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Jaguar could yet offer more hardcore F-Type R-S

Jaguar pulled a fast one on us all when it unexpectedly shoehorned all 550 horsepower of the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 from the XKR-S into the new F-Type Coupe to supersede the existing V8 S model with the F-Type R. But that's just the beginning, according to the latest intel coming from the UK.
According to Autocar, in speaking to Jaguar design director Ian Callum during the coupe's unveiling at the LA Auto Show, the British automaker could yet offer R-S and R-S GT versions of the F-Type. Just what mechanical changes those would bring when the F-Type R already packs the company's top engine remains to be seen, but given that the same engine also powers the flagship XJR performance saloon, we could envision Jaguar developing an even more powerful version for R-S versions of the little coupe and big sedan.
The GT version, meanwhile, would likely offer more extreme aero and a lighter form for the truly performance-obsessed. Considering that the new top-of-the-line F-Type is already pushing the hundred-grand mark, you can bet any R-S and R-S GT version would approach double the base F-Type's $65k sticker price.

Jaguar Land Rover gives Lyft $25M and a fleet of cars

Lyft recently raised $600 million in a massive funding round, and now we know that $25 million of that came from Jaguar Land Rover, via its mobility services subsidiary InMotion. The car maker's investment in Lyft goes beyond just funds, however; it's providing Lyft drivers with a fleet of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles as part of the tie-up, and it's also going to work with the ride-hailing tech company on autonomous vehicle testing. This is yet another high-profile partner for Lyft after a spate of recent new collaborators, including Waymo and, just last week, Nutonomy. Now, Jaguar Land Rover is also joining the company's Open Platform for autonomous cars: The collaboration with InMotion will see the Jaguar Land Rover-owned company "develop and test its mobility services, including autonomous vehicles" using Lyft's platform. Lyft's ability to rapidly bring on a lot of partners in the car maker space, specifically around autonomy, may have a lot to do with rival Uber's ongoing problems, which now also include mounting calls for CEO Travis Kalanick to step back, at least temporarily, from his leadership role. Lyft has also been pretty clear about seeking to partner on autonomy, rather than pursue its own tech, which is likewise different from Uber's current approach. Uber, too, has brought automakers to the table around self-driving services and making use of its ride hailing platform for mobility service offerings. Both Uber and Lyft seem interested in being the layer that connects riders and these future services, and for automakers, it means leaving a complex and challenging part of the picture to partners with experience and expertise, rather than having to spin up that part of the tech business themselves. The fleet provision in the deal is also interesting, and suggests the partnership between the two could involve more strategic cooperative service offerings ahead of the advent of commercial self-driving tech. Lyft gaining more ground among automakers beyond longtime partner GM also explains why it was reported that the ride hailing company turned down overtures regarding a potential acquisition by the Detroit-based automaker.Written by Darrell Etherington for TechCrunch.Related Video:

Jaguar lets first outsiders drive new F-Type

What do you do when you're an automaker with an all-new and brand-defining sports car, one of them with a supercharged V8 cranking out 495 horsepower? You let proven race drivers test them out on track and on the road.
And what do you do if you're Jaguar and you're in that situation? Why, naturally, you make a video of it. That's how we get footage of racers Martin Brundle, Justin Bell and Christian Danner being choppered into the UK's Snetterton track to test the V6-equipped Jaguar F-Type S prototype. Then when they're finished with kerb-lined apexes, they take the V8 S prototype out onto the roads to run it through hedge-lined apexes.
According to one of them, "very fast, very nimble, great engine" is what will soon be headed our way. Check it out in the video below.