For decades, the recipe for a supercar had always been about stuffing a fire-breathing V12 engine in the middle. Some super cars receive the occasional quad-turbo W16, V10, and supercharged or turbocharged v8, but these all build upon pretty much the same idea. What many car enthusiasts have actually been wondering ever since they witnessed the Batmobile for the first time is whether jet engines could be fitted into cars in real life.

Finally, Jaguar answers the question with not one, but two jet engines. The Jaguar C-X75 concept was first unveiled in 2010 at the Paris Auto Show, boasting a twin-turbine power plant tucked within a sleek shell reminiscent of the Jaguar XJ220. However, when Jaguar announced the C-X75 would make it to production last year, the twin-turbine was replaced with a more conservative hybrid drivetrain mated to a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Despite the fact that the power train will be co-developed with Williams F1, the C-X75 isn’t the same without rockets.

Now, Jaguar has revealed that while 250 examples of the C-X75 will be powered by the hybrid turbo-4, an extremely limited quantity of C-X75 supercars will receive the micro-turbines as envisioned from the original concept. These jet engines are produced by the Bladon Jets Engineering Centre in Coventry, which is based very close to Jaguar’s headquarters and is even partially owned by parent company Tata.

Driving the rear wheels, the turbines are expected to produce an extra 95-hp each. Requiring no cooling or lubricant systems like a traditional internal combustion engine, the micro-turbines are also light and easy to package.

While exact numbers are unknown, the C-X75 is expected to meet all supercar requirements, including acceleration to 60 mph in 3 seconds and a top speed exceeding 200 mph.

GALLERY: Jaguar C-X75

[Source: Auto Express]

Ever since British automaker Jaguar started closing its historic Browns Lane facility piece-by-piece after moving its production elsewhere, many wondered what would happen to its Heritage Museum that is one of the remaining parts of the old factory.

Well, now we know as Classic & Sports Cars out in England is reporting that Jaguar will be closing its factory museum next September, with no plans of relocating it or reopening it in the near future. The good news coming out of all of this is that Jaguar has no plans of auctioning or selling off any of the 150 cars stored in the museum, and continues to plan on bringing certain cars out to motorsports events. For now though – or at least starting in September – no one will be able to see the collection as a whole.

A Jaguar XFR-S is likely to be on the way soon, spurred by competition from the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG which seriously outgun the British super-sedan.

The current XFR (pictured above) uses a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 to make 510 horsepower which falls about 40 ponies short of both sedans it directly competes with. While that’s a significant difference, it’s probably important to take a step back and realize that none of the numbers in this story are to be taken lightly.

Despite that, Jaguar will have to do something soon if they want to remain competitive. We don’t have concrete specifications on the XFR-S at the moment, but it was spotted running the Nürburgring last summer.

We expect it to pack at least 550 horsepower to stay on par, along with standard performance upgrades like a stiffer chassis and suspension. Of course, the price will increase as well, which we’ll report as soon as details break.

GALLERY: 2011 Jaguar XFR

[Source: AutoCar]

The Jaguar XJ220 is a rare collector’s item on its own, having only produced 350 units. But few are aware that Jaguar had produced a XJ220S variant with Tom Walkinshaw Racing in order to homologate their XJ220C race cars for competition. Only six XJ220S were ever created, and one of them is now heading to RM Auctions.

Powered by a 3.5L, twin-turbo V6 engine, this Jaguar XJ220S is estimated to have around 700-hp (has 680-hp stock) and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. RM Auctions believes that this super-rare Jag will fetch anywhere from $225,000 to $300,000 and we wouldn’t doubt it for a minute.

The vehicle recently had a major mechanical overhaul and restoration, painstakingly repainted to match Lamborghini‘s Reventon Gray. Inside, the leather interior was completely refurbished and Infiniti projector headlights were also installed to help modernize the 1993 vehicle. Since the early 2000s, the owner has only added about 1,200-miles to the odometer, and just a few miles since everything was rebuilt and refinished.

The XJ220S weighs in at a scant 2,200-lbs thanks to an excessive use of carbon fiber for its bodywork – only the doors remain aluminum.

If you’ve been sitting on quite the savings account over your life and have really been searching for something rare, this may be the time to splurge.

GALLERY: Jaguar XJ220S Coupe

News that Jaguar and Land Rover won’t exhibit at this year’s North American International Auto Show can be taken as a sign of the diminished importance the Detroit show now plays on the global stage.

There’s more to this story, however, as the reason the two luxury brands will be absent is due to a conflicting schedule with the Auto Expo show in New Delhi, India. While India’s importance as an emerging market can’t be downplayed, the decision has less to do with growing economies and more to do with the fact that JLR parent company Tata Motors, is from India.

In addition, JLR has little new to show a western audience, having already revealed the Jaguar C-X16 and Land Rover DC100 concepts, first at the Frankfurt Motor Show and then at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

JLR has confirmed that executives will still be cruising the show floor. After all, the Range Rover Evoque is on the shortlist for the 2012 Truck of the Year.

[Source: AutoNews]

See AutoGuide’s complete 2012 Detroit Auto Show Preview here

With Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi offering wagon versions of their E-Class, 5-Series and A6 mid-luxury sedans, Jaguar is prepping a wagon version of its XF sedan, and like modern Jaguar‘s, it will take a slightly different approach to the traditional luxury formula.

In the UK, a “Shooting Brake” denotes a sports car converted into a wagon-like vehicle. Some were converted solely to meet the whims of wealthy owners, while others were used to hold hunting gear and other sporting equipment, giving the owner the best of both worlds. The XF Sportbrake will likely take after this tradition, placing an emphasis on style rather than practicality (in the same way that the 5-Series and A6 do, rather than the E-Class with its focus on cargo capacity).

A full engine lineup, ranging from the XF’s ultra-efficient 2.2L diesel engine, up to the 5.0L V8, should be available.  The XF will also get Jaguar’s upcoming AWD system, but what you won’t see is a Sportbrake sold in America.

Gallery: Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Tata Sons has named Cyrus Mistry as its next CEO, as current CEO Ratan Tata prepares to retire. The unmarried, childless Tata named Mistry as CEO of the holding company responsible for Tata’s numerous divisions, among them their automotive sector which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, along with the namesake Tata Motors brand.

“The appointment of Cyrus P. Mistry as deputy chairman of Tata Sons is a good and far-sighted choice. He has been on the board of Tata Sons since August 2006 and I have been impressed with the quality and caliber of his participation, his astute observations and his humility,” said Tata, in a statement.

Mistry’s father is Tata’s largest individual shareholder, with an 18 percent stake in the Indian conglomerate. He is currently head of another Indian corporation, the Shapoorji Pallonji group, and will assume full responsibilities in December, 2012 when Tata steps down.

[Source: Automotive News]

Jaguar‘s design genius and restless thinker, Ian Callum, has announced a personal desire to design a premium small car for the historically British marque.

During an interview, Ian Callum told British automotive publication, What Car?, “It’s a personal view, but there’s room for a premium small car. It would be a high-end small car for city use. The big challenges would be economic and creating a business case for it, along with making a small car feel like a Jaguar and having the right levels of refinement and luxury.”

Keeping an open mind, Callum did not confirm whether the city car would be executed as a hatchback, coupe, or small saloon but intends to design a model that will “break the mould and be a car that people just want.”

That’s better than what rival brand and fellow countryman, Aston Martin, can say. There are few people that just want a Cygnet.

[Source: WhatCar?]

The all new Jaguar XKR-S Convertible is now official, boasting a supercharged 5.0L V8 engine that is also found in the XKR-S Coupe. With 542-hp, this makes it Jaguar’s most powerful open-top model yet and also rounds off the XK-line with a convertible variant for every model.

Performance numbers for this convertible are impressive, with a 0-60 mph time of just 4.2-seconds and a top speed of 186-mph. And despite packing over 100-lbs more than the Coupe model, the performance figures are identical. Lowering the roof takes a mere 18-seconds after a push of a button and to ensure stability at its top speed, Jaguar’s engineers added some aerodynamic upgrades over the XKR Convertible, giving it a more aggressive look as well.

