FRANCE --- If we are to believe clichés, then Porsche sells versatility, Ferrari sells exuberance, Audi sells
efficiency, Lotus sells sportiness and Jaguar sells tradition. The new XFR, however, proves exuberant,
efficient, versatile and diabolically sporty. In the halls of government, it is said that all important reform is
drawn up by the government that preceded the one that puts it into place and eventually ends up benefiting
from it. This new XF, which replaces the S-Type, was drawn up under the Ford reign, but now it is Tata who
is enjoying the benefits of it, as well as its clients, of course.
One Jaguar tradition nobody would dream of undoing just yet is the ‖R‖ label that tops of each of the
automaker‘s product lines and comes with a new 5-liter V8 engine equipped with a compressor. With its 510
hp Jaguar now has the authority it needed to run in the same circles as its Audi, BMW and Mercedes
competitors, but also to impress its American clientele. It is definitely with the latter in mind, as opposed to
the City gentlemen, that the XFR‘s designers developed the vehicle‘s more distinctive features. Four exhaust
pipes, 20-inch wheels, a fin, air vents everywhere and long chrome strips: its packaging is a bit flashy. In
fact, everything depends on color, and, in the passenger cabin, on your choices for personalization. Aboard
the vehicle, the ambiance is cozy and comfort is guaranteed. The vehicle remains unruffled in traffic and
fulfills its expectations as a Jaguar. Then curves arrive. Its pick-up and accelerations are more than
energetic: its torque is so low that you need to use restraint in all gears. Above 5,000 rpm the compressor,
which is so discreet until now, turns shrill; but the furious engine drowns it out. The true surprise comes in
the way of its handling. Those who designed it must have had some fun. The end result is a vehicle that is
just as good as the Mercedes CLS AMG and better than an RS6, even on the race track. And, when you‘re
finished with your laps, the saloon is still there waiting for you, just as sophisticated, posh and classic as
ever.
Friday, 23 April 2010
How Do You Make A Chassis Go From This ….To This?
01 May 10, CAR, Ben Barry
Ask any of the team behind the XFR about what shaped this car's gestation and you'll hear one word again
and again: duality-the balancing of everyday refinement, luxury and usability with a raucous streak. They'll
also talk about trying to get the personality of the team to shine through in their product. It does, but Mike
Cross - a real-life Jekyll and Hyde - best sums up that ethos.
Meet Jaguar's chassis guru and you'll be struck by how understated his gestures are, how measured he is
in conversation. You might picture him spending Saturday night with a cuppa, a pair of slippers and the
paper. Yet here's a man who'll throw a Jaguar up the narrow Goodwood hill climb, pitching it sideways
before corner entry and exiting with a trail of tyre smoke and a stunned silence from the crowd. The man can
drive. now I've got two days with him at an empty Anglesey circuit, plus a van full of tyres and a pair of XFRs
that are raring to go. Faintly intimidating, hugely exciting.
Two days earlier and the security barrier at Whitley lifts to grant us access to Jaguar's engineering HQ.
There are XJ mules, the first XFR prototype, other cars with mismatched black and red wheels. 'red means
the wheels are the correct weight and strength, so they're essential for chassis development,' explains an
engineer. 'That's probably a powertrain development car, so it's not so important if all the wheels aren't quite
right.'
Around 200 people worked on the XFR, but closer to 10 really shaped it, and today we've got six of them
together, Cross being otherwise engaged with Jaguar Land Rover owner Ratan Tata.
The vibe is laddish pub banter. There's Big graham, Baby-Faced Matt, talk of a fledgling band that they
should really get out gigging, puns that can't be printed in a family magazine and jibes for vehicle refinement
engineer Stuart Adlard. 'remember the sign-off run for the XFR in Germany?' chortles vehicle engineering
manager Graham Williams. 'he thought he'd got through the worst on the autobahn...' 'Yeah, rang me wife,
said I'd done the worst bit,' nods Adlard, staring at the floor. 'Pffft. Then we took him on the back roads,' says
Big graham. 'his face! remember!? Pffft. Your face, mate!'
In fact, such is the incessant, blue-collar Mickey-taking it's easy to forget that every one of the blokes here is
hugely skilled, has massively, obsessively specialised knowledge and can talk eloquently about the minutiae
of engineering components that some drivers wouldn't miss if they were removed altogether.
'we started working on the XFR just as we were making the first XF prototypes,' says vehicle integrity
engineer Jeff Mitchell. 'we could only guess at how the press and public would react to that car, so in some
ways it was a shot in the dark to be already making the hot version. But we set out to build a car that was
more tactile than the Merc CLS AMG, not as daunting as an M5, and I was confident that we were moving in
the right direction.'
It started in 2007 with an XF mule equipped with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and electronic differential,
the latter shared with Land Rover but massively retuned for performance work. 'They're blunt instruments at
first,' says chief programme engineer Kevin Stride. 'we do tuning batches, so different prototypes focus on
different aspects - chassis, powertrain, refinement and so on.'
By November 2007 the team had a representative prototype - the same mule that Cross would later scorch
up the Goodwood hill come summer 2008-and came together to finesse the disparate elements into one
harmonious whole. 'we had what we call a basic hygiene level,' explains Stride. 'The maths give you a level of
competence, but you don't really know how it feels. we wanted to shift that competence to excellence, and to
do that we had to trust one another and go more by feel.'
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 6
The steering rack became 15% quicker for greater agility; the standard car's fixed-rate dampers were
replaced with continuously variable Bilsteins; the engine swelled from the 4.2-litre supercharged V8 seen in
previous hot XKs to a healthier 5.0-litre; the electronic diff was tuned to tame the 503bhp and 461lb ft going
to the rear wheels; 35 different rear exhaust boxes were tried before the team hit on just the right kind of
cultured note.
The press launch came in early 2009. Car placed the XFR above Audi's RS6 and BMW's M5; other positive
reviews followed. 'They couldn't have been much better,' smiles Kevin Stride. 'But I think the high point was
beating the M5 in a one-marque German title. Bet their readers loved that!'
1 SUSPENSION
The XFR doesn't have in-car adjustable dampers, but its hydraulic Bilstein units are continuously variable,
meaning they are supple at low speed but firm up in direct relation to building cornering forces thanks to a
solenoid-operated bypass valve that alters the hydraulic pressure. Endless variations were tested and
discarded. The XF Diesel S's less-than-perfect ride will soon be improved by adopting the XFR's tech.
2 DIFF...
With 503bhp and 461lb ft, the engineers knew they couldn't stick with the open differentials previously used.
Unlike other manufacturers' traction control-based electronic differentials, Jaguar's E-diff is a proper
mechanical unit, but it's electronically controlled. 'A normal locking differential is passive and has to react to
slip,' explains engineer Tim Clark. 'So it has to be very tight to be effective which isn't so good for everyday
refinement. The E-diff is active, so it calculates steering angle, torque, wheel slip and yaw and responds
instantaneously. It can also lock by 100% on acceleration and deceleration where most locking diffs are 20-
30%. But it's more like an open diff in normal driving, and so more refined.'
3...AND GEARBOX
The E-differential hooks up with a conventional-sounding six-speed torque converter gearbox (yes, okay, it's
at the front of the car and you can't actually see it here), but one that hides a few tricks up its sleeve. For
instance, the converter slurs for silky smooth parking manoeuvres, but locks from second gear onwards for
direct gearshifts. The software is also in-car tweakable. Stay in Drive and the auto mode will always prevail,
even if you occasionally intervene on the paddles. Select Sport and the shift mode becomes more
aggressive and won t revert to auto once you've selected a gear via the paddle-shifters. Sport also adapts to
your driving style, but it will still change up at the limiter. Press Dynamic and you can hit the limiter, the
suspension and steering subtlety firm up and the gearbox limits the extent to which it adapts - it will always
retain a slightly manic edge, no matter how docile your driving. In all modes the kick-down step is still active.
Elsewhere, winter mode brings a 10-15% less aggressive throttle, plus more lenient traction control (some
wheel slip is beneficial in snow...) and earlier stability control intervention (...while getting out of shape isn't).
4 EXHAUST
Unlike Aston Martins, which use active bypass valves to make their exhausts suddenly louder above a
certain rpm threshold, the XFR uses a progressive valve so the soundtrack swells from barely noticeable at
cruising speeds to an insistent, throaty gurgle under heavier throttle loads. Asymmetric exhausts bring more
of an offbeat burble, and, during development, hatches cut in the silencers gave the engineers easy access
to experiment with baffles and fine-tune the soundtrack.
Now it's time to reacquaint myself with the XFR on the excellent welsh roads that all Jaguars are honed on,
before hooking up with Mike Cross and heading to the sweeping corners, dramatic elevation changes and
epic cliff top views of Anglesey race circuit.
There's nothing like an exciting car to overcome a horrifically early start and I positively bound out of the
house at 5.30am, plip the keyfob and sink into the XFR's plush leather chairs, press the starter button and
listen as the engine settles with a breathy, offbeat woofle that sounds ocean liner unstressed. There's a
loungey ambience inhere that reminds of gentlemen's clubs, understated evening wear and business class
travel- even the bottoms of the cupholders look like they've been turned from hunks of solid metal.
