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Jaguar could yet offer more hardcore F-Type R-S

Jaguar pulled a fast one on us all when it unexpectedly shoehorned all 550 horsepower of the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 from the XKR-S into the new F-Type Coupe to supersede the existing V8 S model with the F-Type R. But that's just the beginning, according to the latest intel coming from the UK.
According to Autocar, in speaking to Jaguar design director Ian Callum during the coupe's unveiling at the LA Auto Show, the British automaker could yet offer R-S and R-S GT versions of the F-Type. Just what mechanical changes those would bring when the F-Type R already packs the company's top engine remains to be seen, but given that the same engine also powers the flagship XJR performance saloon, we could envision Jaguar developing an even more powerful version for R-S versions of the little coupe and big sedan.
The GT version, meanwhile, would likely offer more extreme aero and a lighter form for the truly performance-obsessed. Considering that the new top-of-the-line F-Type is already pushing the hundred-grand mark, you can bet any R-S and R-S GT version would approach double the base F-Type's $65k sticker price.

Jaguar Land Rover says key models in short supply, some have six-month wait lists

Care for a bit more proof that the Jaguar Land Rover portfolio of vehicles is the best it's ever been? Well, the Indian-owned pair of brands saw a record year in 2013, while 2014 has seen a 14-percent increase in sales. The crazy thing is, though, is that figure could be even higher, provided the company had the production capacity.
JLR is running a six-month waiting list on two of its most popular models, the Range Rover Sport (above) and Range Rover. According to Mark White, the company's chief technologist for body engineering, the blame can be placed on the paint shop at the company's Solihull factory, in the UK.
"We will probably max out the paint shop before we max out the body shop. Putting the second body shop in has given us the flexibility to ebb and flow the different models that go through there and meet the capacity demands we've got," White told Automotive News. "However, you always hit a bottleneck somewhere. And the paint shop is probably going to be the next biggest obstacle."

Ford's J Mays feels vindicated by Fusion reception

It's hard to think back now, but the same man overseeing the design of the 2013 Ford Fusion also presided over a rather lackluster period in Ford design, highlighted by vehicles like the Five Hundred and Freestyle. With the redesigned Fusion receiving high praise, J Mays tells Automotive News that he feels vindicated from criticisms suggesting he's not a daring enough designer.
When Mays took over as lead of design in 1997, he admits to having quite an ego ("My head would barely fit through the door some days. I've long since gotten over myself") and the workload to match. With the Blue Oval's portfolio full of premium brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo at that point, along with the bread-and-butter Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, Mays certainly had quite the challenge.
It was in the mid-2000s that Mays took over just the premium brands, and took on the new title of Chief Creative Officer. At the time, Mays endured some criticism for looking backwards to retro styling, rather than setting a new standard for American car design - criticism that Mays says he is free from with the all-new Fusion.