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Neiman Marcus Jaguar sold out in 4 hours

Paul Tan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:13:19 +0000

Recession? What recession? The special 50 unit limited run Neiman Marcus edition Jaguar XJL Supercharged listed in their Christmas book for US$10,000 more than its regular price of US$90,500 were all sold out in just 4 hours and 4 minutes once phone lines opened for booking. Beyond the 50 bookings, Jaguar continued taking bookings and putting them on a waiting list in case a phone booking did not translate into a sale.

The Neiman Marcus XJL comes in an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint exterior and a custom butter-soft navy and ivory leather interior. It is also equipped with 20-inch double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels, illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher as well as the nameplate inside that reads: “Neiman Marcus 1 of 50.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Neiman Marcus XJ for 2009’s Christmas Book

Paul Tan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:03:06 +0000

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I thought BMW was the only car company that has special Neiman Marcus Edition cars for sale in their Christmas Book. Last year’s Christmas Book featured the very first F02 BMW 7-Series to be sold in the US – only 31 units of a Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series sedans based on the 750Li sold for $160,000. Previously we’ve also seen a special 50 unit run of a Neiman Marcus M6. All 50 units priced at US$139,000 each were snapped up within 1 minute and 32 seconds of launching.

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This year, rich wives in the US will be able to choose from 50 units of a special Neiman Marcus Editiong long wheelbase Jaguar XJL based on the Supercharged version for their rich husbands. Or vice-versa. One will set you back US$105,000 (a regular XJL Supercharged is priced at US$90,500) and will come in an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint exterior and a custom butter-soft navy and ivory leather interior with Zebrano matte wood accents. You also get 20-inch double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels, illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher as well as the nameplate inside that reads: “Neiman Marcus 1 of 50.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Photoshopped: a Jaguar XF Estate?

Paul Tan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:30:47 +0000

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Jaguar’s last wagon was the Jaguar X-Type wagon – remember that Mondeo-based car that was initially offered only in all-wheel drive to distance itself from its front wheel drive plebian heritage? Since then the company has only made sleek sedans.

Yes, the E-Class and 5-Series have wagon versions but Jaguar refuses to be lumped in the same category as those cars, even to the point that they’ve resisted making small-engined versions of the new XF. There will be no E200K or 523i competitor for the XF (for now)… the range starts at the 3.0 liter.

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But still, people can dream, and when Theophilus Chin’s imagination runs wild what you get are the two chops you see above, an XF Estate.

Do you think there’s room in the world for a new catwagon?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar XFR launched with RM888,888 pricetag

Paul Tan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:41:41 +0000

The Jaguar XFR is now here in Malaysia, featuring the new AJ-V8 Gen III (AJ133) engine that produces 510 PS and 625Nm of torque. Jaguar did alot of shouting when the XFR was first released, claiming it was the fastest Jaguar ever based on the top speed of 363.188km/h recorded at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.

And how much would you have to pay for one of these? RM888,888 OTR without insurance. Now what else can you get in Malaysia for that money? Two cars come to mind – the BMW M5, and the Brabus S B7 which is a tuned up W221 S350 S-Class. The XFR is definitely a looker in the metal and in photos as well, and the engine sound even at idle really stirs up some adrenaline.

That exhaust system is really some good work on Jaguar’s part, and even just teasing the engine with some light revs produce a real beautiful induction and exhaust sound, which I’m sure everyone at the Pavilion tonight enjoyed. Supercharged V8s seem to maintain that amazing way they sound, while a turbocharger in the middle of the exhaust stream seem to screw around with the engine note a little.

SISMA Auto also unveiled the latest Jaguar XKR today, which gets the Jaguar Drive Selector knob from the XJ and the same 510 PS and 625Nm engine as the XFR. The XKR goes for RM1,088,888 for the coupe and for the convertible there is a premium of RM150k, so it retails at RM1,158,888.

For now these figures definitely beat the BMW M5’s but I have a feeling they might fall short once the F10 M5 is out, since the X5-M and X6-M already have a 555 PS engine. But with both BMW and Jaguar’s monster engines featuring forced induction it should be much easier to wring more power out of them anytime.

Look after the jump for more photos I snapped at the launch event.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

X351 Jaguar XJ sports a whole new look!

Paul Tan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:58:50 +0000

Here’s a mega bonanza of multimedia goodies about the all-new Jaguar XJ, a car that Jaguar has been really shouting alot about. It really is a big deal, it’s the first departure from classic XJ looks in a really really long time.

The new XJ follows the new design language set by the XF but adds some quirky elements that you’d normally only expect from Citroen to it, such as the weird black-out polycarbonate C-pillars designed to make the rear windscreen look wider. What exactly is the point I don’t know, perhaps it’s a new way of making the rear end of a large car look sleeker – Callum pillar (like the Bangle butt) anyone?

Drag coefficient is the same as the XF – 0.29! The aluminium chassis of the new XJ is largely based on the previous X350 but updated with new bits wherever Jaguar saw fit. Long the outgoing XJ and most cars in this segment there will be both a long wheelbase and short wheelbase version. Four engines will be offered with the new XJ. The sole diesel version is the new 3.0 liter AJ-V6D engine with twin sequential turbochargers, putting out 275 PS and taking the XJ from 0 to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds, while consuming only 40.1mpg.

The top of the line petrol version is the supercharged 510PS 5.0-litre AJ-V8 Gen III, followed by 470PS supercharged and 385PS naturally aspirated petrol V8s depending on market. Read more about the Gen III AJ-V8 (AJ133).

Okay let’s just forget about all of that and go inside the car. This is where an XJ’s owner will be spending most of his time. And damn it’s a gorgeous place to be in! It combines retro styling cues with futuristic elements and very good use of wood like only a Jaguar could. The wraparound wood that sweeps across the whole interior is said to be inspired by a luxury boat.

