1969 Jaguar E Type 4.2 Brown on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Jaguar takes a leap with price cut, new strategy

Jaguar was one of the famous automotive props and plotlines in the now-iconic drama Mad Men. There's a scene where the show's protagonist, Don Draper, deftly undercuts an influential Jaguar dealer by indicating that get-me-in-the-door local radio spots would be an effective way to sell cars like the slinky E-Type. The British executives think this is folly – Draper knows they will – and his advertising strategy wins out over the dealer's approach to move the metal. Jaguar's not doing that, but half a century later in the real world the company is launching plans to make its cars more attainable to new and younger customers like Millenials. These aren't coupons, but this is a leap for Jaguar, which has long banked on sexy styling and its rich motorsports history to overshadow its past mechanical flaws. Put simply, Jaguar is addressing the reasons why people, especially the younger set, don't buy its cars. The 2017 XE will start at $35,895 when it launches next spring – which makes it an attractive buy for a successful, relatively young person. When it's time to move up, the redesigned XF will be more attainable, coming in at $52,895, which is $5,275 less than the 2015 model. The flagship XJ sedan and the enthusiast-oriented F-Type sports car will also get thousands of dollars worth of added standard features, and Jag is actively pitching them as a better value than their competitors. "The Jaguar brand is on the eve of a major transformation that will see it dramatically increase its presence in the United States luxury marketplace with an expanded lineup, pricing focused on the core of the luxury market, and an all-new ownership package with best-in-class coverage," Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, said in a statement. The brand's quality and reliability dings have also lurked in the back of buyers' minds for decades, though that's an outdated notion. Jaguar placed third in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study in June and was the top-ranked luxury brand in J.D. Power's Customer Service Index in March. Not content, the company is rolling out an enhanced program called Jaguar EliteCare that launches on 2016 models. It offers a five-year, 60,000-mile limited warranty, the longest among its competitors, with free scheduled maintenance during that period. The plan also covers roadside assistance and connectivity features.

Jaguar Land Rover releases a vintage-looking infotainment system for classics

Jaguar and Land Rover have a new option for owners of its older vehicles: a touchscreen infotainment system. Much like the Porsche classic infotainment head unit released a few years ago, this one tries to blend in with its interior surroundings. Five distinct designs of these "Classic Infotainment Systems" are offered in an effort to have an option that fits well with the interior of any particular car offered by Jag or Land Rover over the past few decades. Chrome and black options are available for Jaguars, while brushed aluminum and black are the choices for Land Rovers. The infotainment system has navigation with 2D or 3D maps and Bluetooth audio. Sure, you don't need to stream Spotify in a 1970s Land Rover, but now you can. Jaguar says it'll offer much higher quality sound with a 4 x 45 watt output from the single DIN head unit, but you might need to upgrade those ancient speakers to actually take advantage of it. There's no mention of satellite radio like Porsche's unit offers, unfortunately. It is a radio though, so we get both AM and FM functionality. Jaguar says it's "compatible with negative earth vehicles" (newer vehicles use negative grounding systems) and retails for $1,796 before taxes in the U.S. You can buy and have it professionally fitted at an "authorized" Jaguar or Land Rover dealer if you'd like as well. It's easy to shake your fist at such a device for classic cars, but this head unit tried hard to be an elegant piece — we're still not sure about slotting it into an old E-Type though... Here are U.S. specific model fitments: Jaguar XJ40; XJS; XJ Series 3 Sedan Land Rover Defender 90, 110; Range Rover Classic (93-96); Discovery 1 (94-98); Freelander (97-04) Related Video: Featured Gallery Jaguar Land Rover Classic Infotainment System News Source: Jaguar Jaguar Land Rover Technology Infotainment

Lister Knobbly returning to limited production for 60th anniversary

Lister Cars was one of the pedigree names of British racing from its founding in 1954 and then on and off until the early 2000s. The company combined its own lightweight chassis with engines from other manufacturers, many of them British (and especially from Jaguar). Last year, the name and the intellectual property were sold to a new company that planned to revive the brand. For Lister's 60th anniversary, it is building a new version of one of its most famous racecars, the 1958 Lister-Jaguar Knobbly. The 2014 Listers are built to the exact specifications of the original cars, and the aluminum bodies are hand-formed on the original jigs. It is offered in racing trim starting at 249,000 pounds ($409,618) and is certified for FIA historic racing. There's also a road-legal version starting at 259,000 pounds ($426,060), if you don't intend to race but do intend to drive. There are two engines available, just like in the original car. A reproduction Jaguar D-Type 3.8-liter inline-six with dry-sump lubrication pumps out 330 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque with a four-speed Jaguar gearbox. The other option is a 4.6-liter Chevy V8 with 315 hp and 290 lb-ft with a four-speed manual transmission. The Chevy-engined version also gets a slightly altered body with a higher hood to clear the engine. The first 2014 Listers will be delivered in the UK this April. Unlike many of these boutique sportscars, the racing version will be available to US buyers, but Lister won't federalize the road version due to the high cost. Scroll down to get all of the details about the revived racer. LISTER MOTOR COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW 60th ANNIVERSARY BROCHURE AS THE ORDER BOOKS BEGIN TO FILL New 60th Anniversary Lister Jaguar brochure now available 50 per cent of 2014 production already sold First cars to be delivered in April, 2014 Road-going variant to be offered at GBP259,000 + tax Race-going version to be GBP249,000 + tax. Following the recently announced purchase of the Lister Motor Company in May 2013, the company is delighted to announce that it has now published its 60thAnniversary Lister Jaguar brochure, which fully outlines the specifications for its fantastic recreation of the iconic Lister Jaguar 'Knobbly' racing car.