarterly incentives if they do not turn over the customer data, according to Automotive News.
JLR NA instated the nationwide plan, which it calls Single View CRM, on February 7, but according to Stuart Schorr, Jaguar Land Rover North America Vice President of Communications, the automaker has been negotiating with its dealers to institute the new program for over a year. Schorr tells Autoblog that no financial information is being shared, noting that such data is limited to customer details, including things like what vehicles they own and whether they have any pending service. The initiative is meant to "improve customers' and owners' engagement with the brand," he said. Also, the company is not accessing dealer data itself; instead showrooms are asked to enter the info into JLR's database.

London skyscraper caught melting cars

A new skyscraper under construction in London is apparently to blame for some mysteriously melting car parts on the city's surrounding streets. The 37-story building at 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed the "Walkie Talkie" for how it looks, features a convex side of glass windows that apparently concentrates the sun's rays like a kid with a magnifying glass. Instead of smiting ants, however, the building was caught focusing its sun-sourced laser death beam on an innocent Jaguar XJ parked on Eastcheap street. The intense heat managed to melt a sideview mirror, plastic C-pillar cover and Jaguar emblem (scroll down for an image of the damage).
Fortunately, the construction company, Land Securities, had some scruples and reportedly left a note on the car for its owner reading "Your car's buckled, could you give us a call?" They've also since apologized and agreed to pay for the £946 done - about $1,500 - in damages by their blazing hot building. A joint statement with the Canary Wharf district in which the building's located was also released. In it, the developer acknowledges concerns about the reflected light and says it's looking into the matter. The city has also decided to close a few parking bays that could be in the building's line of fire, so to speak, until a solution can be engineered. Since news of the melting Jag broke, other vehicle owners have also come forward claiming the building, re-nicknamed the "Walkie Scorchie," has damaged their cars, as well.
This isn't the first shiny-new-building-attacks-cars story we've heard - architect Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles was built amidst concern that its polished ribbons of stainless steel were blinding motorists and causing accidents, along with raising the temperatures of nearby buildings with its reflected light. The building's surfaces were later given a matte polish.

2024 Jaguar F-Type ZP Edition is the end of the line

The Jaguar F-Type is going to leave us after the 2024 model year wraps up, but it’s not saying goodbye without a final limited-edition model. Named the F-Type ZP Edition, Jaguar will make just 150 of these throughout the 2024 model year. Why “ZP” Edition? Jaguar says itÂ’s a callback to the first race-winning “Project ZP” E-Type vehicles that were campaigned directly after that modelÂ’s launch in 1961. There will be two specifications for potential owners to choose from. The first is Oulton Blue paint combined with a red and black interior, and the other option is Crystal Grey paint with a blue and black interior. Both models will have Porcelain White hand-painted racing-style roundels on the doors. WeÂ’ll also note that neither of the two available exterior paint options have been offered on the F-Type until now. Of course, the base car underneath all the appearance extras is an F-Type R with the 575-horsepower supercharged V8 engine. YouÂ’ll be able to choose either the coupe or convertible, and both body styles get unique 20-inch forged wheels with “ZP” etched into them shrouding black-painted calipers. YouÂ’ll also see ZP Edition branding on the fenders, sill plates and dashboard. Plus, each vehicle will get a “One of 150” SV Bespoke plaque on the interior. Pricing wasnÂ’t detailed by Jaguar, but if you want one, weÂ’d suggest getting in touch with a dealer sooner rather than later. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.