The main LCD of the in-car entertainment system has a dual view mode which means the driver and passenger sees two different things because they are looking at it from different angles. This means the driver can have something else on the screen while the front passenger watches a movie. The other thing is the instrumentation panel right in front of the driver – it’s a pure computer screen which displays some really gorgeous animated virtual gauges instead of physical dials.

Imagine cruising in the new XJ during magic hour – the last hour of sunlight during the day. The sun is still lightly illuminating most of the interior but there’s enough darkness for Jaguar’s lovely mash-up of interior ambient lighting to glow.

That’s really the best time to feast your eyes and soak up the new XJ’s interior aesthetics and lighting. You simply can’t get that in a 7 or an S.

Look after the jump for a massive hi-res photo gallery and a couple of videos of the XJ. You really have to watch the videos as they tell you more about the XJ especially that amazing interior with the Virtual Instrument dials than text ever could.

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ – Exterior Footage

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ – Interior Footage

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ – Technology

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ – Tracking Footage

VIDEO: Jay Leno talks about the new Jaguar XJ

VIDEO: Ian Callum on the new XJ

VIDEO: Mick Mohan (programme director) on the new XJ

VIDEO: Mike O’Driscoll (managing director) on the new XJ

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

New AJ133 5.0 liter V8 for the Jaguar XF

Paul Tan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:29:09 +0000

When the Jaguar XF was first launched, it was available with 3 engines – a 3.0 liter V6, a 4.2 liter V8 and a supercharged 4.2 liter V8 (AJ34 and AJ34S). Then came the range-topping XFR, with an AJ-V8 Gen3 (AJ133) engine – 5.0 liters of displacement, 510 PS and 625Nm of torque.

In certain or most markets, the non-R XF is also now offered with variants of the new AJ133 5.0 liter V8 engine. Depending on the market, it either complements or replaces the 4.2 liter previous generation AJ engine. A normally aspirated XF 5.0 makes about 385 PS while the supercharged version makes 470 PS, which is less power than the XFR’s 510 PS tune.

The new AJ133 5.0 liter V8 engine uses an all-new high pressure die-cast aluminium block with cast-in iron liners and cross-bolted main bearing caps. Despite the larger displacement, it is more compact – shorter by 24mm thanks to relocation of the oil pump. It has direct injection, which allows the compression ratio to be raised to 11.5:1 in the normally aspirated model, and from 9.0:1 in the 4.2 V8 supercharged up to 9.5:1 in the new 5.0 V8 supercharged.

The engine also features a new type of variable cam system. The four VCT (variable cam timing – intake and exhaust, 2 V banks) units move via positive and negative torques generated by opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves instead of by hydraulics. This allows the engine oil pump to be reduced in size and consumes less power. The supercharger and intercooler are packaged within the V-bank of the new engine – this reduces engine height and helps comply with pedestrian crash safety regulations.

The normally aspirated version features a variable inlet manifold and also camshaft profile switching on the intake cam, using hydraulically-operated two-piece tappets. The low-speed cam uses a 214 degree duration and 5.5mm valve lift while the high-cam uses a 250 degree duration and 10.5mm valve lift. The switch between low and high cams happens at 2,800rpm at high load, and this varies up to 4,500rpm at lighter loads.

UPDATE: Jaguar Malaysia (SISMA Auto) will be bringing in the 510 PS 5.0 liter supercharged Jaguar XFR into Malaysia this August. The product line-up will change somewhat. In Malaysia, the 3.0 V6 will remain, but the 4.2 normally aspirated will be replaced by the 5.0 normally aspirated, and the 4.2 supercharged will be replaced by the XFR. The non-R 5.0 supercharged in 470 PS tune will not be sold here, probably because it will be too close to the XFR.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ Driving Dynamics Teaser

Paul Tan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:05:19 +0000

Here is a fifth video in a series of Jaguar XJ teaser videos. It’s not very long now until the new flagship XJ is unveiled on the 9th of July – that’s next week actually! Some of Jaguar engineers talk about the XJ’s driving dynamics in this video. We all know less weight means better handling, and the XJ’s aluminium chassis contributes to that. But dynamics goes into a scope that extends to more than handling.

Watch the video after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

New Jaguar XJ’s all-aluminium body and chassis

Paul Tan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:23:22 +0000

Like the outgoing Jaguar XJ, the upcoming new XJ set for a 9th July 2009 debut will have an all-aluminium body and chassis construction. That’s the only way a large car like the current generation XJ could weigh less than 1,600kg.

Jaguar has released another teaser video, this time centered around the new XJ’s all-aluminium chassis. We get to see the chassis from the side and top, which should give us a better idea of how the car’s roofline will be shaped like.

Watch the video after the jump.

Previously featured Jaguar XJ Teasers:
All-new Jaguar XJ set for 9th July debut!
Is this what the new Jaguar XJ will look like?
VIDEO: Ian Callum on the new Jaguar XJ
VIDEO: Jaguar XJ Bowers & Wilkins Teaser

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

All-new Jaguar XJ: Bowers & Wilkins teaser clip

Paul Tan — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:32:18 +0000

Jaguar had better have something really revolutionary ready for the Bowers & Wilkins audio system that’s set to be installed in the new Jaguar XJ because Matt Jones, Technical Specialist for Audio Systems at Jaguar claims that “nobody else has ever been able to do something like this in a car”, referring to the sound system’s ability to produce perfect sound no matter which seat you are seated in.

We don’t really get to see much of the car that we haven’t seen before in this video, but we do get to see one lone speaker set in a large area of wood panelling, so that pretty much assures us that the new XJ will be decked out in vast amounts of wood just like a Jaguar should.

