The next James Bond movie, Spectre, is due for Australian release on 12 November. Here’s a quick look at the latest trailer, which also includes a few appearances from Bond’s new car, the Aston Marton DB10.
Also included is a behind the scenes look at the DB10 and its nemesis the stillborn Jaguar C-X75.
Arthur Schening is a graphic designer, so we already know he is a cool guy. All designers are cool, aren’t we? Anyway, Schening ups the cool factor by some margin by creating these stylish illustrations of some very cool historic racing cars.
Thanks to Ferdinand Magazine for bringing these wonderful artworks to our attention and thanks to PayPal for the transaction I’m about to make.
Yep, that’s right, you can buy prints from Schening, and these three selected samples are just the tip of his automotive iceberg. Visit the Schening Creative website to see his full portfolio.
[Source: Ferdinand Magazine]
Ask your car buddies if they like SUVs and almost all will say, “No, I hate them!” And yet, one in every two new vehicle sales in Australia is an SUV or light “truck”. People buy these cars. Manufacturers are clamouring over themselves to produce the newest and greatest SUV.
Jaguar will be the next to join the list by turning its C-X17 concept into a production model. But maybe Jaguar is showing it hates SUVs too. Why else would the bosses sign-off on such a crap name like F-Pace if they thought SUVs were good?
The F-Pace will go on sale in 2016. Perhaps by then people will have become used to the terrible name.
Jaguar has revealed details for its MY16 F-Type range which includes the option of a new rear bias all-wheel drive system. Also attracting headlines is the arrival of the F-Type R convertible. And finally, if you want to keep your British roadster experience old skool and rear-wheel drive only, you can get yourself into a V6-powered F-Type S with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Full details on all of that can be accessed below, for now let’s focus on the all-wheel drive system.
“Under normal sub-limit driving conditions, 100 per cent of engine torque is sent to the rear axle,” reads the official press release. “When required, the electromechanically-actuated coupling in the transfer case enables smooth transfer of torque to the front axle—the process is virtually transparent to the driver.”
Any chance a manufacturer gets to own a new acronym is never wasted and the letters of the day for Jag’s all-wheel drive tech are IDD, which stands for Intelligent Driveline Dynamics. Developed in-house by Jaguar the IDD controller harnesses the capabilities of the rear diff, the torque vectoring by braking system and DSC to monitor the yaw rate, steering angle, wheel speed and directional acceleration sensors to optimise torque distribution.
IDD allows for increased parameters to be applied in the selectable driving modes: Normal, Rain and Dynamic. The net result being a greater difference in all three modes compared with the rear-wheel drive models.
There are subtle styling differences for the AWD models, too, although only trainspotters need apply. If that’s you then keep an eye out for a bigger bulge in the bonnet, new vents on the front quarter panels and the more obvious AWD badging at the rear of the car.
The F-Type has created enormous goodwill for Jaguar, thanks to its incredible good looks and generally positive driving experience. Let’s hope the addition of all-wheel drive enhances to this F-Type’s reputation, because lord knows we need more options than the default German marques for quality Euro sportscars.
When Jaguar rocks up to the LA Auto Show next week it will reveal details of the all-wheel drive system it has added to its highly desirable F-Type range, which will soon have 14 models to choose from, instead of the current six.
If you’re an old skool hang the arse out rear-wheel drive fan that’s cool, you’ll still be able to buy your Jag in RWD. However, if you do feel like some all-paw grip be assured that all won’t be lost.
“Our target with engineering the all-wheel drive F-Type was to maintain the engaging rear-drive character that’s so important to Jaguar sports cars, yet offer even greater dynamic capability,” implores Ian Hoban, Vehicle Line Director, Jaguar. “The result is a controllable, exploitable and blisteringly fast performance car in all weather and road conditions.”
So there you have it. All-wheel drive grip in one of the best looking coupés or convertibles money can buy.
In a bid to attract some publicity Jaguar has teamed up with English hillbillies the Bloodhound gang, or something, who want to drive at 1000mph! Details below.
Jaguar has given a soft launch of its new XE saloon ahead of a full reveal at next month’s Paris Motor Show. The 250kW supercharged XE S was unveiled at a special event in London and had all the bells and whistles, including a helicopter flight in front of Tower Bridge and a boat ride down the Thames, before arriving at Earls Court.
Powered by the company’s familiar 3.0 litre V6 the engine’s peak power is complemented by 450Nm of torque and when coupled to its 8-speed ZF auto transmission and rear wheels the XE S can reach 100km/h in 5.1 seconds.
A medium-sized luxury sedan, the XE has a listed kerbweight of “from 1474kg”, which is relatively lightweight. That’s thanks to a new modular construction made from high-strength alloy which Jaguar describes as an “aluminium-intensive monocoque”. Further, Jaguar states the door pressings are made from 1.1mm gauge sheeting, instead of the usual 1.5mm gauge with no loss in stiffness.
Sitting below the XJ and XF saloons, the new XE continues the current Jaguar styling and at first glance in this more compact sizing it appears to work very well. We look forward to the inevitable addition of the 5.0 litre V8 to the range, which may or may not come with the Paris launch.
Truth be told we’re not huge fans of the Jaguar E-Type here at AUSmotive. We appreciate the landmark car that it is, but it’s just that, well, its design is terribly overrated, we think.
That said, this Lightweight E-Type project, which Jaguar has commissioned the newly formed Jaguar Heritage division of its Special Operations to create, is one of the most admirable moves any automotive manufacturer will make all year.