The XKR-S Convertible sits 0.4-inch lower, while the new front bumper sports a wider air intake and a carbon fiber splitter. New side skirts flow towards the rear where a new rear wing can be found sporting a carbon fiber center. All of the aerodynamic changes equate to a 26-percent improvement to downforce.

And to give it a classier appearance, the chrome trim was swapped out for gloss black painted pieces, while the 20-inch Vulcan wheels are standard along with the brake calipers done in a bright red or more subtle gunmetallic grey. The suspension is also upgraded from the XKR Convertible, with stiffer springs and Active Damping software in order to maximize body control and grip. The front features massive 15-inch rotors with the rear barely smaller at 14.8-inch. The result is 38-percent more stopping power than the XKR counterpart.

GALLERY: Jaguar XKR-S Convertible

Jaguar will officially unveil the XKR-S Convertible today at the LA Auto Show. For a full preview of the show and complete coverage, click here.

Say the word Jaguar, and probably the first thing to come to mind won’t be fuel efficiency.

Jaguar recently took a road trip from New York to Los Angeles in a British spec XF 2.2 Diesel, and covered the 2884-miles journey at an average of 62.9-mpg. This makes it the most efficient Jaguar ever made.

The car Jaguar used was a showroom stock model and was not modified in any way. The trip took 8 days to complete, while the car made just 4 fuel stops.

The XF diesel achieved its best result on the penultimate day of the trek, achieving 67-mpg. That is incredible for a five-seater luxury sedan of any size, even if the trek was done at an average speed of just 53-mph. Jaguar credits its new 8-speed automatic gearbox and revised aerodynamics, which is available on all the 2012 XF models.

While the X-type, Jaguar‘s first attempt into the entry-luxury class, was ultimately a failure that earned a spot on Time Magazine’s “50 Worst Cars Of All Time,” Jaguar’s new and rejuvenated line-up of late looks to be the perfect opportunity to try again.

This time, due to CAFE regulations, Jaguar must begin preparing a significant amount of petrol-engined cars that are capable of 50mpg. There’s not a moment to lose then, as Jaguar’s engineers are reportedly in development of a brand new front wheel drive baby sedan that will pit against the Audi A3 and Benz CLC compact sedans, both of which are front wheel drive platforms as well. To launch by 2015, this entry sedan will be powered by Jaguar Land Rover’s latest three cylinder 1.5 liter engine and four cylinder and 1.8 or 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol and diesel engines.Its gearbox will be just as sophisticated with a choice of eight and nine-speed automatics.

Aimed to boost sales in China, India, and the United states, the little kitten seems to be off to a good start. While we cannot be certain whether its exterior will resemble the illustration, the rendering does hint at a miniaturized XF. That’s a compliment.

According to former Jaguar Land Rover boss, Carl-Peter Forster, Jaguar needs a, “successor to the X-type… and we need [it] in several variations.” Adian Hallmark, Jaguar’s global brand director, adds, ” We’ve got to be careful, and not be too British and think that just because we didn’t hit the bull’s eye first time[with the X-type], we cant’ hit it a second time.”

From the get-go, this model was not meant to compete against the rear wheel drive BMW 3-series. Jaguar wanted to create a compact, eco-friendly, executive vehicle instead. Beyond the new selection of small engines, further measures to address the vehicle’s efficiency include the promise of an extremely aerodynamic exterior and a “mixed-materials” structure that will show extensive use of aluminum and is designed to achieve maximum strength and rigidity while costs are kept to a minimum.

On the topic of cost, expect the entry level Jaguar to begin at £22,000 or $35,000.

[Source: Autocar]

Jaguar has announced two different packages for the XJ, adding some sport and speed to the luxury sedan. The sport package focuses on the aesthetics, adding an aerodynamic package to the XJ with new front and rear bumpers, 20-inch wheels and red brake calipers.

On the inside, the sport package outfits the interior with sport bucket seats up front and new cabin trim options. On the other end of the spectrum, the speed package simply changes the top speed of the XJ, altering the electronic speed limiter from 155-mph to 174-mph. The two packages will be available in the UK first, but should make its way to Stateside shortly. No pricing was announced.

GALLERY: Jaguar XJ Sport and Speed Packages