Watch the teaser video after the jump!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

VIDEO: Ian Callum on the new Jaguar XJ

Paul Tan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:23:35 +0000

We’re only slightly more than 5 weeks away from the official global unveiling of Jaguar’s new flagship car, the Jaguar XJ. So far we’ve only been able to see a teaser photo snapped from the top of the car, but in this video where Ian Callum talks about his latest baby like a proud new father we get to just barely see the XJ in motion behind a shroud of mist (screencap above), revealing a sleek profile but not much detail at all. Check the interview video out after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

UK cops evaluating Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel S

Paul Tan — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:33:43 +0000

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UK police forces are currently evaluating a version of the Jaguar XF Diesel S designed to be a high-performance pursuit vehicle.

The base model is the XF 3.0 Diesel S Luxury and adds on a roof-mounted light bar with 3600 blue flashing lights and integrated side alley lights, blue and white flashing LEDs inside the front grille, side mounted blue flashing LED lights, blue and red flashing LED lights integrated in the rear lamp clusters, and a Home Office-specification electronics ‘Police pack’ to power the full suite of lights, radio and other police equipment.

The XF Diesel S is powered by a 3.0 liter turbodiesel V6. 0 to 60mph can be hit in 5.9 seconds. There are two versions of this engine available and the one in the Diesel S is a twin turbocharged “parallel-sequential” version where a small turbo is used at low revs to quickly build up boost while at high revs a bigger one takes over, much like the engines in the BMW 335d and 123d.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Is this what the new Jaguar XJ will look like?

Paul Tan — Sun, 10 May 2009 12:09:07 +0000

Click for hi-res enlarged image

We’re only about two months away from the unveiling of the all-new Jaguar XJ on the 9th of July 2009. All we have right now is a shot of the top of the car and a very short teaser video (watch after the jump) also featuring the same roof angle, but Theophilus Chin has whipped up some speculation for us based on the very little side views that we can see from the roof angle.

The new XJ will definitely have some family resemblance to the XF as the coupe-like roofline and the contours on the front bonnet are very visible from the teaser image. There is a rather interesting looking C-pillar which is visible in the teaser images, and Theophilus has used these clues to create his speculation.

A full panoramic glass roof as shown in the teaser will likely be an option if not standard, and like the XF, the XJ will be powered by a range of V6 and V8 engines.

2 more months to go!

VIDEO: Jaguar XJ Teaser

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

All-new Jaguar XJ set for 9th July debut

Paul Tan — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:37:52 +0000

Jaguar has released a teaser image of the upcoming all-new Jaguar XJ, set to be unveiled on the 9th of July 2009, after of which the company will start taking orders when the production car hits showrooms end-2009, with the first deliveries to happen in early 2010. Both a short wheelbase and a long wheelbase version will be sold. If the interior of the new XJ ends up anything like the XF, you can expect it to have the nicest chauffeur (optional) interior ever. It’s also built on an aluminium body structure like the outgoing XJ, which should bode well for its power to weight ratio. They also have a video version of the teaser image above, which you can check out after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

More details of the Jaguar XE revealed

Harvinder Sidhu — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:40:45 +0000

We now have more details regarding the Jaguar XE sports car courtesy of Motor Trend, which is set to take on the Porsche 911. To be based on Jaguar’s flexible architecture, the Jaguar XE will be larger than the Jaguar XF and this new sports car will revive the long-canceled Jaguar F-Type project.

A key executive from the TATA also mentioned that Jaguar needs something fresh and new, and that innovation and development is the key for Jaguar’s survival, which is why the auto maker is looking into producing the XE.

A number of engine choices would be available including a 385HP naturally aspirated 5.0 liter AJ-V8, a supercharged version of the 5.0 liter V8 that could pump out 510HP as well as a 272HP 3.0 liter diesel V6 what should also produce 600Nm of torque. With the supercharged 5.0 liter V8, the XE would be able sprint to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds while equipped with the 3.0 liter diesel V6, the sports car would be able to do it slightly under 6.0 seconds.

We are expecting the Jaguar XE which will also take on Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage to make an appearance at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, along with the 50th anniversary celebration of the Jaguar E-Type.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Test Drive Review

Paul Tan — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:18:36 +0000

Sometime in April last year we said goodbye to the Jaguar S-Type sold by SISMA Auto and welcomed the Jaguar XF. While the old S-Type was a modern reinterpretation of the old Jaguar Mark 2 design from the 1960s, the XF can be immediately identified as some kind of downsized Aston Martin Rapide of sorts. It was first shown to the world as the Jaguar C-XF, but like all concepts it was much more fiercer and racier especially at the front with those sleek and slim headlamps that somehow got translated into the fat ones you see here on the production version.

In Malaysia, the XF takes on German rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E 280 and the BMW 530i, as well as the Japanese Lexus GS 300. At RM 488,888, it has a much higher price than its other rivals which retail at approximately RM 453,800, RM 438,888 and RM 419,444.20 respectively for the BMW, the Benz and the Lexus (some are with insurance some without). But is the XF worth the premium? Perhaps SISMA are pricing it against the CLS instead of the E-class segment.

Read our findings after the jump.

Design

Take a closer look at the front end of the vehicle and you can see signs of the old S-Type it replaced. The headlamps obviously started off as a twin headlamps but with another shape interconnecting them, much like what Mercedes-Benz did with the W203 C-Class “peanut” headlamps. The grille is large and square with rounded edges, a more modernised interpretation of the S-Type’s round grille.

Personally I think it would look better with the distance between the front grille and the headlamps minimized. Because of the large gap on the current design, at certain angles the front end may feel a little empty and with a little less presence.

