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Jaguar's XFR-S Sportbrake looks to be one hot kinschlepper

This is the Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake, which is too cool for North American sale (the Sportbrake, not the XFR-S sedan, which we're getting soon). Like the XFR-S four-door, it has a 5.0-liter, supercharged V8 pumping out around 550 horsepower.
Our spy photographer's x-ray vision is saying that a ZF eight-speed automatic will be the gearbox of choice for the XFR-S wagon, which fits with the sedan, as well. The Sportbrake also has the usual high-performance touches, with huge air intakes in the front fascia, big wheels wrapped in low-profile tires, a dropped suspension and a rear end that's wearing a diffuser and a pair of meaty, quad exhausts. We're happy to see that the XFR-S Sedan's rear spoiler - or some iteration thereof - isn't here to mangle the Sportbrake's beautiful shape.
Where the this super-fast hauler will debut remains a question. There's virtually zero chance of it arriving at an American auto show (although we do endorse that, and any other decision that brings this wagon to our shores), which likely means it'll be in Europe. The Frankfurt Motor Show and Geneva Motor Show seem like the leading contenders, but we'll just have to wait and see.

First Jaguar C-Type Continuation ready for delivery, and you can still buy one

Jaguar's XK120-C is known by its far more famous name, C-Type, known for winning Le Mans twice, and known for being the first car equipped with disc brakes to win a race in international competition. That latter victory happened on June 29, 1952, at the sports car race held ahead of the Formula II Grand Prix at Reims, France, with Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel. Today marking the 70th anniversary of that win, Jaguar has chosen it to announce the first C-Type Continuation is ready for delivery. This is one of eight continuation C-Types the English automaker announced in January 2021, all of them built to similar specification as the 1953 C-Type that earned the model's second win at La Sarthe, meaning a 3.4-liter, 220-horsepower straight-six sporting three Weber carbs and disc brakes at the four corners. This one is finished in Pastel Green paint with Suede Green seats, recalling the car Moss raced in Reims the year before. The Continuations are being built at the Jaguar Classic Works in Coventry, each needing 3,000 hours to complete due to using the same build techniques that went into creating the original cars. After the build, Classics engineers put each example through 250-mile shakedown. Once the run is complete, Jaguar said it planned to host a motorsports-themed celebration for the octet. Owners can enjoy plenty of other track days as well, the Continuations being approved by the FIA to run in all FIA Historic events. Owners won't need to worry about seeing their car everywhere, either, since the C-Type is a rarity even with these additions; Jaguar only built 53 of the original. Seems an undisclosed number of C-Type Continuations are still available to purchase. If visuals can sway any prospective buyers, Jaguar created a configurator showcasing the 12 exterior colors, eight leather hues, and two roundels that can be optioned. The carmaker hasn't mentioned pricing publicly, but it's thought to be north of seven figures. 

Here's today's round of auto plant closures in response to coronavirus

More automakers have shuttered factories, as businesses everywhere work to slow the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus — and as the pandemic slows sales and disrupts parts supply chains. On Friday, the following closures were announced: • Volvo will close its factories in Sweden and the United States from March 26 to April 14. Volvo's U.S. facility, in Charleston, South Carolina, makes the S60 sedan. Its assembly plant in Torslanda, Sweden, turns out the XC90, SC60, and V90. Other Swedish facilities make engines and component parts. A Volvo factory in Ghent, Belgium, that builds the XC40 and V60 closed earlier this week and is expected to remain offline until April 6. Volvo's four factories in China have been reopened after a shutdown earlier this year. • Jaguar Land Rover announced that it will suspend production at its assembly plants in the UK over the coming week. The shutdown is expected to last until April 20. Elsewhere, production continues at the company's factories in India and Brazil, and JLR's joint-venture plant in China reopened at the end of February. • Bentley is closing its factory in Crewe, England, for four weeks, effective today. • Bugatti has put its atelier in Molsheim, France, on hiatus. No date was given for when assembly of its supercars might resume. • Mercedes-Benz on Monday will shut down its SUV factory in Alabama and its van assembly plant in South Carolina. Both will remain closed for a minimum of two weeks. Tesla yesterday revealed that it will suspend operations at its Fremont, California, vehicle assembly plant next week, on order from local officials there. Yesterday's factory closure announcements also included the U.S. assembly plants for Toyota (until April 6), Volkswagen (through March 29), Subaru (through March 29), and Hyundai (no time period specified). They join GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, and Harley-Davidson, which earlier this week announced the suspension of production at their facilities. Plants/Manufacturing Bentley Bugatti Jaguar Land Rover Mercedes-Benz Volvo coronavirus