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Jaguar F-Type to pace Bloodhound SSC as rapid response vehicle

The Bloodhound SSC is out to beat the world land speed record, but it can't do it all on its own. The team is going to need a motorcade of support vehicles, like this specially equipped Jaguar F-Type. Outfitted by JLR Special Vehicle Operations with radio equipment and a unique livery, the Bloodhound SSC rapid response vehicle is based on the latest F-Type R AWD coupe. It'll serve a similar role that a pace or safety car does for a race, and be called into service in case of a high-speed emergency. The Bloodhound SSC itself will likewise be equipped with the same 5.0-liter supercharged V8, its 542 horses powering the jet-car's hydraulic system and oxidizer pump. The special F-Type will mark its debut at the Coventry MotoFest later this month (appearing again at Goodwood next month) alongside a '56 Long-Nose D-Type, the one-of-a-kind '66 XJ13, a '76 Broadspeed XJ12 Coupe, and the XJR-9 that won Le Mans in 1988. JAGUAR TO DEBUT BLOODHOUND F-TYPE RAPID RESPONSE VEHICLE AT COVENTRY MOTOFEST - World debut of Jaguar F-TYPE R AWD Bloodhound SSC Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) at Coventry MotoFest (30/31 May) - Jaguar's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 550 PS sports car will support Bloodhound SSC World Land Speed Record attempt - Jaguar will be at the heart of Bloodhound SSC providing its 5.0-litre 550PS supercharged V8 engine to provide hydraulic services to the car and drive the rocket's oxidiser pump - Jaguar also previewing Goodwood Festival of Speed activity at MotoFest with a host of iconic heritage cars (Whitley, Coventry – 20 May 2015). Jaguar will unveil the F-TYPE R AWD Bloodhound SSC RRV at Coventry MotoFest – one of the cars that will support the Bloodhound world land speed record attempt. The Bloodhound F-TYPE R is the latest project of Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations and is wrapped in a bespoke livery created by Jaguar Design incorporating the Bloodhound SSC colours. This year's MotorFest promises to be bigger than ever with a range of attractions and gigs. The organisers close off the Coventry ring road to public traffic in order to host a number of motorsport activities and the Bloodhound F-TYPE will be taking part in laps on Saturday May 30 and Sunday May 31. Jaguar will also be previewing its activities at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed – the theme of which this year is 'Flat Out and Fearless: Racing on the Edge' - by bringing along some of the most iconic cars from its rich heritage.

Jaguar Land Rover to cut $6.8 billion in costs

Jaguar Land Rover reduce costs by $6.8 billion and will push annual production volume to 1 million vehicles under a secret project called Leap 4.5, according to Reuters. The British automaker wants to achieve these ambitious goals by the end of the decade to compensate for the changing market in China and to counteract the price of meeting stricter emissions standards around the world. Leap 4.5 won't mean firing workers or cutting the automaker's $4.5 billion annual research budget. JLR will instead find savings by underpinning more models with modular platforms and by adjusting its supply chain. Future factories like the one in Brazil and the proposed plant in Slovakia also won't be affected by the new strategy. Globally, JLR continues to grow, and deliveries are up two percent through October 2015 to 390,965 vehicles. Business just last month was up 24 percent year-over-year to 41,553 units. However, the auto market's downturn in China has taken a bite out the automaker's success because volume dropped there 32 percent in the third quarter, Reuters reported. A global volume of 1 million vehicles will mean more than doubling 2014's 462,678 deliveries, but JLR has made significant investments to boost production recently. In addition to the future factories, it opened its first plant in China last year and an engine assembly site in the UK. The company also signed a deal with Magna Steyr in 2015 to build an upcoming model in Austria. Related Video:

California adapts ZEV mandate with PHEVs for smaller automakers

California is the nation's largest market for zero-emissions vehicles with over 100,000 of them estimated to be on the roads there. The state's goal is to keep that number growing every year. To that end, the California Air Resources Board is now tweaking its rules in a way that might not boost ZEVs but could mean more plug-in hybrids for the Golden State. Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Volvo asked for an exemption to the state's zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year due to their relatively small development budgets compared to larger automakers. CARB denied their request but did craft a compromise, according to Automotive News. Rather than being required to offer a ZEV in the state, companies with an annual global revenue of less than $40 billion, like those in this group, may instead sell plug-in hybrids to earn ZEV credits. The companies aren't completely off the hook, though. If these plug-in hybrids don't earn enough credits, the corporations must buy them on the market to make up the difference. Automakers with popular electric models like Nissan and Tesla have made a big business through this trading system by selling their surplus to rivals. Tesla alone pocketed $51 million in the first quarter from this part of its business, according to Automotive News. The changes to the regulations also aren't set in stone, yet. CARB is meeting in 2016 and could adjust things further at that time. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Government/Legal Green Jaguar Land Rover Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Volvo Emissions Electric Hybrid California zev credits zero emissions vehicle