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Jaguar crossover to be named F-Pace [w/video]

Remember when the Apple iPad came out, and even reclusive Myanmar tribes were signing up for the Internet just so they could comment, "What kind of @#$%^ name is that?" But now, no one thinks "iPad" is unusual. Well, maybe the name of the new Jaguar crossover, F-Pace, will be like that. Maybe. We're told it was christened after worshipping at the altars of the F-Type and the company tagline, "Grace, Pace and Space" coined by founding father Sir William Lyons. The rest of it shouldn't give pause, though. Called a "performance crossover," the production version of the CX-17 concept will have five seats and be built on the firm's new aluminum-intensive platform. It's promised to have an "advanced suspension system" that incorporates both Jaguar's Instinctive All Wheel Drive and All Surface Progress Control tech, the latter being a low-speed cruise control for handling slippery surfaces, touted on the coming XE R-Sport model. Unfortunately, we've been told the production F-Pace won't actually get a Detroit Auto Show reveal, despite the video leading us to believe that will be the case. However, the CUV is well into development testing and will hit showrooms next year. So get ready. For the F-Pace. There's video above, you can click on the inset image to begin acquainting yourself with that name, and a press release below has a few more particulars. JAGUAR F-PACE: AN ALL-NEW PERFORMANCE CROSSOVER TO JOIN LINE-UP IN 2016 - Jaguar announces F-PACE – the production version of the breakthrough C-X17 concept car - A highly-efficient five-seat performance crossover underpinned by Jaguar's innovative aluminium-intensive architecture and advanced suspension system - All-weather and dynamic driving traction to be aided by the Instinctive All Wheel Drive® system and Jaguar's All Surface Progress Control technology* - The Jaguar F-PACE will deliver an unrivalled blend of style, performance and practicality (MAHWAH, NJ) – January 11, 2015 – Jaguar has today confirmed it will introduce an all-new model to the Jaguar line-up, to go on-sale in 2016, named the Jaguar F-PACE. Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar, commented, "We received such an overwhelmingly positive response to the C-X17 concept car last year that we just had to make it a reality. "The Jaguar F-PACE, inspired by the F-TYPE, represents a perfectly judged balance of style, performance and practicality.

Hardcore Jaguar F-Type underway, 600 horsepower possible

Thanks to an already potent range of supercharged engines with some of the best exhaust notes available, the Jaguar F-Type is without a doubt a sublime performer. Still, there's always room to grow, and we are getting another good look from the Nurburgring at what's suspected to be an even more powerful version on the way. Spy shots of what was believed to be the Jaguar F-Type R-S first came out last spring. This time the roadster is practically uncamouflaged, though. The similarities are definitely there, and both test cars wear the same wheel design and quad-tailpipe rear diffuser. The latest one lacks the massive front splitter jutting out but gets a quite large, fixed trunk lid spoiler at the rear. You can also spot some large-diameter ceramic brake discs behind the wheels. The things happening under the bonnet might be even more interesting, though. To befit all of the exterior performance upgrades, Jaguar's supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is expected to nestle between the front wheels, and the mill is likely getting a boost in power to take output to 580 or even 600 horsepower, versus 550hp in standard form. Hopefully, the extra grunt makes the exhaust note even more intoxicating, as well. Featured Gallery Jaguar F-Type R-S Spy Shots Image Credit: CarPix Design/Style Spy Photos Jaguar Convertible Performance jaguar f-type r jaguar f-type r-s

Why this could be the perfect time for Apple to make a car play

While the automotive and technology worlds have been pouring billions into autonomous vehicles (AVs) and preparing to bring them to market soon as shared robo-taxis, Apple has mostly sat on the sidelines. Of course, Apple is the last company to ever make its intentions known, and the super-secret tech cult giant hasn't been totally out of the AV game based on the clues that have slipped out of its Cupertino, Calif., citadel over the past few years. Related: Apple self-driving cars are real — one was just in an accident News first broke in 2015 that it had assembled an automotive development team, in part by poaching high-profile talent from car companies, to work on a top-secret self-driving vehicle project code-named Titan. (Thank you very much, Nissan.) Apple also subsequently broke cover by making inquiries into using a Northern California AV testing facility and receiving a permit to test AVs on public roads in California. But then as the AV race started to heat up in the last few years, Apple reportedly began scaling back its car activities by downsizing team Titan. More recently, Apple's car project has shown signs of life with the hiring a high-level engineer away from Waymo and luring one Tesla's top engineers and a former employee back to Apple. It also inked a deal with Volkswagen to provide a technology platform and software to convert the automaker's new T6 Transporter vans into autonomous shuttles for employees at tech company's new campus. That is a far cry from giving rides to Wal-Mart shoppers, like Waymo is doing as part of its AV testing in Phoenix. But this could be the perfect time for Apple to enter the AV market now that ride-sharing is reaching critical mass and automakers and others are planning to deploy fleets of robo-taxis. Apple could easily establish a niche as a high-end ride-sharing service – and charge a premium – given its cult-like brand loyalty and design savvy. The growth of car subscription models could also play in Apple's favor since is already has many people hooked on paying for phones in monthly installments – and eager to upgrade when a new and better model becomes available. To achieve this, some believe Apple will fulfill co-founder and CEO Steve Job's dream of building a car. And as the world's first and only $1 trillion company it's sitting on a mountain of cash that certainly gives it the means. But other tech darlings like Tesla and Google have discovered how difficult it can be to build cars at scale.