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 7
The world feels like a safer, warmer place and, for the first time ever, I select radio 3 on the DAB radio, ramp
up the volume and let those sweepingly epic classical numbers seep through the Bowers and Wilkins stereo
system. Then catch myself- I'm not that old yet -and realise I really should make the most of Dev on radio 1
before that oaf Chris Moyles comes on at 6.30am.
I absolutely 100% convince myself that it's a long four-hour run and it's probably best not to turn the traction
control system off, but the maladjusted side of my brain takes over and I find myself reaching down and holding the
button for 10 seconds to ensure all safety nets are removed. Ten seconds is too long when you spy a slideable bend,
so you might as well be ready for sergeant sideways duty.
Cambridgeshire A-roads and dual carriageways are effortlessly dispatched in darkness before daylight
dawns with a soporific grey blue pallor and we're onto the M6, skirting around Birmingham, spearing west
towards wales on the M54.
The steering feels incredibly light and quick to react without being nervous, and it still telegraphs enough
road surface data to keep you informed; the throttle response is quite edgy, at first slightly clumsy, but you
learn to modulate it more gently, tipping it in, easing it out; the chassis flows with the undulations of the road
and subdues most secondary imperfections, but isn't so cosseting as to entirely quell the fizz of a chassis
interacting with tarmac; and the gearbox - a disappointing sounding six-speeder- actually works superbly,
offering all the silky manners of a torque converterwith quick changes and a well-reasoned auto logic.
By the time the A5 gets interesting I've been driving for well over two hours and couldn't have felt much
fresher in a Mercedes S-class. Then the fun begins as I dive down a B-road and start to work the XFR more
aggressively. The V8 takes on a harder edge, I switch to selecting gears on the paddles and the car instantly
morphs from exec cruiser to B-road slayer. The acceleration always feels absolutely instant, hugely muscular
and entirely linear - the stats tell you that all 461lb ft is with you from 2500rpm to 5500rpm but you're never
really aware of it coming on stream or tapering off- the gear changes are robustly instant thanks to a torque
converter that locks from second gear onwards to abolish that frustrating slush, and the steering ups its
game, giving you weight to work against as you commit more fiercely to bends.
And, you know what, despite the massive power and torque reserves, the traction is actually very good
indeed. I try to get the rear end working and at first I'm too tentative, too mindful of the XFR's rep as a tyredetonating
mobile, so I start by going deep into slow corners before timidly flattening the accelerator and
emerging with something of a tank slapper. with acclimatisation I learn it's all about having the confidence in
the chassis to go in early, so I accelerate gently but insistently just as I'm turning into a second gear turn,
the back progressively relinquishes grip and I slide through the bend while having a quick enough steering
rack to keep my hands in the same position, then pull for third and, ahem, overtake the poor bloke I'm tailing
whose eyes are by now actually bigger than his rear-view mirror.
after half an hour I've totally bonded with the XFR and even eke a delightful smudge of oversteer through a
fast, well-sighted corner in third and involuntarily yelp in delight. I know, I know, it sounds mad and
irresponsible, but these roads are deserted and the limits are lower on this car and easier to read than in,
say, an M5, so if you've got even a mill of superplus in your veins you'll get curious, you'll get braver and
eventually you'll learn to exploit the XFR and trust its benign balance.
If anything the XFR doesn't work quite as well as 2008's superb XKrS on these roads, but it's only when you
start pushing to the extremes that you notice. You can't quite work the front end as hard, don't feel quite as
confident leaning all the weight of the nose on the sidewalls of those 20in tyres, can't quite take as many
liberties with your inputs as you could in the nimbler XK. no, the better bet is to ease back a little, plan
further ahead and attack the bends in a more thoughtful, more joined-up manner. Do that and you'll have a
blast, and, really, to ask for more is a little greedy. I'd honestly take the small dynamic penalty for the extra
all-round ability. That said, the engineers nudge and wink and hint about getting ready for the upcoming M5,
quiz me on what I'd want out of, oooh, let's say an XFRS, and mention that the same-sized wheels with
wider front tyres might add the extra bite I crave. Seriously chaps, only do it if the car's equally comfortable at
a cruise.