But Jaguar is generous with the chrome on the grille as well as on the bumper sections flanking the main center intake.

The coupe-like roofline is said to have been developed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), which allows the engineers to design it with aerodynamic efficiency even before a model is made and tested in a wind tunnel. The result is a drag coefficient of 0.29 cD, with a front to rear lift balance of zero. The downside is that boot space ceiling is a little low so tall objects may be a challenge (it is however wide) and so is the rear headroom.

So why did Jaguar make such as drastic change to its XF? Well, apparently Jaguar’s current worldwide customer average age are between 10 to 15 years older than the average age of a typical BMW customer, and this average age seems to keep getting older over time, so it’s obvious that the breed of Jaguars before the XF are way off target when it comes to being appealing to the newer generations.

The XF is the solution to that and its working – it seems that over half to two thirds of XF owners are first-time Jaguar owners!

Interior

The interior of the Jaguar XF uses a combination of wood and aluminium so well in ways that only Jaguar could manage to pull off. In many cars you either have metallic aluminium or wood, but in the XF you have both, and they blend together so well. The controls were inspired by modern Motorola handphone designs, right down to the buttons and the hue of the lighting (Phosphor Blue). The designers obviously used lighting in a big way to set the interior ambiance as even at night there are hidden LEDs here and there to give subtle lighting to areas like the power window button cluster.

Once you get in you may wonder, where are the air conditioning vents, and where is the gear lever? Watch the videos below and you’ll see the Jaguar XF’s start-up sequence, where the circular gear knob and the air conditioning vents appear. The red start/stop button then pulses, compelling you to push it. Press the brakes and hold it down for abit to start the car, no key insertion necessary as there’s keyless go.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Startup Sequence

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Gear Selector Knob Controls

It’s all very gimmicky and these might be some of the few items that break down and have to be replaced at a very expensive cost perhaps 10 years from now, but you have to give it to them that they’re unique and at least makes the driver feel a little more special when he gets to his car after a game of golf with his friend who has an E60 or a W211. The feeling of luxury is further accentuated by the leather wrapping on the top part of the dash and doors. All the buttons and dials on the dash and the steering wheel all have good tactile feedback to them and never feel cheap.

The in-car entertainment system are controlled via a touch screen set in the upper half of the center dashboard area, flanked between the two hide-and-seek air conditioning vents. Nothing special about the interface which looks kinda dull and monotonous, and in overseas markets this also doubles up as a TV but this feature was not included in the test car. The audio system supports Aux input, data files from a USB drive as well as direct iPod control. Browsing multiple files and folders on a USB drive was easy and resembles what you’d be used to on a computer so there’s no high learning curve there.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Touch-screen LCD Interface

So yes, a really nice interior. You can even see the bulge on the hood when you’re driving so that reinforces that feeling that you’re driving something special. It appears that Jaguar’s interior designer actually did some DESIGNING here and that makes the world of a difference, unlike whoever did the E60 and the new W212’s interior, which seem more like a random mesh of angles rather than it being a design as a whole.

Even the bottom of the cupholders look good and have the looks to match the gear selector knob’s top. The glovebox opens with a touch of a marked area of the wood trim and you even work the in-car lighting using a simple touch of your finger rather than press any buttons.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Interior Lamps Control

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Glovebox

The only complaints I have is the feeling you get working the door handles on the outside of the car, they seem abit cheap, plasticky and stiff. The multi-info display between the two gauges on the meter panel also looks pretty low-resolution which would be okay 3 to 5 years ago but looks dated today. There is also no sunroof for a car at this price level, and I wish they used a bottom-hinged accelerator pedal that feels better rather than a top-hinged one.

Rear headroom is limited as expected from the coupe-like roofline so this is a decent compromise and the XF is a car you’ll want to drive and not be driven in especially if you are tall. The rear visibility is quite bad because of the slim rear window but a rear view camera which displays its video feed on the in-car entertainment system’s LCD display helps alot with this. But it’s quite low tech, just a video feed and that’s all – no automatic parking guidelines shown on the display.

Driving

While the car has really ready to go looks, the engine disappoints. The 6-speed ZF transmission shifts are slow and smooth which is great for slow drives but doesn’t increase its urgency when you have the pedal to the metal or are in Sports mode on the gear selector. It is also very slow to respond to kickdown requests. The 530i and E 280 AMG in comparison both have special sports modes which invoke a harsh but very quick shift mode that gives you an exciting feel when you drive spiritedly. The good thing is the gearbox is intelligent enough not to shift when you are taking a sweeping bend, thus preventing a slow shift from upsetting the car’s composure in the middle of the bend.

The Jaguar XF’s 3.0 V6 petrol unit is good for 238 hp at 6,800rpm and 293 Nm of torque at 4,100rpm and sounds great, with a very apparent rumble when you gun it. Some V-sixes can be quite muted in this aspect but not the XF’s. In fact, past the 5,000rpm mark it’s so rumbly and loud that you can feel vibrations through the floor, which I feel is not something that should be happening in a car of this stature. The exhaust note sounds even better from the outside, so sometimes you may want to drive with your windows down to enjoy the soundtrack.

It’s got an all-aluminium light weight design with four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, Continuously Variable Cam Phasing (VCP) and variable geometry air intakes. The engine and gearbox have no problem going all the way to the redline whenever needed but it is quite dead below engine speeds of 3,500rpm, and sounds stressed near the redine. 0 to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds also feels very sedate in the car, compared to the 530i’s 6.6 seconds.

