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Xcar experiences the 2015 Mille Miglia from a Jaguar C-Type

Xcar Films has returned to the Mille Miglia this year for another trip from Brescia to Rome and back. However, unlike the last survey of the historic rally from the comfy seat of a Jaguar F-Type, it did things properly in 2015 with a first-person look at the entire event from a somewhat temperamental Jaguar C-Type. As you'd expect, you get to check out 1,000 miles of beautiful Italian roads and similarly gorgeous vintage sports cars, but the reporting here is great, too. Alex Goy alternates between navigating and learning to drive the C-Type with its tricky gearbox over the four-day rally, and he narrates the entire video, as well. From what we can tell, participating in the Mille Miglia is essentially a license to break every law of the road imaginable. The police not only allow this to happen; they encourage it. Goy does a fantastic job of giving viewers an idea of what's it like to take part in the historic event. Being in a 50-year-old racecar for that long looks absolutely exhausting but also completely worth it.

Jaguar planning additional models, engines

Jaguar is in the midst of a product offensive, rolling out the new XE and XF sedans while preparing the upcoming F-Pace crossover. But it's not about to sit on its leather-upholstered laurels. According to Motor Trend, the British automaker has a slew of projects in the cooker. For starters, there will reportedly be more versions of the flexible new Ingenium engine family. The lineup is being launched with gasoline and diesel four-cylinder engines, but is tipped to breed smaller three-cylinder versions as well to slot into a variety of Jaguar and Land Rover models. More intriguing, however, is the suggestion that Coventry is planning to replace its long-serving 3.0-liter supercharged V6 with a new straight six engine that could go turbocharged – which would make some sense out of the 35t moniker being worn by the supercharged XE. Of course Jaguar is going to need some new vehicles to slot those engines into, and MT suggests there are several possibilities under consideration (if not actual current development). The XE could breed wagon, coupe and convertible versions, as well as an SVR variant to take on the the BMW M4, Cadillac ATS-V et al. If the F-Pace proves a success, it could lead to larger and smaller crossovers in the future. The next XK is tipped to grow larger and go up-market. There, it would compete with the likes of the Bentley Continental GT, Rolls-Royce Wraith and Mercedes S-Class Coupe, while steering clear of the smaller F-Type. Related Video:

Jaguar Heritage Driving Experience throws you the keys to the museum

As automotive journalists, we get to drive a lot of really cool, high-performance vehicles. It really is the single best thing about this job. However, our access to vehicles is generally limited to the newest offerings on the market. That means, much like the general public, we don't really get access to vintage iron.
Jaguar is trying to rectify that issue for journalist and enthusiast alike, with a new program called the Heritage Driving Experience. It allows British enthusiasts to pop into the brand's Warwickshire testing site, drop anywhere from 100 to 300 pounds ($160 to $480) and go for a spin in some of the brand's most legendary offerings. That includes the more typical classics, like the Mark 2 saloon and the E-Type sports car, but you can also pay for access to stunners like the XK150, XKSS and the race-spec D-Type. In addition to the classics, most of the tests include time in their modern successors. So an hour with the Mark II can be split with time in an XFR-S, while the E-Type is complemented by its spiritual successor, the F-Type.
Most of the events are limited to 30 or 60-minute sessions, although the brand does offer a half-day and full-day event. The former, the Jaguar Le Mans Experience, includes time in the C-Type, D-Type, XKSS and F-Type R. The full-day Grace and Pace Pack, meanwhile, gives you access to nine vehicles, covering a huge gamut. That means time in the C-, D- and E-Type, XK150, Mark II, XKR-S GT and F-Type R, among others. Not surprisingly, prices aren't listed for the half- and full-day pack. Much like Jag's finest cars, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford them.