1976 Jaguar Xj Coupe on 2040-cars

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Jaguar F-Type Coupe is here, will debut on stage in LA

When Jaguar previewed its new sportscar two years ago with the C-X16 concept, it showed a coupe form. But when the car hit production as the F-Type, it rolled out in roadster form only. Not that we're complaining, but we all knew it wouldn't be long before Coventry revealed the production coupe, and that's just what it's doing at this month's LA Auto Show.
Jaguar hasn't given us much to go on yet - just a single shot of the vehicle from above and nothing in the way of technical details - but we all know the drill. The F-Type Coupe will essentially be the same as the existing roadster, only with a fixed roof - with a large glass panel, mind you, to let plenty of light in and keep the cabin from feeling markedly more claustrophobic than the open-top version.
That ought to make it a little lighter (though not much) and a little stiffer, but otherwise we can expect more or less the same specs as the convertible. We'll have to wait until the evening of November 19 to know for sure, though, so watch this space for more.

Jaguar confirms XE reveal for September 8

Jaguar has a whole raft of new products in the pipeline, from the long-awaited replacement for the XF mid-size sedan and a likely XJ-based replacement for the XK coupe and convertible to the production version of its C-X17 crossover concept. But arguably the most important will be the all-new XE, a compact sports sedan pointed squarely at the BMW 3 Series - a market segment which Jaguar last nipped at with the regrettable X-Type, one which it is now committed to tackling head on.
The British automaker has been trickling out a steady stream of details on its upcoming XE, from the initial announcement in March to the reveal of the disguised prototype in May and most recently the details released just last week of the new Ingenium engine family that will provide its motivation. Now Jaguar has confirmed the XE reveal timeframe and some more salient details of its chassis.
Set to be unveiled in London on September 8, the XE will reach European showrooms in 2015 and our shores in 2016. That's when buyers will be able to get their hands on what Jaguar is already characterizing as "a true driver's car; one that redefines the concept of the sports sedan."

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.