City driving is a fuss-free agenda and the car is very easy to maneuver thanks to the light steering wheel and the nice grip afforded by the steering wheel, but when you expect a little more in terms of performance or spirited driving, the XF does not seem to deliver and does not offer that confidence you seek to feel like you can always push the car just a little bit further. It’s also not as comfortable as an E-Class during regular city driving as it doesn’t tackle road irregularities and remain composed enough, which makes the Jag a neither here or there affair when it comes to ride comfort or sharp handling.

It also tends to get floaty on the highway from 160km/h onwards, and rather heavy wind noise becomes quite apparent from as low as 120km/h, which made me wonder if there was something wrong with the test unit’s door seals. Braking power is good and no complaints there, with 326mm x 20mm vented front discs and standard 326mm x 20mm discs at the back.

The Verdict

The XF a well-behaved car as long as you keep in within its limits. City driving and moderate cruising on the highway are job descriptions it knows well, just not when you push it harder. The exterior and interior are really gorgeous and the gimmicks while being what they are – gimmicks, are fun (over the short 3 day drive at least), so I handed over the keys back to SISMA Auto with the feeling that the XF is more like a hot girl that you date for her looks rather than substance. Some friends even mistook it for a Maserati, and I can see why especially when you look at it from the rear three-quarter angle.

But it’s comfy but not comfy enough, and the engine and handling pales in comparison with its competitors. It would make more sense to buy one in Singapore since it is cheaper than the equivalent 5 and E, but in Malaysia it’s actually more expensive, so its a tough one to recommend. You’ll buy it only for its sexy looks and a lovely interior that’s miles ahead of its competitors while being aware of its drawbacks, and you’ll be a happy owner of a relatively rare and great-looking car in a sea of Es and 5s.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Exterior

Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum, provides insight into the XF’s exterior design.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Interior

Jaguar Design’s Alister Whelan discusses what makes the XF’s interior a contemporary space.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Drive Modes

Jaguar Chief Engineer Mike Cross provides a driver’s view of the XF’s Drive Control system. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system uses the anti-lock braking and traction control systems to give the driver better control of the car.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Performance

Jaguar Chief Engineer Mike Cross describes the XF’s in-built strengh and agility, including the XF’s body structure and suspension technology.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Start-Up Sequence

Jaguar Design’s Wayne Burgess describes the XF’s unique start up sequence. At start-up, the button in front of the JaguarDrive Selectorâ„¢ pulses red; once you press it, the engine starts and the JaguarDrive Selectorâ„¢ rises softly into the palm of your hand – what Jaguar calls the Jaguar handshake.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Refined Drive

Members of the XF Engineering and Technical team discuss the importance of sound engineering, not just making the car quiet but how the overall car sounds.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Bowers & Wilkins Acoustic system

Jaguar Design’s Wayne Burgess and Danny Haikin of Bowers & Wilkins describe the XF’s sound system.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Random Footage and Interviews

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – TV Commercial

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Is the new 510hp Jaguar XF-R an M5-killer?

Paul Tan — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:18:22 +0000

We definitely don’t know if this new high-powered version of the award-winning XF can trump the BMW M5 as a driver’s car, but it’s definitely got the soon to be outgoing E60 M5 beat in the horsepower and torque department. The new Jaguar XF-R is powered by the new AJ-V8 Gen III engine that supercharges 5.0 liters of displacement in V8 configuration to produce 510 PS and 625Nm of torque.

Now this is definitely less than the twin-turbo RS6, but according to our track tester Harvinder who had a go at the RS6 on Sepang recently, the Audi offering is rather pudgy on the track. What will the new Jaguar XF-R be like? Will it be both nimble and quick or will it be an autobahn cruiser designed to go in straight lines very fast? We already know it does the whole straight line thing very well as Jaguar has officially announced the XF-R as the fastest Jaguar ever, as it can reach a top speed of 225mph, which is approximately 362km/h.

The top speed run was tested at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah using a Jaguar XFR prototype using a a remapped ECU, a modified air intake and exhaust system and revised supercharger settings. No internal engine components were changed and the 6-speed auto was kept standard, including the gear ratios. The standard production car will be limited to 155mph (250km/h), but you can already expect a slew of tuners who will have products to unleash a few horsepowers and Newton meters from the engine as well as get rid of the top speed limiter.

The Jaguar XFR goes from 0 to 100km.h in 4.9 seconds, but more importantly it has some decent overtaking abilities as 80km/h to 110km/h acceleration time only takes 1.9 seconds. The R car is equipped with a quicker steering rack, uprated brakes, and a new electronic Active Differential.

Check out a photo gallery of the new XFR after the jump as well as a video of the car’s Bonneville top speed run.

Video: Jaguar XF-R

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar’s new 3.0L V6 to power Jaguar XF S

Paul Tan — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:41:18 +0000

Jaguar has upped the power and displacement for its flagship AJ-series turbodiesel from a 2.7 liter V6 producing 207hp and 433Nm of torque up to a new 3.0 liter V6 making 272hp and 570Nm of torque, pushing the Jaguar XF that it will power up a range from a BMW 530d competitor up to something more of a BMW 535d competitor. The motor will be installed in an XF model called the Jaguar XF S and will use two turbochargers in sequential arrangement to produce its power. A detuned variant producing 240hp and less torque will also be offered in a Jaguar XF model (without the S suffix).

It’s not far-fetched at all to assume that this new engine will find its way into the Land Rover Discovery 3 TdV6 as well, replacing the 2.7L in that vehicle.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Sexy new Jaguar XF now available in Malaysia!

Paul Tan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:08:35 +0000

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SISMA Auto Sdn Bhd unveiled the new Jaguar XF for the first time in Malaysia during the weekend at its showroom at the Pavillion, KL, The new award-winning Jaguar XF is available here in three variants – the 3.0 liter V6 priced at RM488,888, the 4.2 liter V8 priced at RM599,888 and finally the 4.2 liter supercharged V8 producing 420 horsepower at RM728,888.

