Luxury * Navigation * Heated Seats * Parking Sensors * Moonroof * Leather * on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jay Leno gets reacquainted with the Bertone Pirana

Jay Leno gets all manner of vehicles stopping by his garage – some more rare than others, but this one is an entirely unique creation unearthed from another time. It's the Pirana, a one-off commissioned by a British newspaper in the late Sixties that we actually found listed on eBay a few years back. It was built atop a Jaguar E-Type, but with custom bodywork designed by Marcello Gandini and crafted by Bertone. The result looks like a Maserati Ghibli or Lamborghini Espada of the same era, but actually came out just before either, previewing the Italian exotics that would follow from Gandini's pen and Bertone's carrozzeria. The Pirana is now undergoing a complete restoration to bring it back to the original condition in which it appeared at the 1967 London Motor Show, but before the process is complete, Leno shows us around and takes it out on the open road to relive memories of a relic from a bygone era.

All Jaguars and Land Rovers to get diesel engines... almost

Virtually all Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles – except the F-Type sports car – will get a diesel engine option in the next three years, the company confirmed Sunday night at an event before the Detroit Auto Show. The aggressive blitz begins this fall, when the 2016 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will launch with available turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 diesel engines. They will push out 254 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, while returning fuel economy of up to 28 miles per gallon on the highway. The combined rating in city and highway driving will be 25 mpg. The Rovers will be followed in 2016 by the XE sedan and F-Pace crossover, which will offer the 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engines, in addition to gasoline units. The diesel-powered XE is expected to get at least 40 mpg on the highway, Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Joe Eberhardt said. The oil-burners are expected to offer 20-to-30 percent improvements in fuel economy compared with gasoline engines, depending on the vehicle. JLR's announcement comes as gasoline prices have plummeted in the United States, and regular fuel costs about $1 less than a gallon of diesel, according to AAA research. Still, the company is taking the long view, and Eberhardt said diesel engines offer greater performance and range than other options. JLR expects about 20 percent of its customers will opt for diesel engines. "We strongly believe this is what our customers will want, regardless of the fluctuations in gas prices," he said. JAGUAR LAND ROVER DEBUTS DIESEL POWER OFFERINGS, JAGUAR XE AND ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR PRODUCTION OF AN ALL-NEW JAGUAR PERFORMANCE CROSSOVER AT 2015 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW • Jaguar Land Rover to introduceadvanced, highly fuel-efficient, clean-diesel powertrain options on virtually every Jaguar and Land Rover model sold in North America • The Jaguar F-PACE performance crossover to join Jaguar lineup in 2016 • Land Rover Range Rover HSE Td6 and Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 debut in U.S.; on sale in 2015 • North American debut of the Jaguar XE at NAIAS 2015 • Jaguar Land Rover announces global sales up 9% in 2014 (MAHWAH, N.J.) – January 11, 2015 – Jaguar Land Rover confirms several new vehicle announcements today including an all-new model to the Jaguar lineup, the Jaguar F-PACE, and diesel power options for most of its luxury line up, beginning with the 2016 MY Range Rover and Range Rover Sport luxury SUVs.

Jaguar Land Rover cutting production in face of falling demand

LONDON — Jaguar Land Rover will reduce or stop production on certain days at two of its British factories over the next few weeks as Britain's biggest carmaker pursues cost-cutting measures in response to falling demand. JLR posted a 2.3% drop in retail sales in the three months to the end of December and has targeted billions of pounds worth of savings to tackle falling diesel demand in Europe and a tough sales environment in China. The firm will halt production on selected days over a four-week period from late February at its Castle Bromwich factory in central England and stop production on some half or full days at its nearby Solihull facility until the end of March. "The external environment remains challenging for our industry and the company is taking decisive actions to achieve the necessary operational efficiencies to safeguard long-term success," the company said in a statement. "We have confirmed that Solihull and Castle Bromwich will make some minor changes to their production schedules to reflect fluctuating demand globally, whilst still meeting customer needs." The move is not connected to coronavirus, a spokeswoman said, which prompted Fiat Chrysler to warn on Thursday that a European plant could shut down within two to four weeks if Chinese parts suppliers cannot get back to work. Related Video: