1995 Jaguar Xjs Convertible 2-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Hyundai scores NFL sponsorship after GM exits

Hyundai replaced General Motors as the official automotive sponsor of the NFL with a four-season deal that was announced this week. Hyundai gets exclusive sponsorship rights for mainstream and luxury cars, though not for pickups – as it doesn't have one in its current portfolio. "There may be another automotive truck sponsor, but not one that competes with our vehicle lineup," a Hyundai spokesman said in an email. That leaves the door open for another truckmaker to enter the fray. GM used the NFL to promote its GMC division, which makes pickups and sport-utility vehicles. The Detroit automaker decided to quit the sponsorship, which it had held since 2001, a GM spokesman said. Financials were not released, but ESPN said the sponsorship will cost Hyundai $50 million a year, double what GM paid. It gives Hyundai access to NFL trademarks for use in its marketing and advertising, and Hyundai will provide promotional vehicles to the league for the Super Bowl and other events. Hyundai celebrated the agreement by lighting up its Fountain Valley, CA, headquarters this week with a football field and the NFL logo. Hyundai's sister company, Kia, is the official automotive sponsor of the NBA. "We are huge football fans at Hyundai and feel there is no better venue to reach consumers, increase consideration, and tell the Hyundai brand story," Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski said in a statement. Hyundai will officially kick off its sponsorship when the NFL season begins on Sept. 10 with a primetime game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Toyota Mirai rated at 67 mpge, 312-mile range The Environmental Protection Agency gave the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric car a 67-miles-per-gallon-equivalent rating. The figure is for city, highway, and combined driving. The EPA also said the Mirai will have a 312-mile range. The sedan will arrive in dealerships in California this fall and will cost $57,500, though incentives can drop the price significantly. The Mirai will also be offered as a $499-per-month lease. Both come with three years or $15,000 worth of free fuel. Toyota plans to expand sales to the Northeast United States later. Toyota's top female exec resigns in wake of arrest Meanwhile, in other Toyota news, the automaker's communications chief and top female executive, Julie Hamp, resigned.

Jaguar XE axed from U.S. market: And then there was one sedan

The Jaguar XE sedan will no longer be offered in the U.S. market starting with the 2021 model year, the company announced Tuesday, shifting the balance of its lineup in favor of ever-more-popular crossover models. With the discontinuation of Jaguar's compact sedan, the E Pace crossover becomes the brand's entry-level model.  "The 2021 model year lineup, with three SUVs, a sports car and a competitively priced luxury sedan, continues the evolution of Jaguar to specifically meet the U.S. market requirements, which today is made up of 66 percent SUV buyers in the luxury segment,” Jaguar North America boss Joe Eberhardt said in the announcement. “But the biggest impact on the product portfolio are the technology and interior design changes made across the lineup. These updates, and the repositioning of the Jaguar XF, will help our retailers grow our business in all segments.” And reposition it they did. For 2021, the midsize XF sedan will start at $45,145 (including $1,150 for destination) — $7,100 less than the 2020 model, corresponding to its rather significant overhaul. While the 2021 XF's interior got some much-needed upgrades, Jaguar made some fundamental changes to the XF formula. The midsizer is now only available with four-cylinder engines, as the supercharged V6 has been axed. The base engine is the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 246 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. It's available with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A version of this engine making 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque is optional, and it comes only with all-wheel drive. And not only is the XF now Jaguar's entry-level sedan, it's also the company's halo sedan. Yes, that's the long way 'round to saying that the XF sits alone in Jaguar's four-door lineup for the 2021 model year — and perhaps for longer — while we await the unveiling of the next-generation XJ, which is expected to debut as an EV.  Related Video:

Jaguar F Type V6 S vs Triumph Street Triple R in open-air track attack

Typically, these track battle videos pair up car against car or, in more disparate circumstances, car versus crossover, as we saw the other day. While the outcome of that battle was quite predictable, what'll happen when an equally fetching (and fast) four-wheeler is put up against one of the icons of the two-wheeled world? Evo just had to find out.
Matching up a Jaguar F-Type V6 S Convertible against a Triumph Street Triple R is at least more of an even fight than the last battle between the Porsche Cayman GTS and Macan Turbo. The Triumph has a 675-cc engine to work with, and is very light. Meanwhile, the Jag has a thumping 380-horsepower, 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 to haul about it's considerably heftier heft. Who will come out on top?
You'll need to watch the full video to find out.