Continue reading to find out more about the new Jaguar XF and watch a collection of videos as well as additional photos of the car.

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Jaguar has got that new popular “4-door coupe” thing right with the Jaguar XF – rather than just looking like a sedan with an awkward roofline, the Jaguar XF looks like a proper coupe, a downsized version of the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide if you like.

The 3.0 liter V6 model that’s priced just under half a million ringgit produces 240 horsepower and 293Nm of torque, with 80% of peak torque available all the way from below 1,500rpm up to the peak engine revs of 6,800rpm. The all-aluminium engine features continuously variable cam phasing and variable geometry air intakes. 0 to 100km/h takes 8.3 seconds.

The 4.2 liter normally aspirated mid-range model produces 300 horsepower and 411Nm of torque. In supercharged form, this increases to 420 horsepower and 560Nm of torque. All three engines are mated to a ZF 6-speed quick shifting gearbox. A snappy ZF 6-speed with shift by wire will remind you of the new 6-speed ZF in the latest BMWs – especially the facelifted E60 and the 2nd generation X5 – so it may be a similiar model. 0 to 100km/h with these two models take 6.5 seconds and 5.4 seconds respectively.

Being a CBU car, the interior can be customised at order with several different seat and upper interior trims colours as well as 3 different types of wood. Despite the sloping coupe roofline, I did not find any problem with headroom in the rear seat bench.

And then there’s of course the much talked about start-up sequence when you enter the new XF. You will find a video of this after the jump. When you turn on the car via the pulsating red start button, the JaguarDrive selected rises up to meet your palm, the instrumentation panel displays a startup sequence, and the air conditioning vents turn to the opened position. Turn the JaguarDrive selector clockwise from P to D and vice versa, and for Sports mode you give it a little press.

Interestingly during the presentation, it was revealed that the instrumentation panel lighting was inspired from the Motorola RAZR mobile phones, which explains the turquoise-coloured ambient lighting used throughout the car. Consulting for the controls layout was also provided by Motorola. Other than the rotary dial JaguarDrive gear selector, there are also a few other cool novelties. The front interior lights and the glove box are opened with a wave of your hand or a finger light touch thanks to a proximity sensor.

Driving aids include dual-mode DSC with a less intrusive mode, ABS, EBD, cornering brake control, engine drag torque control, and understeer control logic which decelerates the car and helps restore grip to the front wheels when required. Strangely xenon headlamps seem to be only available for the supercharged V8 model, while the V6 and V8 get halogen headlamps.

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VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Exterior

Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum, provides insight into the XF’s exterior design.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Interior

Jaguar Design’s Alister Whelan discusses what makes the XF’s interior a contemporary space.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Drive Modes

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Performance

Jaguar Chief Engineer Mike Cross describes the XF’s in-built strengh and agility, including the XF’s body structure and suspension technology.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Start-Up Sequence

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Refined Drive

Members of the XF Engineering and Technical team discuss the importance of sound engineering, not just making the car quiet but how the overall car sounds.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Bowers & Wilkins Acoustic system

Jaguar Design’s Wayne Burgess and Danny Haikin of Bowers & Wilkins describe the XF’s sound system.

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – Random Footage and Interviews

VIDEO: Jaguar XF – TV Commercial

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Tata buys Jaguar and Land Rover for US$2.3 billion

Paul Tan — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:25:18 +0000

The Jaguar and Land Rover deal has been sealed, and the two companies go to Tata Motors, which will pay US$2.3 billion for them. As part of the deal, Ford will inject US$600 million of the US$2.3 billion into the two companies’ pension funds, leaving about US$1.7 billion remaining for Ford’s coffers. Ford will have no stake in the companies after the sale is completed.

Most of the management team will be retained, and Ford will continue to supply Jaguar and Land Rover with powertrains and technology for the time being, depending on existing supply agreements. Ford Motor Credit Co will also provide financing for Jaguar and Land Rover dealers and customers for the period of up to 12 months. The deal includes the Rover, Daimler and Lanchester brand names.

Tata Motors says it was confident this investment would have a positive effect on its balance sheet in the long run. Shareholders do not seem to share these sentiments as Tata Motors shares dropped as much as 7.3% yesterday, finally settling on a 3.6% drop at the end of the day as analysts says the deal will be a strain on the balance sheet. As for Ford, the money will help it focus on turning around its North American operations, which are currently operating at a loss.

The other bids for Jaguar and Land Rover are former Ford CEO Jacques Nasser’s One Equity Partners, Ripplewood, and Texas Pacific Group, which was advised by Bob Dover, CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover between 2002 and 2003.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Fiat happy about Tata’s Jaguar/Land Rover buy

Paul Tan — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:29:33 +0000

Tata is inching very closely to acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company, and everyone is already assuming the two companies are in Tata’s hands, in a deal that analysts have pegged at being worth between US$1.5 to US2.0 billion.

One company that is very happy about all of this is Fiat, who has a close relationship with Tata. Tata uses Fiat turbodiesel engines in their cars, and the two companies have a partnership worth Rs 4000 crore (3.3 billion ringgit) in India.

Fiat says this will most likely allow the Italian company to get access to Jaguar’s technologies. It is particularly interested in Jaguar’s rear wheel drive platform as well as Land Rover’s four-wheel drive technology. Yup, you guessed right – the first model from the Fiat group to benefit from this is most likely the new flagship Alfa Romeo 169, which Fiat plans to develop as a rear wheel drive car.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Ford may forgo small stake in Jaguar / Land Rover

Paul Tan — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:06:07 +0000

Tata is on both ends of the car market right now, from one of the cheapest cars around that is the Tata Nano right up to two luxury brands that they are about to purchase from the Ford Motor Company, Jaguar and Land Rover.

