2009 Jaguar Xkr Base Coupe 2-door 4.2l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar XJS gets resto-mod treatment from England-based TWR

From the Volvo P1800 to the Porsche 928, the resto-modding trend has propelled numerous classics into the 21st century. Born-again English firm TWR rummaged through its own backyard to jump on the bandwagon: it unveiled an updated version of the Jaguar XJS. Known as the Supercat, the resto-modded XJS shares little more than a silhouette and a few basic styling cues with the coupe that inspired it. It's more muscular-looking thanks to a body kit that adds a front splitter, Group B-esque wheel arch flares, a rear spoiler and a massive diffuser integrated into the rear bumper. It gets modern-looking LED lights on both ends, and it rides on center-locking wheels. TWR notes that the body panels are made out of carbon fiber to keep weight in check. Interior pictures haven't been released, though we're told nearly every part of the car will be highly customizable, and we'll need to be patient to find out precisely what's under the hood. To whet our appetite, TWR mentioned a V12 engine supercharged to 600 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. All told, it has taken the company more than two years to reach this stage, including intensive real-world testing. TWR notes that the Supercat will make its dynamic debut during the summer of 2024 (our money is on the Goodwood Festival of Speed). If you want one, act fast: production is limited to 88 units globally and pricing starts at GBP225,000 excluding taxes, which represents about $281,500 at the current conversion rate. Dollars matter here: unlike some resto-mods, the Supercat was developed with our market in mind. If the XJS isn't your thing, TWR stresses it has additional resto-modded projects in the pipeline. It hasn't revealed what's next, however. Jaguar XJS View 6 Photos The donor car Released as the XJS for 1976 as a replacement for the E-Type, the two-door Jaguar (shown above) was offered in numerous configurations during a production run that lasted well beyond even the company's expectations; it remained part of the range until 1996. It was offered with a straight-six, a V12, a stick, an automatic, as a coupe, and as a convertible, and it received numerous updates inside and out to remain relatively fresh. Related Video:

Jaguar may join the FWD, small-car parade

Was it right for Chevrolet to detune the 1975 Corvette's base engine to 165 horsepower? Was Aston Martin wrong to make the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet? Is BMW crazy to be testing the new 1 Series with three-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive? It seems now, just as in the 1970s and 1980s, that emissions regulations and social considerations are driving some automakers to adopt unbefitting practices to maintain acceptance in the eyes of governments and consumers. Jaguar has jumped on the bandwagon, and is considering development of small, frugal, front-wheel-drive cars to help lower Jaguar Land Rover's average vehicle CO2 levels in light of tightening European emissions regulations, Autocar reports.
By 2020, the European Union expects the model range of every manufacturer to average 95 grams per kilometer, which is a new law passed by the European Parliament in April. Manufacturers who make more than 300,000 vehicles per year must meet these targets, and JLR is expected to be producing up to 700,000 vehicles per year by then. CO2 regulations after 2020 will only get stricter, as EU politicians already are talking about lowering CO2 levels to between 68 g/km and 78 g/km. (To put that in perspective, Autocar posits that driving a fully charged electric vehicle in Europe produces about 75 g/km when factoring in the power-generation infrastructure.)
Jaguar has some choices here, but so far they all have drawbacks. It could develop a new, compact chassis architecture for a line of compact vehicles, but the investment required for such a project could be prohibitively expensive. Jaguar has been looking into using the Land Rover Evoque platform for a small SUV, Autocar reports, but Land Rover brand manager John Edwards raises issue with such a plan, saying it may not be financially feasible.

Watches and whisky: two more ways to celebrate the Jaguar E-type's 60th birthday

It was 60th years ago on March 15 that Jaguar famously unveiled its E-type sports car at the Geneva auto show, after having driven a coupe and a convertible down from England overnight. And while the British automaker is commemorating the milestone with six specially restored vintage E-type coupe-and-convertible pairs, that leaves many fans shut out. For those seeking a less-spendy way to honor the occasion, there are two new options: a commemorative watch and rally timer boxed set, and a special whisky. British watchmaker Bremont has created a special watch to mark the occasion. The automatic chronograph features a black face with either a green or a gray bi-directional rotating bezel and matching leather strap. The colors reference the green roadster and gray coupe that debuted at the show. On the back, the movement is visible through a sapphire glass window, there's a rendition of the E-type's three-spoke steering wheel, and each watch is numbered. The textured crown features the tread pattern of the E-type's Dunlop racing tires. Each watch comes as a boxed set with a two-instrument rally timer with a stopwatch and a clock. The instruments are mounted on an engine-turned metal plate and can be displayed in a wood case or fitted into a vehicle. The price for the watch-and-rally-timer duo is $16,495, and 60 in each watch color will be made. As an added enticement, buyers can attend a Jaguar Classic experience in the U.K. wherein they get a chance to drive three vintage Jaguars. If 16 large is still a little rich for your budget, Bremont makes several other Jaguar-inspired timepieces: the $4,895 MkIII, the $6,695 MkII, the $6,895 D-type, and the $8,995 MkI. Or maybe you'd prefer to toast the E-type's birthday with some brown liquor. Might we suggest the Glenturret E-type 60th Anniversary Single Malt Whisky? It hails from Scotland's oldest distillery and comes with a presentation box and a key ring. No driving experience, alas. The whiskey is limited to 265 bottles, the number corresponding to the 265 horsepower in the original E-type. The whiskey is available direct from Glenturret at 1,500 GBP (about $2,100) plus shipping. Auto News Jaguar