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Jaguar Land Rover may buy Silverstone racetrack for new HQ

Jaguar Land Rover might add another chapter to its venerable motorsports legacy by purchasing the revered UK racetrack Silverstone to use as its new company headquarters. JLR could reportedly offer 22.7 million pounds ($34.1 million at current rates) to buy the circuit, according to Automotive News Europe, which cites several British media sources. The British automaker would then invest the equivalent of $78 million to turn the historic track into a celebration of the brand, including a museum, experience center, and hotel. The company would also construct space for its marketing team and engineers, Automotive News Europe reports. Motorsports would still continue there, too, which means the course's Formula One legacy is safe. Neither JLR nor the British Racing Drivers' Club, which leases the track, have confirmed the rumors. The BRDC only suggested that it received several confidential offers to purchase the circuit. Silverstone has a motorsports history that goes back to the late 1940s and is often the home to the Formula One British Grand Prix. The track's organizers have a long-term deal to continue hosting the F1 race, too. Today, the course also features major events from MotoGP and the FIA World Endurance Championship. In November, Jaguar released a video that celebrated some of its legacy at Silverstone by bringing the modern XJR and Le Mans-winning XJ-R9 LM at the track. If the company's purchase happens, you can expect to see a lot more Jags and probably some Land Rovers lapping the course. Related Video:

Jaguar F-Type SVR leaks with more power, aggressive looks

Jaguar's new F-Type SVR just leaked online, and according to the German brochure posted by Autovisie the new model in the range is a powerhouse with 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque (according to our conversions) from its 5.0-liter supercharged V8. Those figures give the SVR 25 hp and 14 lb-ft over the current all-wheel drive F-Type R. That's according to the brochure, anyway. US figures might vary slightly. The F-Type SVR is solely available with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, and the powertrain can get the coupe to a top speed of 200 miles per hour or 194 mph for the convertible. Acceleration is also quite brisk with the run to 62 mph lasting just 3.7 seconds, which makes the new model even quicker than the Project 7's 3.8-second sprint to 60 mph. The SVR shows off its extra power through a more aggressive nose with larger intakes and slats behind the front wheels to pull cool air past the brakes. The rear also gets a wing and larger diffuser. The brochure lists optional carbon ceramic brakes that are 46 pounds lighter overall than traditional units. A titanium exhaust can also shed about 26 pounds and probably makes the supercharged V8 sound even fiercer. Spy shots have shown the SVR testing, but Jaguar hasn't said anything official about it. Still, this brochure looks legit. The document makes no mention of price, but you can expect a premium over the F-Type R's $104,595 (after $995 destination) for the coupe and $107,445 for the convertible. You can check out more photos of the SVR and download the full brochure from Autovisie. Related Video:

Jaguar Land Rover develops 'transparent' A-pillar and ghost car [w/video]

Jaguar and Land Rover are known for making highly covetable luxury, performance and off-road vehicles, but the British automakers are on a bit of a technology bent lately. Keen to show that it can not only keep up but lead the way when it comes to safety and convenience features, JLR has come out with two more systems to show the way forward. JLR's new 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen system, showcased on an XJ sedan, adopts two novel approaches to getting around town. First up is the Transparent Pillar system, which uses a combination of cameras and display screens embedded in the A, B and C-pillars to make them virtually disappear. Instead of acting as blind spots limiting the driver's visibility, the system uses the roof pillars to display what's going on around the car. If there's an obstacle hidden by the A-pillars, the system shows you the potential hazard as if the pillars weren't there, and brings the obstacle to the driver's attention. If the driver turns his or her head to see a vehicle passing alongside, it projects the vehicle on the inside of the B- or C-pillar. The second technology integrated in the next-generation head-up display is the Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation system, which takes a page out of the video-game playbook by projecting a "ghost car" on the windscreen that the driver can then "follow" instead of listening to turn-by-turn directions or looking at a map in the dashboard display. The system is similar to what Jaguar recently showcased on an F-Type for track use, but applied for more practical use on city streets and highways. The release of these systems also follows the integrated smart navigation and infotainment system displayed on the Range Rover Sport and the Transparent Bonnet showcased on the Discovery Vision concept. Though these new technologies might not be quite ready for production applications, their impressive sum total goes to show that Jaguar Land Rover is ahead of the curve when it comes to reducing driver distraction and increasing the driver's visibility. Scope out the latest systems in the press release and video below for a closer look of what the future holds for British-style luxury motoring. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.