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Jaguar reportedly prepping fully electric F-Pace

Tesla might want to take a look over its shoulder because there could be a cat catching its Model X in a few years. Jaguar reportedly has a fully electric vehicle under development that is possibly based on the upcoming F-Pace crossover, and it could be on sale in Europe as soon as 2018. Autocar cites anonymous "well-placed industry sources" as the foundation for the rumor and believes that Jag's future CUV would be the most likely recipient of the new powertrain. The battery electric technology would reportedly be shared with the brand's partners at Land Rover to keep costs down, and a range of around 300 miles would be the target. The F-Pace is reportedly already being prepped with a number of drivetrain options. JLR's latest 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and supercharged 3.0-liter V6 are likely choices. However, a hybrid version is rumored, as well. JLR has been taking baby steps towards electrification for quite some time. Perhaps the biggest example was the introduction of the Range Rover Hybrid, but Land Rover has also been rumored to have an EV version of its flagship SUV under development too. The company already tested several electric Defenders, as well. From Jaguar's camp, the automaker recently trademarked the EV-Type name in the US and Europe, and its C-X75 concept had a very interesting hybrid system. The reason for all of this EV development from the Brit brands is to adhere to constricting emissions rules around the world, according to Autocar. The EU is moving to real world testing possibly as soon as 2017, and US regulators continue to work towards cleaning up the cars here, too. News Source: Autocar Green Jaguar Land Rover Emissions Crossover Electric Luxury jaguar land rover jaguar f-pace jlr

Jaguar Land Rover's latest tech makes roads safer for bikes [w/video]

Safety in automobiles isn't just about protecting the occupants anymore. It's about protecting pedestrians who might be struck by an automobile, and as Jaguar Land Rover is demonstrating, it's about protecting cyclists as well. The latest experimental safety system from the British automaker is called Bike Sense, and it builds upon technologies the company has demonstrated recently, taking them a step further to make the road safer for those riding on two wheels. The system uses a combination of colors, sounds and vibrations to alert the driver of a potential hazard that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. Demonstrated on an XJ sedan, the system identifies nearby two-wheeled vehicles as pedal-powered or motorized, and alerts the driver accordingly. If a cycle is passing a the vehicle's blind spot, the top of the seat will vibrate to virtually "tap" the driver on the left or right shoulder, prompting him or her to look over that shoulder for the hazard. LEDs inside the cabin will then illuminate amber to red in the direction that the bike is passing. The system will even chime a bicycle bell or motorcycle horn as the two-wheeled vehicle approaches, and vibrate or stiffen the accelerator pedal if the driver keeps moving towards the obstacle. And if an occupant of the parked vehicle starts to open the door into the path of moving vehicle, it'll flash a light, sound an alarm and even vibrate the door handle to warn the occupant of the oncoming hazard. We could imagine the alerts getting a little distracting, but JLR says the system is designed to prioritize potential hazards when their are groups of pedestrians, bicyclists and/or motorcycle riders on a busy urban street. This is, of course, just the latest in a long string of new systems JLR has under development, following such technologies as the Transparent Bonnet, the Smart Assistant, the Virtual Windscreen for track sessions and the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen for city driving. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Weekly Recap: Chrysler forges ahead with new name, same mission

Chrysler is history. Sort of. The 89-year-old automaker was absorbed into the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles conglomerate that officially launched this fall, and now the local operations will no longer use the Chrysler Group name. Instead, it's FCA US LLC. Catchy, eh? Here's what it means: The sign outside Chrysler's Auburn Hills, MI, headquarters says FCA (which it already did) and obviously, all official documents use the new name, rather than Chrysler. That's about it. The executives, brands and location of the headquarters aren't changing. You'll still be able to buy a Chrysler 200. It's just made by FCA US LLC. This reinforces that FCA is one company going forward – the seventh largest automaker in the world – not a Fiat-Chrysler dual kingdom. While the move is symbolic, it is a conflicting moment for Detroiters, though nothing is really changing. Chrysler has been owned by someone else (Daimler, Cerberus) for the better part of two decades, but it still seemed like it was Chrysler in the traditional sense: A Big 3 automaker in Detroit. Now, it's clearly the US division of a multinational industrial empire; that's good thing for its future stability, but bittersweet nonetheless. Undoubtedly, it's an emotion that's also being felt at Fiat's Turin, Italy, headquarters as the company will no longer officially be called Fiat there. Digest that for a moment. What began in 1899 as the Societa Anonima Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino – or FIAT – is now FCA Italy SpA. In a statement, FCA said the move "is intended to emphasize the fact that all group companies worldwide are part of a single organization." The new names are the latest changes orchestrated by CEO Sergio Marchionne, who continues to makeover FCA as an international automaker that has ties to its heritage – but isn't tied down by it. Everything from the planned spinoff of Ferrari, a new FCA headquarters in London and the pending demise of the Dodge Grand Caravan in 2016 has shown that the company is willing to move quickly, even if it's controversial. While renaming the United States and Italian divisions were the moves most likely to spur controversy, FCA said other regions across the globe will undergo similar name changes this year. Despite the mixed emotions, it's worth noting: The name of the merged company that oversees all of these far-flung units is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Obviously the Chrysler corporate name isn't completely history.