Jaguar E-type E Type 2=2 on 2040-cars

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Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

Jaguar XF Sportbrake is the cure for the common F-Pace

Before Jaguar introduced the F-Pace crossover, the only way an American could get their hands on a long-roof leaper was to either move to Europe and buy an XF Sportbrake or pick up the rare X-Type Sportwagon on the used market. But now that the F-Pace is on sale, there's no need for a Jag wagon (henceforth known as the Jagon), right? Wrong. Spotted lapping the Nurburgring, the second-generation XF sedan transitions to wagon duty as naturally as the first-gen car did, promising a boost in cargo capacity without sacrificing the good looks of Jaguar's middle child. But the sloping roofline won't do the XF's versatility too many favors – as our spies rightly state, it looks like Jag's designers are favoring style over outright cargo space. Beyond the roofline, expect the new Sportbrake to follow its predecessor's example and adhere very closely to the XF sedan. Don't expect any changes from the firewall forward, with most of the changes above the beltline and at the tail, where Jag's designers obviously need to rethink the look to accommodate the rear hatch. The overall taillight shape should stay the same, while the lower bumper will carry over with only modest adjustments. Under hood, our spies report the car shown here is Jaguar's potent S trim, with a 380-horsepower, 3.0-liter, supercharged V6. While it's a safe bet that Jaguar will sell the Sportbrake in Europe with all the lesser XF engines – not to mention R and RS variants – it's unlikely all three mainstream engines will arrive in the US. Oh yeah, our spies claim there's a chance the long-roof XF will hit the US market. We're calling it a very slim chance, though. Audi and BMW deported their A6/5 Series wagons years ago, leaving the segment to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Volvo V90 will add some Swedish flair to the segment, but the bottom line is that importing and federalizing a new model to compete in a segment responsible for just 20,000 units per year isn't good business. Here's hoping Jaguar makes a bad business decision. Related Video: Featured Gallery Jaguar XF Sportbrake: Spy Shots View 11 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Jaguar Wagon Luxury jaguar xf sportbrake

Jaguar to finish building six remaining Lightweight E-Types

Back in February of 1963, Jaguar set about making a small run of lightweight E-Types. It recrafted the bodywork out of aluminum, shoehorned in a 3.8-liter straight-six with an aluminum block, stripped out the interior, removed the chrome trim and fitted lighter-weight side windows. The result was a 250-pound reduction in curb weight and a commensurate increase in performance, especially evident on the race track. The company originally set about building 18 examples, but only managed 12. The remaining six were allocated chassis numbers, but were never built. That is, until now.
Fifty years since the last of the original 12 lightweight E-Types were completed, Jaguar has announced that it is preparing to resume production and complete the final six examples. The company has assigned its top craftsmen to the job, who will build the half-dozen continuation Lightweights to the same exact specifications as the original dozen. Former sister-company and perennial arch-rival Aston Martin undertook a similar task (or at least authorized Zagato to do so) when it sanctioned four continuation examples of the original DB4 GT Zagato based on original chassis numbers in 1988, and another two based on original body shells and stock DB4 chassis in 1992.
Jaguar has not yet announced pricing and availability for the continuation Lightweights, but the first old-is-new example is set to debut this summer, whereupon Coventry will release further details. You can bet, though, that each one will be snapped up rather quick at just about any price the British automaker cares to put on them.