While the original plan was for Ford to keep a minority stake in the company as it has done with Aston Martin (it retains a US$77 million out of US$925 million stake), Indian paper the Economic Times has reported that Ford has decided not to retain a minority stake in Land Rover and Jaguar as “it is convinced about the future development of these two brands in the hands of Tata.”

Ford’s earlier intention of holding a minority stake in the two companies, as with Aston Martin, was to ensure supply contracts and jobs are protected. Analysts have pegged the deal at worth between US$1.5 to US2.0 billion.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar XF wins What Car? Car of the Year Award

Paul Tan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:55:09 +0000

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The 2008 What Car? Car of the Year award goes to the sexy new Jaguar XF, which also clinched the Best Executive Car title, beating its competitors the 5-Series and the CLS-Class. It is with a choice of engines â€“ 3.0 litre V6; 2.7 litre twin-turbocharged V6 diesel; 4.2 litre V8; and finally a 4.2 litre supercharged V8.

“For us, the XF goes straight in there with the very best cars from Jaguars past. And given that the car market today is more competitive than its ever been, its fair to say the XF is the best car Jaguar has ever built. The XF really does have it all â€“ a sensational exterior and dramatic interior combined with a drive that will delight and pamper in equal measure. On top of that, it stacks up as a sensible buying and owning proposition, too,” said Steve Fowler, group editor of What Car.

The new XF indeed marks a new milestone in the history of Jaguar. Will SISMA Auto bring it in sometime soon to join the Lexus GS in giving the 5-Series and the E-Class a run for their money?

UPDATE: SISMA Auto is already taking bookings for the XF, and although no booking numbers were given, it is expectedly “selling like hotcakes”. No confirmed prices as there is the issue of duties and etc that are not finalised yet, but the price will be below RM500,000 for the 3.0 V6 model. The 4.2L V8 will also be offered but pricing is unknown for that one at the moment. Delivery is on a first come first serve basis and the first batch will arrive in March 2008. Once the first batch arrives, 3 will go to SISMA Auto’s showrooms – one to each showroom. Then customers will be able to test drive it.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar Service Clinic for Malaysian Jaguar Owners

Paul Tan — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:52:48 +0000

SISMA Auto Sdn Bhd will be conducting an exclusive Service Clinic for Jaguar owners at its Glenmarie 4S center this month from the 23rd to the 29th of January 2008. Each session will be one hour in duration and are limited to 14 people per day.

The Service Clinic is aimed at helping Jaguar owners better understand the technology behind their Jaguars engine, the role of diagnostic equipment used during servicing, what the various indicators mean and how Jaguar service technicians respond to these to repair and service Jaguar cars.

At the sessions will be experts Danny Hinchin, Regional Aftersales Manager, Jaguar & Land Rover Asia, Mr James Knowles, Regional Technical Manager, Jaguar & Land Rover Asia and Jaguars highly trained technical experts.

â€œCars these days are not as simple as they used to be. Today, they are very much computer-driven and technicians are heavily dependent on diagnostic equipment for servicing. Through this Clinic we hope Jaguar owners will learn more about the technology that drives their Jaguars and, how our service technicians diagnose their vehicles,â€ said SISMA Auto Managing Director Tuan Syed Hussain Syed Mohamed.

Those wishing to register for the clinics can email service.clinic@jaguarmalaysia.com.my or call 03-5569 3311. The workshops are by appointment only.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Jaguar XF wins 2007 Autocar Design Award

Paul Tan — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:21:36 +0000

The beautiful new Jaguar XF has snagged the Design Award at the 2007 Autocar Awards at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London on 11th November.

“This is the first time Jaguar has won this highly respected Autocar award for a production car and I’m absolutely thrilled it has been given to the new XF. It’s wonderful to receive recognition for our efforts within the industry and from our ultimate critics â€“ the motoring media,” said Ian Callum, Jaguar’s design director.

“What most impressed Autocar’s judging panel is Jaguar’s success in producing a car that looks elegant, graceful and ‘Jaguar-like’. This is a car, we believe, of which Sir William Lyons, founder of Jaguar would thoroughly have approved,” said Chas Hallett, Editor of Autocar.

Good news for Malaysians is that the first units are expected to reach Malaysian shores in mid-2008.

Check out a video of the Jaguar XF after the jump!

Video: Jaguar XF

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

2008 Jaguar XJ in Malaysian showrooms end-September

Paul Tan — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:16:52 +0000

While the mid-sized Jaguar S-Type gets an all-new replacement in the form of the sleek new Jaguar XF (E-Class and 5-Series competitor), the full-sized Jaguar XJ gets a refreshed look for the 2008 model year and it will be in SISMA Auto showrooms in Malaysia by the end of September 2007.

This new 2008 facelifted Jaguar XJ recently won the annual Design Award â€˜Autonis in the luxury category of the German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport, ahead of German competitors BMW, Mercedes and Audi. The winner was decided by roughly 16,000 readers of Auto Motor und Sport who took part in in voting for the winner.

The XJ continues to use it’s all-aluminium body construction. The aluminium body is said to have reduced the XJ’s weight by 40%. The new front bumper has revised upper and lower mesh grilles with chromed detailing. Behind the front wheels, two power vents match those introduced on the beautiful new XK sports car. The wing mirrors now have integrated signal indicator lights. The rear end has also been reworked with a newly reshaped bumper, subtle aero spoiler and revised tailpipe finishers.

