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Jaguar F-Type convertible rally car might be the coolest F-Type ever

The Jaguar F-Type is a sweet sports car. Rally cars are awesome. Put the two together, and you have one seriously cool ride, which is exactly what Jaguar did. The company took two F-Type convertibles and turned them into rally-ready race cars. They're built to commemorate a 1948 XK 120 that took home several European rally victories, and they share some of the visual tweaks of the Checkered Flag Edition F-Type. These custom Jags likely won't see serious competition, but they're certainly built to handle it. They have FIA-certified roll cages, racing seats, harnesses and a fire extinguisher. The suspension features three-way adjustable rally shocks and soft springs for rough roads and, as shown above, jumps. Brakes are upgraded with slotted rotors and four-piston calipers at all four corners. There's a hydraulic handbrake and a limited-slip differential that should make sliding around corners much easier. Interestingly, these F-Types use the entry-level turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The engines also haven't been upgraded at all, so they make the standard 296 horsepower. As such, this F-Type is only in the running for being the coolest version ever, rather than running away with such a commendation. Sadly, it appears Jaguar will only ever build these two examples. But we bet that someone could replicate one without too much difficulty. That someone could perhaps even start with a V6 or V8 convertible, giving it more power and a way better sound to enjoy through that open-air roll cage. Related Video:

Jaguar may join the FWD, small-car parade

Was it right for Chevrolet to detune the 1975 Corvette's base engine to 165 horsepower? Was Aston Martin wrong to make the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet? Is BMW crazy to be testing the new 1 Series with three-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive? It seems now, just as in the 1970s and 1980s, that emissions regulations and social considerations are driving some automakers to adopt unbefitting practices to maintain acceptance in the eyes of governments and consumers. Jaguar has jumped on the bandwagon, and is considering development of small, frugal, front-wheel-drive cars to help lower Jaguar Land Rover's average vehicle CO2 levels in light of tightening European emissions regulations, Autocar reports.
By 2020, the European Union expects the model range of every manufacturer to average 95 grams per kilometer, which is a new law passed by the European Parliament in April. Manufacturers who make more than 300,000 vehicles per year must meet these targets, and JLR is expected to be producing up to 700,000 vehicles per year by then. CO2 regulations after 2020 will only get stricter, as EU politicians already are talking about lowering CO2 levels to between 68 g/km and 78 g/km. (To put that in perspective, Autocar posits that driving a fully charged electric vehicle in Europe produces about 75 g/km when factoring in the power-generation infrastructure.)
Jaguar has some choices here, but so far they all have drawbacks. It could develop a new, compact chassis architecture for a line of compact vehicles, but the investment required for such a project could be prohibitively expensive. Jaguar has been looking into using the Land Rover Evoque platform for a small SUV, Autocar reports, but Land Rover brand manager John Edwards raises issue with such a plan, saying it may not be financially feasible.

Jaguar XE hits the 'Ring wearing swirly camo

Jaguar is happy to show off its new XE sedan on its social media sites, but when testing at the Nürburgring, it's a very different story. These spy shots show the new model in camouflage to make it much harder to discern, but there are still some intriguing details to pick out.
These photos give us a really good look at the XE's quirky rear end. The sedan has a super short trunk that almost fools you into thinking its a notchback, but the top edge of the trunk is clearly visible. It's a somewhat odd-looking design with the rear glass running underneath the roof's overhang to create an integrated spoiler. Despite the camo, the front end is the same as ever with a blunt edge and sharp headlights. Jag certainly isn't afraid to try something a little different compared to the XE's competitors, notably the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.
Some technical details about the XE are already established. This 3 Series-fighter is slated to go on sale in foreign markets in 2015 and in the US in 2016. We know that it ride's on Jag's new aluminum platform that also underpins the C-X17 crossover concept, and power comes from a pair of 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines, available in petrol- or diesel-fueled configurations.