Jaguar, Hotrod, Chevy on 2040-cars

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Jaguar details new Ingenium four-cylinder engines [w/video]

When Jaguar lifted the veil on its new XE sports sedan earlier this month, it only revealed details on one engine - that being the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 in the flagship XE S. But we already knew that the British automaker's new entry-level model will offer many other powertrain options, and now it has revealed a little more.
Jaguar has been developing a new family of 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines it calls Ingenium, which will be offered in a wide array of configurations and specifications. In advance of its debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, the Leaping Cat marque has announced the specifications of the two diesel versions. The first will offer 161 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and some of the best environmental credentials on the market. There will also be a more potent version with 177 hp and 317 lb-ft, which Jaguar says is "one of the highest torque outputs in the class." Either way, both versions feature variable exhaust valve timing, cooled low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation and selective catalytic reduction technologies to help meet the stringent Euro 6 standards.
That's all well and fine, but considering that Jaguar doesn't offer diesels in North America, the chances of these oil-burners making their way Stateside seem slim. But if you watch the video below, you'll also find basic specs on their gasoline counterparts as well. Like the diesels, they're turbocharged and displace 2.0 liters, but in petrol form, they offer 197 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque, or 236 hp and 250 lb-ft.

Playmate of the Year Raquel Pomplun gets a Jaguar F-Type

The Jaguar F-Type is slinking its way into vastly divergent corners of the celebrity world. Lana del Rey is its songstress, Englishman-playing-American-terrorist Damien Lewis lead its cinematic debut in Desire, San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick gets the athletic endorsement, and now it's just been driven behind the "Adults Only" doors at the Playboy Mansion: Raquel Pomplun was gifted a year's use of an F-Type for being named 2013 Playmate of the Year.
There's a video below of Pomplun and her F-Type getting 'camera ready,' and a press release below that in case you want to, you know, "read the article."

Xcar weighs in on the five best-sounding modern cars

Getting behind the wheel of a well-balanced vehicle can be a wonderfully visceral experience, thanks to the combined feeling of things like the weight of the steering, the bite of the brakes, and, of course, the roar of the engine. Unfortunately, many of the sensations of driving require actually being in the driver's seat to understand them, but thankfully the intoxicating noise of a beautifully tuned internal combustion engine can be shared with everyone. In a new video, Xcar shares their opinion on the five best-sounding modern performance cars. The list is a symphony of horsepower. As opposed to keeping all of the vehicles brand new, Xcar actually picks a few that are recently off the market. They're all definitely champs, though. While the list itself is well stocked, you might be able to argue with the specific order, and it would be nice to hear a few participants from outside of Europe for a collection like this one, too. No matter. Every listener is sure to find something they like in the bunch, though. Turn up the volume and enjoy.