2013 Range Rover Sport Supercharged on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar Land Rover building new Special Vehicle Operations facility

It's only been a couple of months since Jaguar Land Rover announced the formation of its new Special Operations division, and we've already seen a number of vehicles to come out of it. But now the British automaker has announced a new facility that will house its elite skunkworks department.
Set to be built at Prologis Park in Ryton, England, on the outskirts of Coventry, the new Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre will encompass dedicated production lines, F1-style flexible workshops, a dedicated paint studio and VIP suite for commissioning bespoke projects. JLR will spend some $33 million on the facility that will be home to 150 specialists - 100 of them being new hires.
The first project which the Special Operations division is working on is the F-Type Project 7, but we've already seen more projects in the pipeline - including the upcoming Range Rover Sport SVR - and you can bet there'll be more. The revival of the Lightweight E-Type also falls under Special Operations, but is undertaken by the Jaguar Heritage department located nearby at Browns Lane.

Jaguar Land Rover proposes seats that scientifically massage your butt, for your health

Habitually sitting too long can degrade a person's health. Scientific research has proven that dormancy can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, deep-vein thrombosis, and metabolic syndrome, according to the Harvard Medical School. Although sitting can be avoided in many cases, such as using a standing desk at work, taking a seat is the only option when hopping in the car for a drive. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is hoping to address this negative aspect of cars with a new high-tech seat that the company says mimics the act of walking.  JLR calls the concept a shape-shifting, or morphable, seat system, and it is currently in a trial period with Jaguar Land Rover’s Body Interiors Research division. Using actuators built into the seat's foam, the seat will constantly be in motion with micro-adjustments that can be tuned to the needs of different people and body types. JLR believes it has created a system that recreates what is known as pelvic oscillation, a motion that can supposedly trick the brain into thinking the body is walking. In addition to helping to prevent internal health issues, JLR also notes that a sedentary lifestyle can degrade and shorten muscles in the legs, hips, and rear. If these muscles are worked on a regular basis, the chance and risk of injury and back issues could potentially be reduced. The new seats are just one of many car interior technologies JLR has explored. In the past, we've seen tech that tracks brainwaves and heart rates, creates augmented reality, helps prevent motion sickness, and helps stop the spread of germs. They've also taken the time to have an expert demonstrate the perfect seating position. Most of this stuff is experimental for now, but it's possible similar features could eventually trickle down to production cars, in time. See how the seat moves in the video below. Related Video:    

Jaguar Land Rover data leak reveals employee records, upcoming layoffs

A massive data leak has revealed the personnel files of hundreds of employees at Jaguar Land Rover's factory in Solihull, England. The documents reveal details such as sick days used, disciplinary issues and — most notably — red lines indicating potential firings in the weeks or months ahead. In total, the personal records of more than 600 workers were released. JLR is scrambling to contain the crisis. The breach was first reported by the Huffington Post UK, with the automaker initially claiming the story was "fake news." That publicity gaff certainly didn't help matters, especially for employees staring at their name with a red line slashed across it. Last month, the British automaker had said it would be eliminating roughly 1,000 employees at factories in the U.K. The Solihull plant, which produces models like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Jaguar F-Pace and Jaguar XE, was among those mentioned in the statement. JLR, which is owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata Motors, is facing a steep drop in sales, particularly in its home market. The main culprits include a huge slump in sales of diesel-powered vehicles - a vital part of JLR's business in the U.K. and throughout Europe - along with fears about how the upcoming "Brexit" will affect business operations. In the HuffPost UK story, one worker called the situation "disgusting" and "embarrassing," adding that people at the factory now know whether they, or their colleagues, are soon due to lose their job. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Getty Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover economy data