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SVR plans to tune electrified Jaguar-Land Rover models, but not the I-Pace

Jaguar-Land Rover's SVR division has only put its name on high-horsepower gasoline-burning cars, like the XE Project 8 built in strictly limited numbers. It's open to the idea of tuning electrified models, whether they're electric or hybrid, but it confirmed it's not currently planning on making a spicier evolution of the I-Pace. "We will be developing electrified versions of our cars, be that fully electrified or plug-in hybrids," affirmed Michael van der Sande, the division's managing director, in an interview with Auto Express. But although the electric I-Pace (pictured) raced in a one-make race series held on the sidelines of Formula E events for two seasons, and SVR could credibly claim to inject track DNA into a street car, it stressed the I-Pace doesn't appear in its product plans for reasons that remain a little bit murky. Jaguar announced the end of the eTrophy series in May 2020, which might explain why it's reluctant to exploit racing's marketing power. "There are other various things we are working on which we can't talk about, but we're very interested in electrification. That's why we got involved in eTrophy," van der Sande clarified. "The technology transfer, the learning applies to that car and other cars but we're not planning an SVR I-Pace at the moment." His comments confirm we'll need to be patient to see what SVR's take on an electric or hybrid car looks like. One of the first electrified models to receive the go-fast treatment might be the next-generation XJ tentatively scheduled to make its debut before the end of 2020. It will be exclusively electric, though it won't look as radical as the I-Pace, so Jaguar will need to find a way to replace the hot-rodded XJR 575 model it positioned at the top of the last-generation model's line-up. It's not too far-fetched to speculate the next Range Rover also due out in the coming months will receive some degree of electrification, and it could spawn an SVR-tuned model, too. Related Video:    

Editors' Picks, May 2023: Some Subarus and a pair of luxury SUVs

The month of May saw a number of new vehicles jump into the pool of Editors' Picks. Subaru grabbed a pair with its brand-new generation of Crosstrek for 2024, and the Legacy earns one in the ever-shrinking midsize sedan segment. In the luxury space, we have one entry from Britain and one from here at home. The new Range Rover already got an Editors' Pick, but now the Range Rover Sport joins the ranks. The Corsair earned Editors' Pick status before its update, too, but now the refreshed version rejoins the ranks. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in May that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2023 Subaru Legacy 2023 Subaru Legacy View 15 Photos Quick take: The Legacy brings all-wheel drive with sedan dynamics to a shrinking segment, and it does so with a competitive price, respectable tech and tons of utility. Score: 7.5 What it competes with: Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5 Pros: All-wheel drive in every trim, spunky turbo engine, tons of space in the rear and trunk Cons: CVT makes for a dull drive, infotainment is clunky, styling is on the bland side From the editors: Associate Editor Byron Hurd — "Not everybody has abandoned sedans. Not only is Subaru keeping some of its eggs in this four-door basket, but it's dyeing them in some festive shades. The new turbocharged and tightened Sport model makes a great case for itself as a grown-up WRX without all the GT-themed nonsense. Shame about the CVT." In-depth analysis: 2023 Subaru Legacy gets Sport trim, more tech, fresh design   2023 Range Rover Sport Quick take: It may not be outwardly sporty, but the Range Rover Sport has a killer design, gorgeous interior, buttery-smooth driving characteristics and a clean tech interface.

Jaguar Land Rover CEO: Wrong Brexit deal will cost thousands of UK jobs

BIRMINGHAM, England — The wrong Brexit deal could cost tens of thousands of jobs, the boss of Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover warned on Tuesday, saying he had no idea whether his plants would be able to operate after Britain leaves the European Union next year. Ralf Speth also said that the company would not be able to build cars if customs checks meant that the motorway to and from the southern English port of Dover, which is used to transport components, becomes a "car park" due to snarl-ups of people no longer able to move freely among EU countries. Speth made the warning at a conference in Birmingham, central England, speaking shortly before Prime Minister Theresa May, who is battling to have her so-called Chequers Brexit plan accepted by many in her Conservative Party as well as the EU ahead of Britain's departure from the bloc on March 29. "A thousand (jobs were) lost as a result of diesel policy, and those numbers will be counted in the tens of thousands if we do not get the right Brexit deal," warned Speth, referring to redundancies made earlier this year at the firm. "Currently I do not even know if any of our manufacturing facilities in the UK will be able to function on the 30th," he said. The boss of JLR, which built nearly a third of Britain's cars last year, also said long-standing issues around low productivity in Britain could be compounded by a Brexit agreement which made the country less competitive. "It is thousands of pounds cheaper to produce vehicles for instance in Eastern Europe than in Solihull, and what decisions will I be forced to make if Brexit means not merely that costs go up but that we cannot physically build cars on time and on budget in the UK?" he said.Reporting by Costas Pitas