Back in 1963 Jaguar signed off a run of 18 Special GT E-Types to be built at the company’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry. The Special GT E-Type was designed to be a competition only model built with an all-aluminium body. For reasons not made clear only 12 of the 18 were made. Until now.
Using the remaining chassis numbers assigned 41 years ago Jaguar will now build the “missing six” as they are calling them. Production will take place at a refurbished Browns Lane facility allowing Jaguar’s craftsmen to pore over every detail as they hand build each car one by one.
The car you’re looking at here is known as “Car Zero” and is essentially the sales brochure for the final cars which will be built and sold to six lucky customers.
Further adding to this car’s cachet is the 3.8 litre straight six engine which lies beneath that evocative bonnet. With its roots dating back to the XK from 1948 the Lightweight E-Type engine is based on the D-Type motor which took Jaguar to victory at Le Mans in 1957. The customer can choose to have mechanical fuel injection as fitted to Car Zero or proper old skool carburettors, three Weber 45DCO3s to be precise. Power is nominated at 340hp complemented by 380Nm of torque.
Pricing hasn’t been mentioned in any official text from Jaguar and we suspect if sir or madam has to ask, then sir or madam can probably not afford it. If you can splash the cash to get yourself one of these truly collectable E-Types then clear your diary for a date with Jag’s design guru Ian Callum so you can sit down with him and personally discuss your preferences, paint colour and so on.
Really, this is just such an incredibly cool project and Jaguar cannot be applauded enough for making it happen.
Jaguar Land Rover has revealed its Virtual Windcsreen concept which it says can help reduce driver distraction. The Jaguar Virtual Windscreen can also be used to aid performance driving on a racetrack, too, as the image above shows.
By using on screen graphics—yes, that’s right on the windscreen—the system shows you the optimum racing line, when you should be full throttle, when you should be braking and even when you should be applying partial throttle. In addition you get live telemetry and lap time info from your own car as well as data from your competitors.
Want to try and recreate your perfect lap? Then just load up the ghost car that has your best lap time stored away and follow the leader, as it were.
A video below shows the system in action. What the video doesn’t show is the system’s use of gesture control, in much the same way as smartphones operate. The aim here is to limit the necessity to look and feel for buttons and controls.
“We are working on research projects that will give the driver better information to enhance the driving experience,” said Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover. “By presenting the highest quality imagery possible, a driver need only look at a display once.
“Showing virtual images that allow the driver to accurately judge speed and distance will enable better decision-making and offer real benefits for every-day driving on the road, or the track.”
This system looks very interesting and the benefits are easy to see. Although, far from reducing driver distraction, at first, we think it could contribute to distraction until the driver becomes familiar with the screen display.
The Virtual Windscreen looks fine in the video, in a two-dimensional PlayStation-like situation, but when you’re sitting in the car, in a three-dimensional world, with real cars beside you, we think it might take some getting used to.
One thing is clear, we’d very much like to try this out for ourselves!
News that the Jaguar F-Type Project 7 will reach production status is kind of a big deal. That’s for two reasons, first because an 80kg lighter F-Type with more power is news we can all celebrate, but also because it’s our first chance to see how fair dinkum Jaguar’s new Special Vehicle Operations is going to be.
With thanks to XCAR films we can hear Jaguar’s design guru Ian Callum and John Edwards, Jaguar-Land Rover Special Operations boss, talk about the Project 7, how it came about and what it means for the company.
Last year Jaguar debuted the one-off F-Type Project 7 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, we’re very pleased to say, Jaguar will again bring the Project 7 to Goodwood (26–29 June). Only this time it will be the debut of the production model. Yes, they’re going to build it, and it’s coming to Australia too!
The Project 7 will be the most powerful production Jaguar ever made. That’s all thanks to 423kW/680Nm supercharged 5.0 litre V8 sent to the rear wheels through a ZF 8-speed auto. For those playing at home, that’s a 19kW increase over the F-Type R Coupé, while maximum torque remains the same.
Jaguar claims the Project 7 will see off 100km/h in 3.9 seconds and will top out at an electronically controlled 300km/h. As well as performance you can tick off carbon ceramic brakes, 20″ alloys, model specific adjustable suspension, a gnarly sounding exhaust system and splashes of carbon fibre bodywork as standard equipment.
Only 250 will be made by Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations skunkworks with deliveries scheduled to commence in mid-2015. At this stage there’s no pricing confirmed, but with the F-Type R Coupé priced at around $220K here in Australia, we reckon the Project 7 will be north of $250K.
Regardless of what the new owners will have in store for the Nürburgring when they takeover next year it’s clear the industry pool is still in full swing.
Here’s four videos thanks to Dale from Bridge to Gantry which show a Mercedes AMG GT, an Audi R8 of some description (possibly turbocharged), a Jaguar XE Saloon and a VW Golf R Wagon being put through their paces.
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!
This week Chris Harris has a play with the very sexy Jaguar F-Type Coupé. Naturally he’s selected the 404kW supercharged 5.0 V8 model, the F Type R.
He begins by waxing lyrical about the car’s beautiful exterior, in particular it’s rather pleasing backside. But when he turns his eye to the interior he reveals himself to be a man after my own heart when he critiques the selection of typefaces used. Brilliant, Chris, just brilliant!
Anyway, despite its 1650kg heft, he quite likes the car. Click through to find out why.