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Jaguar Land Rover to drop supercharged V8 for turbocharged BMW power

There are few things that sound as good as Jaguar's 5.0 liter supercharged V8. As great as it is when the supercharger whines or the exhaust cracks and pops on throttle lift-off as the air pressure equalizes, the basic design dates back to the '90s. Plainly, the engine isn't as efficient as it needs to be, but designing a new V8 from the ground up is an expensive proposition. Instead, Automobile reports that Jaguar Land Rover is set to use a twin-turbocharged V8s supplied by BMW. Scalable architecture is all the rage as automakers streamline designs in order to save costs. For example, Jaguar's current supercharged V6 is quite literally a V8 with two holes missing. They didn't even change the length of the block. It seems both of those designs are on their way out, with the V6 being replaced by a inline-six closely related to the company's inline four. It seems that rather than designing an new and expensive V8 for their top of the line models JLR, is sourcing from BMW. From 1994 to 2000, BMW owned Land Rover. A few models, including the Land Rover Range Rover, used BMW engines then and in the initial years of Ford's JLR stewardship. It seems things have now come full circle. BMW currently makes a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 that produces anywhere from 440 to 600 horsepower, depending on the application. Automobile says that a new 4.0 liter V8 is in the works and that it will most likely be the engine that JLR uses. Expect it to be more powerful, more fuel efficient, and lighter than what both BMW and JLR currently offer. This seems like a win for both companies. BMW gets to offset the cost of a new motor while JLR, a smaller company, doesn't have to invest in a whole new architecture. As automakers search for ways to cut costs, expect collaborations like this to continue. Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz both share a four-cylinder engine. Ford and GM have worked together to design a shared 10-speed automatic. While we may lament the loss of that wonderful Jaguar Land Rover engine, we can still be happy that they haven't abandoned the V8. Related Video: News Source: Automobile Rumormill BMW Jaguar Land Rover

BMW won't build M4 Gran Coupe

Over the last few years, it feels like BMW has looked at its lineup and decided to offer a vehicle in every possible segment that it can find, no matter how small. The company is finally showing some restraint, though, at least when it comes to the high performance M division. For example, don't expect to see an M4 Gran Coupe at your local BMW dealer in the future.
M GmbH sales chief Jörg Bartels told Cars Guide in Australia, "It was definitely considered, but there is no plan to build an M4 Gran Coupe." The sport sedan just wouldn't make financial sense, he said. BMW already builds the M3 and M4 at separate factories, adding a third for such a niche model would be too much. Plus, the M3 already fills out the segment.
If you wanted an M model with a bit more storage space in the back, Bartels dashed those dreams, as well. He said that there isn't an M3 Gran Turismo hatchback in the pipeline, either.

Best electric sedans of 2024

While the American automotive trends tend to lean toward SUVs and trucks, and sedans seem to be dying out, there are some great four-doors out there in the EV market. They may not have the bulk, the high vantage point, or the storage capacity of the utes, but some folks still want a car that’s, well, a car. A sedan might not always have as much room to cram in a big battery pack, either, but they also donÂ’t weigh as much. They tend to be more lithe, sexy and agile. And theyÂ’re generally cheaper than their bigger brethren, too, though some of the full-size luxury sedans can still get well into six-figure pricing. If thatÂ’s not your thing, you can check out the best electric SUVs, but if youÂ’ve read this far, you probably enjoy sedans as much as us. WeÂ’ve tested quite a few, and these are the best electric sedans of 2024.   Best electric sedans below $60,000 Tesla Model 3 — $40,380 The Tesla Model 3 is one of just two sedans (along with the Hyundai Ioniq 6) to make it onto our list of best EVs under $50,000. ItÂ’s quite the value, too, with a starting price of just $40,380. ItÂ’s also fun to drive. Yes, it has some quirks, including too many vehicle functions residing exclusively in infotainment menus, but the Model 3's idiosyncrasies are easy to forgive based on its price and range, and they're things you can quickly get used to or possibly even appreciate. No wonder this EV is so popular.   Hyundai Ioniq 6 — $43,565 Of the sedans on this list, the Ioniq 6 is one of the most affordable (starting at $43,565), and one of the best. ItÂ’s quite efficient, with long driving range — up to 361 miles. Its cabin is creative in its design while being practical and comfortable. Interestingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the sportiest version of Hyundai and KiaÂ’s E-GMP cars, apart from the high-performance Kia EV6 GT. Its design, value, range, fast charging and other useful tech easily make it one of best electric sedans you can buy.   BMW i4 — $53,195 Though the BMW i4 is essentially an electric version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, this EV sedan is something special. ItÂ’s packed with power and great driving dynamics in true BMW style. The rear-drive i4 eDrive40 is one quick car, but the i4 M50 is ridiculously fast. If you can get past the questionable nose and the iDrive 8 infotainment system, the i4 is an electric sleeper, and a performance bargain.