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Jaguar has something special planned for Goodwood

It's been barely a week since JLR announced its new Special Operations division, dedicated to creating limited-run halo cars and custom creations for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Now the British automaker has confirmed the debut of the division's first project.
We don't know what it is, exactly, that Jaguar will be bringing to the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this week, but we bet it'll be exciting. If we were the betting kind, we'd put our money on some kind of hot-rod F-Type, but we'll just have to wait and see.
Alongside whatever JLR Special Operations has got cooking, Coventry will also be bringing the new F-Type R Coupe and XFR-S Sportbrake to run up the hill alongside a whole slew of classic and racing Jaguars, including a pair of D-Types, a Group 44 E-Type, a Group A XJS and the reunion of XJR-9 and Andy Wallace that last saw each other on the top step of the podium at Le Mans in 1988.

Off-roading in a 2020 Jaguar I-Pace HSE

The hiker’s eye roll was so extreme that it was nearly audible. “Nice trail car,” she said in mocking tones that left little doubt she felt otherwise. She was among a group that was walking single file downhill as I was creeping my all-electric 2020 Jaguar I-Pace around a tight uphill bend, proceeding slowly because a sheer cliff blocked my view through the apex on this one-lane section of the Maple Springs truck trail. Such a cautious approach is the norm up here because hikers share this fire road with mountain bikers, adventure motorcyclists and day-tripping off-roaders. But I was being extra careful because I was keenly aware that my electric all-wheel-drive machine emitted none of the engine noise an ascending geared-down truck would make. WhatÂ’s more, my test car was shod with the optional low-profile 255/40R22 high performance summer tires that put the lips of the pricey 22-inch “diamond turned” rims uncomfortably close to the rocks. Meeting a motorized vehicle wasn't the surprising bit – it was that theyÂ’d expected to see a 4Runner, Tacoma or Jeep Wrangler come nosing around the bend, not some high-falutin Jaguar styled by renowned designer Ian Callum. IÂ’d been up this U.S. Forest Service fire road dozens of times, most recently just two weeks ago in my own JK Jeep Wrangler. ItÂ’s easy if you have clearance and reasonable all-terrain tires, so I was prepared to take advantage of the numerous wide spots if the iPace protested. Besides, this was not really a test of the off-road prowess of the I-Pace itself. I was more interested in getting a feel for what electrified off-roading might be like. I started grinning less than 100 yards after the trailÂ’s narrow paved approach turned into dirt and began snaking steeply upward through dust and embedded rocks. In my own Jeep, which has a six-speed manual transmission and 4:10-to-1 axle gearing, I usually choose low-range at this point because the transmission gear spacing in high range is too wide and the engine bogs all too easily at these slow and constantly varying speeds. By comparison, the JaguarÂ’s power delivery was pure magic. For starters, there was no 4x4 mode to engage, no low range to select. The dual-motor all-wheel drive system is always on, and it constantly adjusts its torque split to suit conditions. Throttle pedal response is thoroughly accurate, and I never once had to goose the pedal because electric motors deliver their peak torque at zero rpm.

2018 Jaguar I-Pace hits the Nurburgring in all its electric glory

Jaguar is continuing development work on the I-Pace, its first all-electric model set to arrive in 2018. Today we're getting fresh spy shots of the svelte crossover being unloaded for testing at the Nurburgring, and the I-Pace looks almost identical to the concept model and a prototype we spied earlier this year. It's expected to debut next fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Despite wearing Slimer-green camouflage, the I-Pace's curves and creases are evident. It's fronted by a prominent grille that's mainly for looks, angled headlights, and short overhangs. Obviously, Jag wants you to know it's working on an electric car, as the test mule wears the hashtag #jaguarelectrifies on the sides and #ipace on the hood. Subtle. Jaguar hasn't confirmed US specs, but based on the concept car the I-Pace generates 400 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels from a 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The crossover can hit 60 miles per hour in 4 seconds and has an expected range of 220 miles. Jaguar is investing in electric technology, though it's also looking to diesels and smaller-displacement four-cylinder engines as part of its future powertrain strategy. On Monday, the company confirmed plans for a 296-hp turbo four-cylinder that will be offered in the 2018 XE, XF, and F-Pace, as the well-received Ingenium engine family expands. In Jaguar parlance, the "Paces" are crossovers: The F-Pace is a midsize utility vehicle. The E-Pace is a compact crossover, and the I-Pace is an electric crossover. Try to keep up. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Jaguar I-Pace View 10 Photos Green Spy Photos Jaguar Crossover jaguar i-pace