2001 Jaguar S-type Base Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar to build 25 D-type racing cars to finish off 1956 production run

It's good to pick up where you left off, even if it's been more than 60 years. In 1956, Jaguar planned to built 100 D-type racing cars, but only 75 were completed. The missing 25 cars will now be built at Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Warwickshire, England, and they will all be built according to the original, authentic specifications. Customers can choose between 1955-style "Shortnose" cars and 1956-style "Longnose" versions; the prototype is of the latter specification. All of them will have the original six-cylinder XK engine, and they will come with a lot of Le Mans heritage, as D-types won the famous 24 hour race in 1955, 1956 and 1957. During their competition years, D-types were driven by such motorsport legends as Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss and John Fitch. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The newly built D-types will be the third continuation models from Jaguar's classic works. Earlier, they announced they were building nine XKSS cars to finish off a production run that was cut short by a 1957 fire, and in 2015 the division built six Lightweight E-Types. The XKSS itself was strongly related to the D-type, as originally it was based on unfinished D-types sitting around in the workshop after Jaguar temporarily retired from racing. As Jaguar Classic's Engineering Manager Kev Riches says of the continuation cars: "Each one will be absolutely correct, down to the very last detail, just as Jaguar's Competitions Department intended." No pricing details have yet been announced, but they will surely follow the D-type's official debut at the Retromobile classic car show in Paris this week. Related Video:

The first Jaguar Project 7 is the new kid in Harry's Garage

The Jaguar Project 7 is more than just an F-Type with a dab more power and a special body, and Harry Metcalfe (who advises Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, which built the car) is here to show us why. This limited-production model is something truly special, and despite Metcalfe's role with JLR it's hard to misinterpret the enjoyment in his eyes when the supercharged V8 roars. Metcalfe's Project 7 is number one of just 250 cars built and wears a British Racing Green body with orange accents around the nose, mirrors, brake calipers, and underneath the rear spoiler – classic sports car style with a little modern flash. His example is also special because the entire build team signed the area underneath the trunk lid. While the engine comes up to temperature during his drive, Metcalfe shows that the Project 7 can be a fine grand tourer, and he eventually puts the throttle down to let his audience here the sublime engine. Metcalfe claims the limited edition Jag actually has too much horsepower but he means that in the best way possible. Driving it reminds him of being behind the wheel of his Pagani Zonda – a fine compliment for a grand tourer to be compared to an ultra-exotic supercar Find out why by taking a ride with Harry.

Jaguar design boss admits X-Type was a mistake

History has a way of repeating itself, especially in the auto industry. When Jaguar was owned by Ford, the British brand attempted to field a competitor for the BMW 3 Series, called the X-Type. Based on the bones of a Ford Mondeo, it aped the styling of Jaguar's flagship model, the XJ, while borrowing liberally from the Ford parts bin. That was 2001.
Now, in 2013, Jaguar is planning a new 3 Series challenger based on the platform previewed by the C-X17 Concept, while Ford is attempting to take the latest Mondeo upmarket. The moves have both brands recognizing where, why, and how the X-Type failed. "It didn't look mature or powerful or anything. It was just a car," Jaguar's current head of advanced design, Julian Thomson, told PistonHeads. Basing the X-Type on a front-drive car while giving it styling that was meant for a rear-driver lead to proportions that "were plainly wrong," Thomson told PH. Ford's European head of quality, Gunnar Herrmann, added that the X-Type was "a fake Jaguar, because every piece I touch is Ford."
For what it's worth, the X-Type's successor in the segment will sport rear-drive, with plenty of input from Ian Callum. Thomson described the new model, which would challenge the 3 Series as having, "Big wheels right to the ends of the car, low bonnet, short overhangs, very low cabins." Sounds good to us.