2005 Jaguar Xj8l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Land Rover knows where you're going and how you want to get there

Land Rover makes some of the most capable SUVs on or off the road, and some of the most luxurious too. But the British automaker isn't about to rest on those laurels - not when every other automaker assaults its territory with sport-utes of their own. That's why Land Rover has been working so hard on nifty new technologies from a depth-sounder in the door mirror of the Range Rover Sport an augmented-reality head-up display that makes the whole front of the car virtually disappear.
JLR's newest tech may not be ground-breaking, but its integration promises to make driving around town that much easier. The system syncs with the driver's smartphone and uses all manner of parameters - including driver habits, weather and location as well as the presence of other passengers - to make the commute go as smoothly as possible. Get into the car and it'll set the seat and mirrors for you. No big deal, because lots of cars do that. But it'll also set up the nav system to take you to work and the sound system to play your favorite music. Okay, getting more interesting.
Get in with your kids and it'll know not only that you've got to drop them off at school first (or remind you to pack their gym bag if they've got soccer practice after school that day) but that they might not enjoy that Chumbawamba album you've been listening to since college and it'll play something it knows you'll all enjoy based on your listening history. Then it'll switch back to Tubthumping once the kids are out, remind you of your morning meeting and alert those you're scheduled to meet with if you get stuck in traffic while finding you a better route to get there, monitoring fuel levels all the while and telling you if you'll need to tank up before you reach your destination. It knows if you like calling your mother on the drive to work and will lower the air suspension to make it easier to hop out once you get there.

The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 looks like an XE, but is almost completely new

Jaguar's XE SV Project 8 is a thoroughly astonishing sports sedan. With a 592-horsepower V8, it's the most powerful Jaguar road car ever produced. And it's amazing to think that Jaguar's most powerful car is a version of its entry-level sedan. Or at least it looks that way. In reality, the majority of the body is completely unique to the Project 8. A Jaguar representative told us that only the roof and door skins are shared with the standard XE. The other 70 percent of the exterior is completely unique to the car. These changed body panels include wider fenders of course, and many of the pieces are made from carbon fiber rather than metal, but there are also some more unusual tweaks. For instance, the headlights actually had to be moved to a different position to make space for the Project 8's massive wheels and tires. The tires, for reference, are 265-mm wide at the front, and the rears are 305-mm wide. There were also some changes for style. The air vents at the front that consist of many small holes in the bumper are a tribute to Jaguars of the past. The hexagonal shape of the holes apes that of the vintage Jaguar logo, which featured the word Jaguar in an elongated hexagon. All in all, there's an impressive amount of new engineering that went into creating the Project 8. The results are, in a word, stunning. Related Video:

Jaguar may enter Formula E to advance electric portfolio

The FIA Formula E Championship looks poised to gain another major automaker. According to reports from the UK, Jaguar Land Rover is preparing to announce a new electric vehicle strategy this week. And that is tipped to include participation in the all-electric racing series. According to Sky News, Jaguar's electric racing program would give the British carmaker the opportunity to showcase its prowess in electric propulsion. Quoting an unnamed insider, the UK news service reported that Formula E "offers live testing for electrification technologies in areas such as batteries and drivetrains; that's why it looks valuable to them." The program would likely be launched in conjunction with Williams, the F1 team with which it partnered on development of the aborted C-X75 hybrid supercar project recently unearthed for a starring role in the latest James Bond film Spectre. Williams helped develop the battery system that powers the electric spec racer used in Formula E. The partnership could take over from the Trulli team that is expected to soon drop out of the series. JLR wouldn't be the first automaker to participate in electric racing. Audi supports the Abt team, Renault the e.Dams outfit, and PSA Peugeot Citroen's DS brand the Virgin Racing squad. Mercedes and Volvo have also been reported to be looking carefully at participation, while BMW provides support vehicles for the series. Jaguar participates in vintage racing and Land Rover runs the Bowler off-road racing series. However, the last time the company supported a top-level works racing program was between 2000 and 2004 when Jaguar Racing (the precursor to today's Red Bull team) competed in Formula One. It has since offered the XKR GT2 racer and has been rumored to be considering a return to sports car racing, but the trend towards electrification now appears to be driving the Formula E initiative instead. We're waiting to hear back on requests for comment from Jaguar. But Sky reports that an official announcement will be made on Tuesday, so watch this space. Related Video: