Jaguar XKR-S Convertible Unveiled in Los Angeles

At-A-Glance

• The XKR-S Convertible is the most powerful and fastest open-topped GT Jaguar has ever built.
• Supercharged AJ-V8 GENIII petrol engine produces 550PS (405kW) and 502lb/ft (680Nm) but just 292g/km of CO₂.
• Top speed 186mph (300km/h) and 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds).
• Performance Active exhaust enables higher power and torque and gives the XKR-S its own distinctive soundtrack.
• Lightweight aluminium architecture provides high torsional rigidity, making the XKR-S Convertible the stiffest car in its class.
• Revised front and rear suspension means increased agility, precision and control without sacrificing comfort.
• Uprated Adaptive Dynamics system allows the enthusiastic driver to safely exploit the exhilarating handling.
• Styling changes informed by Computational Fluid Dynamics to reduce lift and maximise aerodynamic stability.
• New front bumper design with wider, lower air intake, carbon fibre splitter and twin side nacelles.
• New sills smooth the horizontal airflow and emphasise the 10mm reduction in ride height.
• Unique rear wing with carbon fibre insert and apron ensure balanced aerodynamics front and rear.
• Convertible roof opens and stows in just 18 seconds.
• Flagship interior features 16-way adjustable Performance seats trimmed in carbon leather.

Jaguar XJ Sport and Speed Packs Launches at Dubai International Motor Show

Jaguar's award-winning flagship XJ saloon - which combines elegance, drama and sporting prowess - is now available with optional Sport and Speed Packs to further emphasise the performance aspect of its character.

With the XJ, Jaguar has created an entirely new template for the luxury performance saloon. The XJ seamlessly blends sporting potential, dynamic driving abilities and luxurious appointments; a class-leading combination that has gathered plaudits worldwide. The Sport and Speed packs further unlock the performance potential of the XJ both aesthetically and dynamically.

The Sport Pack - available throughout the XJ range - comprises a number of exterior and interior design options that clearly underline the assertive side of the car's personality. Externally the appearance of the XJ has been made even more dramatic with the addition of aerodynamically optimised changes to the bodywork and an alloy wheel design specific to the Sport Pack.

The functional aerodynamic changes of the Sport Pack allow supercharged XJ models to be additionally offered with the Speed Pack, which raises the limited top speed from 155mph (250km/h) to 174mph (280km/h).

Design

"The XJ is much more than a limousine. Its power and potential mean it can out-perform many so-called sports cars. The new Sport and Speed Packs allow customers to enhance that sporting dynamism even further and create an XJ that looks as good as it drives."

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars

The elegantly integrated design changes that comprise the Sport Pack are not simply cosmetic, they allow Jaguar to offer the Speed Pack option, transforming the supercharged XJ models into the fastest saloons the company has ever built.

The result of extensive research in the wind tunnel and on track, the front of the car gains an aerodynamic splitter beneath the bumper to direct air beneath the car to reduce lift, and at the rear the bootlid lip has been extended to ensure a clean separation of air from the trailing edge of the bodywork. While ensuring optimal stability at high-speed, the Sport Pack maintains the standard XJ's sleek 0.29Cd aerodynamic figure.

These changes have been reinforced with a number of cosmetic additions that clearly distinguish the Sport Pack-equipped cars from other models. The bold Jaguar radiator grille, a key feature in the XJ's assertive face with its strong 'rear view mirror recognition' factor gains a gloss black mesh finish with the same treatment applied to the lower air opening and side vents.

Red painted brake calipers emblazoned with the Jaguar name are mounted behind new 20-inch 'Venom' alloy wheels with a diamond-turned sparkle silver finish to their eye-catching five split-spoke design. Newly designed split twin tailpipes (not available from launch) will leave other drivers in no doubt as to what car has just passed them.

Interior

Reflecting the exterior styling changes and befitting its performance oriented remit, the XJ Sport Pack offers interior changes that give driver and passengers a heightened sense of occasion and an indication of the dynamic abilities available.

The front seats are Jaguar's Performance version, which offer superb support for spirited driving. Trimmed in softgrain leather these offer a huge range of adjustment - including the enlarged side bolsters - to create a perfectly tailored driving position. Active ventilation supplies heated or chilled air as required to each individual front seats. At the driver's feet sit purposeful machined stainless steel pedals engraved with the Jaguar name.

The rear seats have been trimmed to match the front pair and the Sport specification will be offered in two purposeful colourways of Jet over Jet or Jet over Ivory. The eye-catching Piano Black trim that highlights certain touch surfaces in the XJ is contrasted in the Sport specification by subtly applied carbon-fibre highlights.

Performance

"A car capable of 174mph must have certain basic attributes - stability, aerodynamics, prodigious power and as little weight as possible. The XJ is blessed with all these qualities in abundance and with the addition of the Speed Pack it becomes an ever more impressive performance saloon."

Mike Cross, Chief Engineer, Vehicle Integrity

The XJ benefits from superb aerodynamics and Jaguar's innovative lightweight aluminium architecture to offer weight savings of up to 150kg over its competitors. This offers tangible benefits in terms of economy, emissions, driving dynamics, agility and, of course, performance.

The Sport Pack is available on nearly all engine variants, including the muscular twin-turbo diesel, market-specific 3.0 V6 petrol and naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre AJ-V8 where it serves to emphasise the sporting character and driver involvement that are core strengths of every XJ model. 

On supercharged AJ-V8 models, the Sport pack can be combined with the Speed Pack, which raises the electronically limited maximum speed from 155mph (250km/h) to 174mph (280km/h).

With such prodigious power already available from the supercharged petrol engines, no increase was necessary to achieve the higher top speed. The only changes necessary were a recalibrated engine management system, reworked software for the innovative virtual instrument display and adjustment to the tyre pressure monitoring system to take into account the heat generated by sustained high-speed motoring.

Jeremy Hicks Joins Jaguar

Jaguar Land Rover has appointed Jeremy Hicks to the position of Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK.

Jeremy's appointment brings the UK organization in line with other global markets and brings each region under the leadership of a single, dual brand, Managing Director.  Jeremy will report directly to Phil Popham, Director, Group Sales Operations, Jaguar Land Rover.  His position is effective from 1 November 2011.

Jeremy brings with him a wealth of automotive marketing and sales experience, having held a number of senior positions in the industry. He began his career with Vauxhall in the UK, performing a range of roles including Sales Operations Director and Sales and Marketing Director for Aftersales. He then spent a short period in Automotive Consultancy before joining VW Group UK, where he carried out a number of senior roles.  In 2005 he took up the position from which he joins Jaguar Land Rover - Managing Director, Audi UK.

Commenting on his appointment, Jeremy said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to lead two iconic brands in their home market. Both Jaguar and Land Rover have their strongest ever product line up and I am very much looking forward to working with the JLR team to achieve continued success in the UK market."

Effective 1 November 2011, Geoff Cousins (presently Managing Director, Jaguar UK) is appointed as Director, Jaguar Global Sponsorships & Partnerships. In this new role Geoff will lead Jaguar's Global efforts in sponsorship, partnerships and alliances in support of the brand strategy, including building on the exciting Jaguar 'Academy of Sport' concept, developed through his tenure in the UK.

Colin Green (presently Managing Director, Land Rover UK) is appointed to the position of Director, Global Dealer Operations. In this new role Colin will have responsibility for long range retail strategy, growth of dealer development and internationalisation of distribution, dealer capability and global sales programmes.

Colin and Geoff's current first line reports in the UK sales organisations will report directly to Jeremy Hicks.

The deadly X-type

For those living in the UK and who may have purchased a Jaguar X-Type, if you did not already receive a letter from the company, you should probably be aware that the company has been busy recalling about 17,600 vehicles in the UK. This is apparently due to the cruise control software that affects X-Type models from 2006 to 2010 with diesel engines.

The recall is based on a glitch discovered in the cruise control software. According to a Jaguar spokeswoman, this is a “potential problem” which seems to suggest that the problem may not have been noticed by many of their customers, and it seems that no accidents or injuries have occurred yet, which is always a good thing.

This glitch affects the cruise control in a way that drivers may find it difficult to disengage the system in a normal manner (usually by pressing a button or stepping on the brakes), and that only by turning off the engine will disengage the cruise control system. Kudos to Jaguar for the recall and looking into the problem before any accidents or deaths occurred.

Jaguar Land Rover Wins Two "Best of Auto Show" Awards From Autoweek Magazine

• Jaguar C-X16 production concept wins Autoweek "Best in Show" Award
• Land Rover DC100 Sport wins Autoweek "Best Concept" Award
• JLR shows industry design and technology leadership winning two key honors at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show
• Show stealing concepts to make their North American debuts at the 2011Los Angeles International Automobile Show, November 15.

Jaguar Land Rover displayed its global product leadership and brand strength by winning two of the most important media awards, fromAutoweek, at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, one for each brand, Jaguar and Land Rover.

Autoweek's editorial team selected the Jaguar C-X16 as its "Best in Show" winner and the Land Rover DC100 Sport as its "Best Concept" at the premier European motor show.

"Winning two of the top media awards in our industry here at the Frankfurt Motor Show is a tremendous achievement for the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, said Frank Klaas, Global Head of Communications, Jaguar Land Rover.  "This recognition from the editors atAutoweekconfirms the strength of design and engineering at Jaguar and Land Rover and the momentum we have at JLR."

Jaguar C-X16

The Jaguar C-X16 is a concept 'One plus One' (2 seat) sports car that explores future performance hybrid options via an innovative supercharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 375HP (280kW) and 332 lb-ft of torque.  The production concept's seductive looks indicate the next evolution of Jaguar's bold design direction.

"The C-X16 is our compelling vision for a 21^st century Jaguar sports car. It embodies the established Jaguar strengths of sensual design, animal-like agility and inspirational performance and combines these with attributes that set us on a course to create sustainable sports cars of the future."

Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars

"Jaguar's Design Director, Ian Callum, has done it again with the Jaguar C-X16 Concept," said Wes Raynal, Editor,Autoweek. "With its long hood and beautiful curves, the C-X16 has unmistakable Jaguar presence. This is Callum's second-straight "Best in Show" award from an International show, as his C-X75 Concept won at the Paris Motor show last year. He's on a roll and we truly love this car."

Land Rover DC100 Sport Concept

The Land Rover DC100 Sport and DC100 are new concepts from Land Rover which investigate the future possibilities of the iconic Defender.  The concepts capture the flexibility, adaptability and configurability that have always been key attributes of Land Rover and continue in today's Defender, but incorporate cutting-edge sustainable, and hi-tech materials. DC100 demonstrates the future of Land Rover capability and versatility. DC100 Sport is an active expression of freedom and adventure.

"These could not be designs from any other company. Defender became a global icon because of the integrity of both its design and engineering. In creating these concepts, we took the functional design cues from the past and reinterpreted them for the 21^st century. These studies represent our thoughts on how we will forge an entirely new generation of Defender models which will prove that design can work in harmony with function."

Gerry McGovern, Design Director, Land Rover

"We debated long and hard about the "Best Concept" award," said Raynal. "We liked the Kia GT, and the Jaguar C-X16, but the DC100 Defender Sport concept came to Frankfurt as a complete surprise and in the end, we decided this was our winner. The DC100 Sport is loaded with a bunch of cool technology, such as a terrain scanner and a sonar-depth sounder for water crossings, just to name a few, and these are things Series I, II and III owners could not conceive of. We hope Land Rover builds it and sends it to the States,"Raynal added.

Jaguar At The Goodwood Revival

Jaguar at the Goodwood Revival, a round up of the weekends highlights, vintage fashion and 50 Years of E-type.

In glorious sunshine, the Goodwood Revival opened on Friday with an array of pre-1966 Jaguars playing a key role, with an estimated 140,000 people visiting over the three day event.

On static display and racing in anger on the challenging Goodwood Motor Circuit, vehicles ranging from the elegant SS100 right up to the rare E-type Lightweight models celebrated Jaguar's sports car heritage in style.

A thrilling practice session took place ahead of the E-type race on Saturday.  Comprising a grid of some 30 examples of the E-type, the session saw a hard-fought battle between the Lightweight shared by Gerhard Berger and Adrian Newey and the E-type (also a Lightweight) of Emanuele Pirro and Desiré Wilson to claim pole.  Despite the substantial value of the E-types taking part the speed was incredible with a time of 1-minute 24-seconds and 102.2 mph being recorded by the pole car.

Tony O'Keefe, Curator at Jaguar Heritage, commented: 'It's been an incredible first day at the Goodwood Revival - a truly unique event and a fitting place to celebrate 50-years of the E-type. I'm grateful for the support shown by private owners in entering their valuable cars in the races as well as putting them on display - Jaguar has a wonderful heritage, kept alive by the enthusiasm and passion of the owners.'

Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover and Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar, visited the Goodwood Revival on Saturday as Jaguar celebrates its sports car heritage as well as 50 years of the E-type.

Taking an enthusiastic interest in the action on track, Dr. Speth was introduced to a number of drivers by Lord March as they prepared to compete in the dedicated E-type race including Jochen Mass and Gerhard Berger.

Dr. Speth commented: 'I feel very fortunate to be here at Goodwood to witness such a celebration of Jaguar's wonderful road and race cars.  To see the E-types racing and the enthusiasm of the crowds was very special indeed. Having just unveiled a vision of Jaguar's future at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the C-X16 production concept, it's a great way to chart a magnificent heritage.'

The dramatic race was won by car 28, an E-type semi-lightweight driven by Jon Minshaw and Martin Stretton.

Some of the rarest and most sought after motor cars in the world mixed with closely fought and highly competitive racing on Sunday at Goodwood as the 14^th Revival meeting drew to a close.

The weekend saw a diverse selection of vintage cars from Jaguar's sporting heritage which forms just one part of the celebrations throughout 2011 to mark the E-type's 50^th anniversary.

Jaguar C-X16 Concept

C-X16 PRODUCTION CONCEPT REDEFINES JAGUAR SPORTS CARS

• C-X16 is a bold statement of Jaguar's future design and technological intent
• A compact, rear-wheel drive, two-seater, with a true sporting character, underpinned by immensely strong aluminium architecture - perfect 50:50 weight distribution
• Powered by an innovative supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 380 PS (280 kW) and 332 lb ft (450 Nm) of torque
• Hybrid system controlled by a steering-wheel mounted 'Push to Pass' button boosts output by 70 kW and 235 Nm
• Top speed of 186 mph, 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and 50-75 mph acceleration in 2.1 seconds with CO2 emissions of 165 g/km

Jaguar has released details of the C-X16 concept ahead of its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Looking firmly to the future, the C-X16 marks a new chapter for Jaguar.  The two-seater concept has inspired new advances in design, in engineering and in vehicle technology to create the most compact and responsive Jaguar in a generation.  A hybrid, the C-X16 combines searing performance with beautifully realised styling.

Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars:"The C-X16 embodies the established Jaguar strengths of sensual design, animal-like agility and inspirational performance and combines these with attributes that set us on a course to create sustainable sports cars of the future."

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars:"Jaguars have always been dramatically different. With the C-X16 we have moved the current award-winning design language on to the next generation, creating a car that is the very essence of future Jaguar performance."

Under the muscular clamshell bonnet is a next-generation supercharged V6 petrol engine producing 380 PS (280kW) and 332 lb ft (450 Nm) of torque. Already boasting a high specific power output of 126 PS-per-litre, the performance of the C-X16 is further supplemented by a Formula 1-inspired hybrid boost system with a steering-wheel mounted button for on-demand acceleration.

Integrated into the eight-speed gearbox is a motor generator which draws power from a 1.6kWh battery pack mounted behind the seats for ideal 50:50 weight distribution. Charged through a brake energy regeneration system, the batteries allow the motor to provide an additional 95 PS (70 kW) and173 lb ft (235 Nm).

Mounted in an aluminium chassis structure, the result is 0-62 mph acceleration in 4.4 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph and acceleration from 50-75 mph of 2.1 seconds. The C-X16 is also able to travel at speeds of up to 50 mph under electric power alone and has CO2 emissions of 165 g/km.

The C-X16 measures 4,445 mm in length, 2,048 mm in width and 1,297 mm in height and has a wheelbase measuring 2,622 mm.  In terms of overall length, the C-X16 is the smallest Jaguar created since 1954 and the XK120.

The C-X16 will be presented at the Jaguar Land Rover press conference in Hall Five at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday September 13 at 09:15 CET.