2002 Jaguar X-type T1239234 on 2040-cars

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Jaguar returns to open-wheel racing with Formula E team [w/video]

One of the most legendary names in motor racing – Jaguar – is returning to the open-wheel racing, but not with an internal-combustion engine. The British company has confirmed its plans to enter the FIA Formula E Championship. Though the British automaker has revealed little in the way of concrete details, the team is set to join the electric grid for the third season starting next fall. Jaguar will team up with Williams as its technical partner, drawing on the relationship they established in developing the C-X75 hybrid hypercar concept and on Williams' considerable racing expertise. The F1 team founded by Frank Williams developed the battery system for the SRT_01E that all the teams are using currently. "Electric vehicles will absolutely play a role in Jaguar Land Rover's future product portfolio and Formula E will give us a unique opportunity to further our development of electrification technologies," said JLR's chief engineer Nick Rogers. "The Championship will enable us to engineer and test our advanced technologies under extreme performance conditions." The company recently showcased new battery propulsion technology and is said to be developing an electric crossover to be dubbed the Jaguar E-Pace. Jaguar won Le Mans five times in the 1950s and twice again in 1988 and '90, and racked up victories in touring cars in the early 80s. Most recently Jaguar Racing represented the company in Formula One until then-parent Ford sold the team to Red Bull in 2004 before divesting itself from the company altogether in 2007. Aside from the XKR GT3/GT2 that it furnished to privateer teams, Jaguar has not competed in any major racing series since. Jaguar joins Audi, Renault, and PSA Peugeot Citroen on the Formula E grid. The announcement coincides with the withdrawal from the series of the Trulli team. Former F1 driver Jarno Trulli took over the outfit from Drayson and is now relinquishing the slot back to the series organizers effective immediately, dropping the grid down to 9 teams and 18 cars until Jaguar takes its place next season. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Xcar drives Jaguar C-X75, other Spectre villains of 007

James Bond returns to US theaters very soon in Spectre, and with the action-packed film wrapped, the producers are lending out the keys to some of the movie's automotive stars. We've already seen Jay Leno behind the wheel of Bond's Aston Martin DB10. Now, Xcar's Alex Goy has taken a turn in some of the flick's villainous rides from Jaguar Land Rover, including a very special Jaguar C-X75. The crew from JLR's Special Vehicle Operations team certainly did an impressive job of giving the movies baddies some appropriately nefarious rides. To challenge Bond, they turned the Land Rover Defender into a beast with chunky, off-road tires and blinding-spot lights. They also made the Range Rover Sport SVR even more diabolical than normal with a blacked-out look and LED lightbar. Of course, the king of Spectre's villain cars is the C-X75. According to Goy, most of the ones in the movie use the company's 5.0-liter, supercharged V8, but two are actually original prototypes with the hybrid setup. He gets to drive one of those special examples in this clip. While limited to some low-speed cruising, the coupe still looks wonderfully menacing on the road. Related Video:

Frankfurt Motor Show Notes: Why Jaguar decided to build an SUV

It was inevitable. Jaguar had to make an SUV, and that notion became reality this week with the debut of the F-Pace, an all-wheel-drive five-seater that will launch in the United States next spring. Some purists may cringe. But in an era when Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and other traditional luxury brands are all building or (planning to build) SUVs, Jaguar had to evolve. While it seems like a leap for Jaguar to make an SUV, longtime design director Ian Callum said it's been in the works for years. "The first time I was asked the question was when I arrived 16 years ago," he said. So in 1999 (and probably well before that), Jaguar was already thinking SUV. What took so long? "It wasn't a priority," Callum said. Jaguar was concentrating on fixing its existing lineup, which was pockmarked with holes and poorly selling products, like the X-Type. Along the way, Jaguar and sister brand Land Rover were sold by Ford to Indian conglomerate Tata Motors. Flash forward several years, and Jaguar and Land Rover are both experiencing a resurgence in the United States and around the world. Jaguar's lineup is flush with the E-Type's modern successor, the F-Type, plus a new version of the XF. The XJ received a 2016 freshening, and the smaller XE sedan is on the way. Jaguar put its house in order as other factors conspired to make a crossover timely. Fuel prices stayed relatively low, and consumers in the US and China remained steadfast in their love for utility vehicles of all stripes. Making a Jaguar SUV became a priority. "The world was telling us in no uncertain terms this is what they wanted," Callum said. "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." Jaguar proved its intent two years ago when it revealed the C-X17 crossover concept at Frankfurt, and the final production model is close to the prototype's striking looks. "I thought we managed to maintain that spirit," Callum said. It's a true Jaguar, with cues from the F-Type, 1968 XJ, and other famous models. Who would have thought Jaguar would make an SUV? "I certainly didn't," Callum admitted. But the F-Pace is here. If Callum is okay with it, purists can be, too. Quick Hits Opel retrenches for 2016 and beyond Opel used the Frankfurt show to display its new generation of the Astra, a critical vehicle line for the German division of General Motors.