2003 Jaguar Xk8 Base Coupe 2-door 4.2l on 2040-cars

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Lapping Le Mans with 1956's version of a dash cam

Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb won The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955 driving a Jaguar D-Type. The following year, a few days before the race, a British broadcaster put cameras on Hawthorne's car, hung a mic from a plate on his race suit and had him narrate a lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe.
It is compelling viewing. A new pit complex was built after the massive accident on the front straight in 1955, but this was still a time when crews prepped for the race on roads that were open to the public. Hawthorne's lap includes maneuvers to avoid bicyclists and cars, and gems like letting us know that doing 185 miles per hour down the Mulsanne Straight was where you could "relax a little, recover your energy." Watch him work it like the men of old in the video below.

2013 Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Editor's Note: Our reporter was anxious to get some time behind the wheel of the XF Sportbrake, even though Jaguar only had a very small window available for us to drive it. As a result, we weren't able to capture our usual original images to go with the Quick Spin story. Please accept our regrets, and Jag's lovely stock photography, instead.
The last wagon attempt from Jaguar was the X-Type, built between 2003 and that model line's unceremonious end in 2009. That X-Type and its legacy represent a real dog of a chapter for Jaguar, and for the Halewood factory where the barker was built. It was the final joke told prior to the brand's proper rebirth phase - a phase we're enjoying the heck out of today.
Current magnanimous Jaguar owner Tata can be thanked for this new wagon, the XF Sportbrake. Like all newness coming from Jag these days, this new wagon also feels lightyears more serious an offering, ready to compete squarely with established premium wagon makers across Europe. A Jaguar wagon in America is a far-off priority for the company, frankly. Still we deserve to know what we're missing for the time being from this (sometimes overly) cherished British firm.

2019 Jaguar XJ50 is a supercharged birthday present

Jaguar is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its elegant luxury sedan, the XJ, with a stylish and supercharged new model called the XJ50. This nod to eight generations of XJ comes in long-wheelbase format and is powered by either a 340-horsepower supercharged V6, or snarling 470-hp supercharged V8. While the V6 model is available with a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive, the more powerful V8 is offered only in rear-wheel drive form. Revealed for the first time at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show, the XJ50 is visually separated by the standard XJ sedan by having unique front and rear bumpers, a gloss black grille, special badges on the side vents, along with 20-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black diamond turned finish. Four colors will be available: Rosello Red, Santorini Black, Fuji White, and Loire Blue. How something along the lines of British Racing Green didn't make the cut remains a marketing mystery, however. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The XJ50 cabin is fitted with unique touches like an XJ50 logo on the front center armrest, illuminated XJ50-branded treadplates, diamond-quilted seats with the Jaguar leaper logo on the headrests, along with metal pedals and aluminum shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. "This is a car worth celebrating and the XJ50 pays homage to a giant within the Jaguar brand that we believe is one of the world's most stylish sporting saloons," said Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design. While only the most jaded automotive Grinch wouldn't enjoy a birthday celebration -- really, who doesn't like cake with their illuminated treadplates(?) -- there's a sense the XJ50 marks the end of the road for the brand's long-serving luxury sedan. Rumors persist that the XJ will soon migrate to an all-electric platform, to compete directly against cars like the Tesla Model S and upcoming Porsche Mission E. Jaguar did not release an exact price of the 2019 XJ50, though a long-wheelbase XJ with the 340-hp V6 and rear-wheel drive carries a starting price of approximately $84,500.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Beijing Motor Show Jaguar Luxury Sedan jaguar xj