2011 Jaguar Xk Base Convertible 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar Land Rover data leak reveals employee records, upcoming layoffs

A massive data leak has revealed the personnel files of hundreds of employees at Jaguar Land Rover's factory in Solihull, England. The documents reveal details such as sick days used, disciplinary issues and — most notably — red lines indicating potential firings in the weeks or months ahead. In total, the personal records of more than 600 workers were released. JLR is scrambling to contain the crisis. The breach was first reported by the Huffington Post UK, with the automaker initially claiming the story was "fake news." That publicity gaff certainly didn't help matters, especially for employees staring at their name with a red line slashed across it. Last month, the British automaker had said it would be eliminating roughly 1,000 employees at factories in the U.K. The Solihull plant, which produces models like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Jaguar F-Pace and Jaguar XE, was among those mentioned in the statement. JLR, which is owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata Motors, is facing a steep drop in sales, particularly in its home market. The main culprits include a huge slump in sales of diesel-powered vehicles - a vital part of JLR's business in the U.K. and throughout Europe - along with fears about how the upcoming "Brexit" will affect business operations. In the HuffPost UK story, one worker called the situation "disgusting" and "embarrassing," adding that people at the factory now know whether they, or their colleagues, are soon due to lose their job. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Getty Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover economy data

Jaguar XF gets performance-look R-Sport trim

If you're looking for all the style of a sports sedan but without the added expense of springing for a full-on performance model (and keeping it fed with fuel and fresh tires), most European automakers will gladly hook you up with an all-show, no-go package. BMW has its M-Sport aero kits, Audi its S-Line, and Mercedes its AMG Sport packs. And now Jaguar is getting in on the action with the launch of the new R-Sport line.
Set to be introduced on the XF at the Geneva Motor Show, the R-Sport trim at least some of the flash of the XFR or XFR-S but with a more economical engine and a relatively accessible price of entry. (This is, after all, still a Jag.) The XF R-Sport is distinguished by a sportier front bumper, side sills, rear spoiler, 17-inch wheels and unique badging to set it apart from any "ordinary" Jaguar XF. The interior is upgraded as well, and there's an optional black styling pack to take things even further.
Jaguar is offering the XF R-Sport in either sedan or wagon form with the 2.2-liter turbodiesel producing 161 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, fitted with a spot-start system to make it a far more frugal option than the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 in the real deal. Although this version won't be coming to US as you see it here, Jaguar tells Autoblog it's always possible it'll produce a similar aesthetic treatment for the North American market - just don't count on such models arriving under diesel motivation. We'll take a closer look at them in Geneva next week, but for now, you can check out the gallery and press release below for an idea of what to expect.

Jaguar models could rev with inline-six engines again

Rumors are swirling once again that Jaguar might return an inline-six engine to its lineup. Autocar claims Jaguar Land Rover will use the modular Ingenium engine family to create a 3.0-liter straight-six. The new motor will replace the automaker's current V6. As with the Ingenium 2.0-liter four-cylinder, JLR will likely offer the powerplant in gasoline- and diesel-fueled versions. A rumor in May 2015 also suggested JLR would create an Ingenium-based turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six and a 1.5-liter three-cylinder unit. According to Autocar, the engine bay in the XE, XF, and F-Pace can already fit the longer engine. The automaker isn't talking, though. "We can't comment on future product one way or another," company spokesperson Nathan Hoyt told Autoblog. Jaguar built much of its performance legacy with straight-six-powered vehicles. While the C-Type and D-Type were winning races with the engine layout, practically every Jaguar production model used them as well. Today, straight-sixes are less common. BMW continues to use them, and Mercedes-Benz reportedly also plans to offer one soon. While Autocar's report is still just a rumor, the move to an inline-six could be advantageous for JLR. For example, using an Ingenium-derived design could simplify manufacturing by allowing the company to build the powerplant in one factory alongside the 2.0-liter version. Returning to a design with such an important heritage for Jaguar would also make life easy for the brand's marketing team because it could link the new engine to past racing glory. Related Video: