2000 Jaguar Xj8. Low Reserve. 71k Miles. on 2040-cars

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Jaguar sets a lap record at a near-forgotten French race track

If asked to name any race track in France, most racing and car enthusiasts would probably answer the Circuit de la Sarthe, known for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Then there's the famous Magny-Cours or Circuit Paul Ricard, but not everyone remembers the Circuit de Charade near Clermont-Ferrand. This challenging track has been called a "twistier and faster" version of the Nurburgring, and in its original five-mile form, it barely had any straights. Formula 1 races were held there in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but safety concerns saw the French Grand Prix moved to Paul Ricard for most of the 1970s and 1980s, alternating with Dijon-Prenois. Later on, the track was essentially halved during modernization work, and it's now largely used for track days. The full length circuit was last used in 1988. This history lesson about a seemingly forgotten French race track is due to one good reason: Jaguar has returned to the venue to set a lap time with a new, all-wheel drive XE. The flying lap of the full five-mile track was the first one in 30 years, and the 4-minute, 9-second lap time set by Belgian racing driver Vincent Radermecker now stands as a record. Due to changes and the fact that the track originally utilized parts of public roads, the lap now included two gateways and a roundabout. Unshockingly, those weren't around in its racing days. The comparisons with the Nurburgring are apt, as Radermecker's comment confirms. "I set the production (sedan) record at the Nurburgring in the XE SV Project 8 last year and this lap was every bit as demanding. The longest straight is barely 600 metres, so I can see why drivers used to call this the French Nurburgring." The Jaguar used for the record lap is an XE 300 Sport, which is powered by Jaguar's 300-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. It hits 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, and the average speed on the Charade lap was 72 mph. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jaguar XE record lap View 9 Photos Image Credit: Jaguar Jaguar Automotive History jaguar xe

UK electric motor maker YASA expands production 50-fold for EVs

LONDON — British electric motor manufacturer YASA said on Thursday it was increasing its production capacity from 2,000 to 100,000 units with a new factory to tap into growing demand from carmakers for greener technologies. Automakers are racing to build greener vehicles and improve charge times in a bid to meet rising customer demand and air quality targets but Britain lacks sufficient manufacturing capacity, an area the government is building up. Last year, the government picked a site in central England to house a new automotive battery development facility, which will develop the processes required to manufacture the latest battery advancements. On Thursday, YASA, based near the English city of Oxford, said it had raised another 15 million pounds ($21 million) as part of its expansion. "Our customers are looking to adopt innovative new technologies such as YASA's axial-flux electric motors and controllers in order to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding hybrid and pure electric automotive market," said Chief Executive Chris Harris. The firm exports 80 percent of production and has worked with companies including Britain's two biggest carmakers Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan as well as Aston Martin. JLR will decide this year whether to build electric cars in its home market, previously citing factors such as pilot testing and support from science and government as pre-requisites. Reporting by Costas PitasRelated Video:

Nearly 200 units of the Jaguar I-Pace recalled again due to fire risk

Jaguar has issued a safety recall that applies to nearly 200 units of the electric I-Pace. The crossovers included in the campaign can catch fire due to a battery-related problem, and they should have already been fixed but ended up not receiving the required software update. Assigned recall number 23V-709 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall includes 199 examples of the 2019 to 2023 I-Pace built between February 15, 2018, and February 7, 2023. These vehicles were also part of recall number 23V-369 issued in March 2023. Jaguar has since received one new report of a car in the United States catching fire; the incident happened on September 8, 2023. When it issued the original recall, it cited eight reports of an I-Pace catching fire on our shores between June 2019 and May 2023. Jaguar explains the recalled cars are at risk of a "thermal overload," which can manifest itself as "smoke or fire" that "may occur underneath the vehicle, where the high-voltage traction battery is located." The company hasn't detailed the root of the problem, but it previously noted that the updated software monitors the battery pack's status, detects when it's at risk of a thermal overload, and warns the driver accordingly. It also limits the battery's charging capacity to 75% if it identifies a problem and instructs the driver to visit a dealer as soon as possible. The issue is that some dealers "used a non-approved service diagnostic tool" that didn't upload the updated software to the car, hence why the 199 vehicles included in campaign 23V-709 are being recalled a second time. Jaguar's fix remains the same: It's asking owners to take their I-Pace to the nearest authorized dealership so that a technician can update the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) software. Owners who have already paid to get the problem fixed will be able to claim a refund from the British brand. And, they're being asked to park their car away from structures, such as a garage or a house, and charge outside for 30 days after the software update has been completed. Jaguar will begin notifying owners of affected cars by mail on December 15, 2023.