Jaguar Blog

Luxury car brand Jaguar is known for its iconic E-type model that has put the car brand on the automobile map for the past 36 years. Today, the British carmaker will finally debut a new sports car with an initial price tag of £40,000 and will be the direct competitor of the Porsche Boxer. Its codename is XE and according to an inside source from Jaguar, the new sports car will “blow the rest of the industry away.” Pretty intense and ambitious claim but for a brand like Jaguar, it’s interesting to see how the new sports car will look like.

No official batch of photos have been released or leaked yet but according to sources, the Jaguar XE will roll out into showrooms by late 2012. Moreover, the new sports car might make its debut this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Its competitor, the Porsche 911 of the German automaker will also be debuted on that show. Let’s see how that will pan out.

Experts in the automobile industry and insiders believe that the XE’s design will reflect the brand’s philosophy which is the expression of lightness. This new style principle will also resonate in the future models that will effectively show its lightness because they are made from aluminum. Production of the XE will take place in Castle Bromwich. The new sports car is said to come with V6 petrol engine units with a supercharged engine and turbocharged V4 options with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and stop-start feature.

Who will ever think that a rainy day can spell big problem if you are driving a Jaguar XJ. That might just be the case if you own one of the 6475 XJs that is being recalled in the U.S. due to windshield wipers that may fall off its attachment according to the findings of the NHTSA or National Highway Safety Administration.

The XJ units which were produced between July 28 last year and November 3 this year has problems with the front wiper which was not torqued properly during their assembly.

In a press release, the NHSTA explains that the nuts securing the wiper may fail and lead to the clashing of the wiper arms after they go out of sync. Once the wiper arms clash, they can detach from the car which eventually may decrease visibility and increase the probability of meeting an accident.

Another documentation states that Jaguar has not received reports on customers having road mishaps or incurring injuries because of the wiper problem.

Dealers are instructed to check and secure the wiper using the right amount of torque. The recall will start by December 13. If you own an XJ that is due for this recall, you can call Jaguar through 1800-637-68-37. The fix is free of charge.

Recently Jaguar hinted that they will be introducing a new F-Type roadster to the market and expand their XF family. During the motor show in Detroit last ear, Mike O’ Driscoll, the Jag boss, hinted that an aggressive new supercar is in the works but there is a loud buzz that the new speed monster might be on hold.

According to spy reports filed, the new Jaguar supercar is being worked on by engineers to fit the bill as the Audi R8 nemesis in the market. It is supposed to have a newly designed aluminum chassis that was inspired by the lines of the XJ and the XK. The designs that went out before suggests using aluminum panels over a composite tub and alloy. The engine will be a jacked up version of the supercharged 5.0L V8 used for the XFR.

A milder version of the said engine has already been tested and was able to zoom an XFR which was in near-stock state to 225 mph in the Bonneville Salt Flats. The new supercar is expected to at least match this number with blasting from 0 to 60 mph taking less than 4 seconds.

If the original plan pushed through, the XJ220 of the 21^st century is due for the spotlights in one of the major auto shows. It seems the works for the new supercar has been put on hold to focus on the development of the new Jaguar F-Type

Jaguar next gen XK sports car is set to roll out by 2013 and is expected to have a V-6 running on diesel that can output around 300 bhp.

The new baby of the British carmaker will be its first ever sports car to depend on diesel. The new XK will have a 3.0L twin turbo set up for its V6 that will compete with the segment where the likes of BMW 635d thrive.

It will be a perfect mix of economy and performance for the turbodiesel XK made of aluminum lightweight alloy. It can blast from 0 to 60 in a matter of 5.0 seconds with a fuel mileage hitting 30 mpg.

There will also be the XK D which offers torque fit for a V8 and acceleration that gets your heart either thumping or stumping while you speed from point A to point B of your day’s itinerary.

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Some people dream of driving the fastest of the Jaguar on production today on a track guided by some of the best driving instructors in the business today. Lucky are the buyers of the 2010 Jaguar XFR or XKR because this will be a reality for them.

The car manufacturer recently announced that they will be opening the R Performance Academy come December 1. The first session will be conducted at the Homestead Miami Speedway which has 14 turns and stretches to about 2.21 miles. The course will definitely provide a challenge to drivers who are beginners or even to race car professionals.

The participants of the academy will be able to enjoy one whole day of driving and experience different types of driving which will entail varying accelerations, lane changes, and emergency braking. Jaguar will also organize an autocross for the students. There will also be a no traction and stability control driving for the braver souls of the batch.

The XKR and the XFR both depends on the V-8 supercharged engine with an output of 510 horsepower. The cars boast of a 0-60 feat in 4.6 and 4.7 seconds, respectively.

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Tata Motors reveals that all vehicle models that we will be seeing in the future from Land Rover and Jaguar will use aluminum for their bodies. Jaguar has been using the technology for some of the members of their fleet and has acknowledged the aerodynamic and weight advantages of the approach.

The move will make Land Rover and Jaguar units a lot lighter and will enjoy fuel efficiency and mileage because of the change. Tata Motors which owns the two brands confirmed the move in the annual report of the company.

Tata makes the move following the negative performance of the tag team brands in 2008 which translates to a $1.1 billion loss. The lack of profit is blamed on the high cost of developing new models amid the global economic crisis. The other factors cited were the high expenses during production and the low demand of the market for luxury vehicles.

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The Hill Climb at the Goodwood Festival in United Kingdom is a show of form and power as the finest of cars battle it out for the glory. Jaguar recently announced that an XKR uniquely finished in lime green will compete in the event.

The motor event is set to push the XKR to its limits and give Jaguar engineers an opportunity to discover certain boundaries of its performance. Some are speculating that this might pave the way for the development of the XKR-R.

The specs of the lime green Jaguar for the Goodwood Speed Festival has not been disclosed. Everyone is certain though that it got an upgrade for its supercharged V8 5.0L power plant. That will definitely go beyond 503hp and most likely will range between 550hp and numbers above that.

The standard XKR is limited only to top the gauges at 155 mph. The fuel economy considerations is also good at 23mpg with carbon dioxide rating of 292g/km.

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Around June last year, Tata Motors, an Indian automobile company, bought Jaguar Cards Ltd. Since then, Jaguar has ceased to report their sales figure. Yet, they surprised the automobile industry when they reported an eight percent increase in their sales last year.

During the Detroit Auto Show, Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director for Jaguar reported that they had sold 65,000 vehicles in 2008 alone. However, the bulk of sales in the United States plummeted to four percent, making only 15,500 in sales.

According to Gary Temple, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, they are assuming that the demands of Jaguar will be low this year. The sales in the United States suffered a crushing 18.0 percent decrease in 2008. Industry forecasters predict further blows this 2009.

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Tata Motors Ltd. released its plans to have Jaguar in the upmarket veering away from plans of the previous owner, Ford Motor Co., to increase volume. Tata is inclined to produce a derivative of the XF but is not going for an SUV.

According to dealers who met with Tata top executives, Jaguar is lining up production of three new cars. This may include an XF sedan, which may come as a roadster and coupe, a sports car, and a luxury car. Details about the design or engineering of the vehicles were not revealed.

An SUV development was warded off by Jaguar since one will compete with the brand Land Rover which is also owned by Ratan Tata. The SUV also doesn’t fit the overall picture that the new owner has envisioned for Jaguar, to move up in the luxury car market place.

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