The new Jaguar XJ will be sold from RM648,888, which is just about the price range for a full-sized car here – think S-Class, LS460 and 7-Series. Full model range and pricing details to be revealed later when the car is launched.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

New Jaguar XF Details and Photos

Paul Tan — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:53:31 +0000

Jaguar has unveiled full details and photos of the first car that will carry Jaguar’s new design language – the Jaguar XF. The Jaguar XF is a 4-door sedan with a sexy roofline (drag coefficient is 0.29cD), and I think it proves Jaguar still has it – the ability to create beautiful and fast cars that has been part of the Jaguar philosophy.

On the inside, the Jaguar XF features the new JaguarDrive Selector, the first rotary dial-based shift-by-wire shifter which Jaguar thinks is more precise and intuitive while saving space at the same time, allowing better utilization of interior space.

There is also plenty of geekery on the interior for those who are into that kind of stuff. For one, the XF’s air-conditioning vents present a flush dashboard surface until the ignition is switched on, at which point they elegantly rotate to the open position. JaguarSense uses touch and proximity control to manage the overhead console lights and glovebox release. The parking brake uses Jaguar’s Electric Paring Brake which you can operate from a small chromed release in the center console. This parking brake automatically disengages when the shifter is put into Drive.

There are 4 engines available, all mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifting. The base petrol unit is an all-aluminium 3.0 liter DOHC V6 engine with Continuously Variable Cam Phasing and variable geometry air intakes. It makes 240 horsepower and 293Nm of torque with 80% of that available below 1,500rpm and up to a maximum speed of 6,800rpm.

There is also a larger normally aspirated 4.2 liter V8 that makes 300 horsepower and 411Nm of torque. A supercharged version of this engine in the SV8 model uses a rotor-type supercharger making 420 horsepower and 560Nm of torque.

Of course, there is also an oil-burning Jaguar XF powered by a 2.7 liter V6 turbodiesel with twin variable geometry turbochargers making 207 PS and 435Nm of torque. Jaguar says this is the lightest diesel engine of it’s type and size, thanks to it’s Compacted Graphite Iron cylinder block and aluminium cylinder heads.

To bring the car to a stop, all XF models use large 326mmx20mm vented front discs and 326mmx20mm rear discs, except for the SV8 Supercharged model which uses larger 355mmx32mm vented front discs.

Jaguar has taken much effort to ensure NVH levels in this car is excellent. At 50km/h, interior noise level is only 65.6dB.

More photos available after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

DaimlerChrysler seeks rights to Daimler name

Paul Tan — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:01:18 +0000

Now that DaimlerChrysler AG has washed its hands off the Chrysler group, it wants to rename itself to Daimler AG. But that might not make as much sense as you think it would legally. This is because the future Daimler AG would not have the rights to the Daimler brand.

Instead, the name belongs to Jaguar, who uses it for some of it’s high end cars. Jaguar acquired rights to the Daimler name in 1960 when it bought the Daimler Motor Company, the British carmaker set up by Frederick Simms when he acquired the patents to the Gottlieb Daimler engines and the use of the Daimler name.

DaimlerChrysler AG is currently in legal discussions with Ford Motor Co who owns Jaguar on the use of the Daimler brand name.

“DaimlerChrysler will now be allowed to use the name alone or in combination with other words as the title of a trading company, a trade name or a corporate name. The extended usage agreement does not, however, affect either company’s existing right to use the Daimler name for a product,” said a Ford spokesman.

There are some critics who oppose the Daimler AG proposed name change, instead suggesting Daimler-Benz AG, which was the group’s name before it merged with the Chrysler group in 1998. It is suggested that leaving the Benz name out ignores the contribution of Karl Benz to the company.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Magna interested in Volvo and Land Rover

Paul Tan — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 06:17:33 +0000

The latest company rumoured to be interested in buying Volvo and Land Rover from Ford is Magna. Well, not exactly the two brands, but they’re more interested in the plants that belong to the two brands.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that Magna wants to use the plants of the two marques to build models from other companies, which will help achieve full capacity. All that unused plant capacity lying around is a wasted investment anyway. Magna does contract assembly – it’s subsidiary Magna Steyr manufactures the current generation BMW X3 in Austria but lost the job to assemble the next gen X3.

While Ford has hired Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and HSBC to evaluate the future of it’s Jaguar and Land Rover brands, effectively putting them on the table for possible sale, it hasn’t said anything about possibly selling Volvo. Volvo seems to be doing well recently, reporting that it is heading for a record amount of cars sold globally, despite a slowdown in major markets like Germany and the US. Sales are expected to surpass the previous 456,000 unit record in 2004.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

Ford might sell Jaguar and Land Rover

Paul Tan — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:46:07 +0000

The latest whispers being passed around dinner tables in the automotive industry are that Jaguar and Land Rover are currently on the table, and potential buyers are Fiat. It seems that talks started in February this year but ended last month, with no resolution. Sources say the talks were dropped because Fiat was concerned on how the Jaguar would affect Fiat’s credit rating. Fiat would have benefited from Jaguar’s rear wheel drive platforms if the sale had gone through.

With rumours of BMW being interested in Volvo, and most of Aston Martin shares recently being sold, it seems Ford Motor Co is looking to offload all of it’s Premier Automotive Group (PAG) brands.

PAG lost US$327 million before taxes last year, it’s third loss in a row for three years. Jaguar has lost the most money apparently, a total of between US$500 million to US$1 billion since 2001. Land Rover has gained traction recently though, pardon the pun

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.

BMW and Jaguar Scaredy Cat Advertisement

Paul Tan — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 11:29:16 +0000

Another bit of fun with advertising, this is one of BMW’s ads in Spain. Putting a play on the phrase “scaredy cat”, it shows the trademark Jaguar hood ornament running away in fear from a BMW in a face-off.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 17:39:27 +0800.