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 8
We rendezvous with Mike Cross and roll into Anglesey race circuit in convoy just as thick black clouds roll in
from the Irish Sea, pelting the circuit with heavy slugs of cold, hard rain. The grass at the edge of the circuit
glows a lustrous green and quickly saturates, and the track surface runs a glossy black with streaming
water. Yikes. Cross tells me that the new E-diff- a good old-fashioned English name as pub landlord al
Murray might comment - is great because it gives you traction when exiting junctions and is safer during
emergency lane changes. But it's also very good when you knock all the traction aids off and go absolutely
mental, isn't it Mike? 'Yes, that too,' he smirks. 'That too.' On cue we're into a fast corner, Cross confidently
and smoothly kicking the tail out while keeping hold of the wheel with one hand, a benefit of the faster
steering rack. It's different to my own technique of letting the steering wheel slip through my fingers as the
car swings to its maximum angle, before holding it firmly and feeding it with both hands to control it on exit
as the attitude reduces and the threat of a snap back in the other direction looms large. each to his own, and
the one-handed approach obviously works soundly enough for Cross. I reckon his sideways face is far
superior to mine, though.
Cross is incredibly proud of the XFR. 'It's the first time we've had all the componentry - the more powerful
engine, the E-diff, the stronger structure, the transmission- to go head-to-head with the Germans,' he
reveals. 'But when we started work on the car I was worried that the engine could dominate the package. It
doesn't, and I'm really pleased with the way all the components work together in harmony.'
After a couple of very fast sideways passenger laps I head out in my XFR, select Dynamic ('it'll let you hit the
limiter with that selected,' says Cross), hold down the traction control button for the regulation 10 seconds
and twist the rotary gear controller to Sport so that the auto mode won't intervene when I use the paddles.
at first we lap separately, exploring each and every corner in relative safety, all of which, as luck would have
it, are on for a bit of tomfoolery, even if some are dauntingly fast and initially invite a cautious approach that,
ironically, makes failure even more likely. with the surface so wet and the XFR so soft - the very reason it
works so well on the roads we've just driven - there's some frustrating understeer to manage at first,
especially on the slower corners, though the faster ones bring speed, and with that comes the potential for
weight transfer - the ultimate understeer bypass.
The soft chassis also brings weight transfer at the slide's end, meaning a progressive lift off the throttle and a
controlled drift back in the opposite direction is the best option for a smooth exit, odd as it at first feels to be
swinging away from the corner and back. The diff feels fantastic, always like it wants to hold a secure, fairly
straight slide that you work to tweak. It responds instantaneously too.
Before long our sliding cars are tucking up next to each other, Cross leading as I dive in alongside him, me
always wondering if his heroic amounts of steering lock will turn into a spin, him remaining resolutely focused
on his exit strategy. Soon enough we learn to trust each other, and the entry speeds become ever dafter and
dafter with judicious egging on from our camera and video crew - you can see the video on
carmagazine.co.uk-and some local builders. 'Faster!' 'Closer!' 'Crash!' It's laugh-out-loud ridiculous.
But let's not be immodest here - it isn't two days packed full of perfectly controlled powerslides and
beautifully balletic transitions. Sometimes I run out of lock and Cross has to take evasive action; other times
he spins in front of me and I have to quickly stand on the stoppers. 'They say to aim for the spinning car,'
Cross will say later, and we'll both stand there mulling it over and umming before deciding that, no, 'they've'
actually come up with a spectacularly bad idea. when we finally stop we're laughing at the sheer lunacy of it
all, relieved that both XFRs have emerged unscathed, but mentally and physically exhausted - my left knee
is heavily bruised from constantly bracing it against the transmission tunnel during big slides, my legs feel
lead weight heavy and my right foot twinges with biting cramp. Seriously, it's proper hard work, this. not that
I'm expecting any sympathy. Yet barely 10 minutes after the track has closed for the night, Mike Cross is
back to his newspaper-and-slippers best, talking about what a mess his two daughters make when they
come home from university and how he likes to relax by tinkering with his beloved motorbike when it all
becomes too much. Intelligent, reserved but with a wicked sense of fun, Mike Cross and the XFR are perfect
metaphors for each other. They just couldn't be more similar.
01 May 10, CAR, Ben Barry
Ask any of the team behind the XFR about what shaped this car's gestation and you'll hear one word again
and again: duality-the balancing of everyday refinement, luxury and usability with a raucous streak. They'll
also talk about trying to get the personality of the team to shine through in their product. It does, but Mike
Cross - a real-life Jekyll and Hyde - best sums up that ethos.
Meet Jaguar's chassis guru and you'll be struck by how understated his gestures are, how measured he is
in conversation. You might picture him spending Saturday night with a cuppa, a pair of slippers and the
paper. Yet here's a man who'll throw a Jaguar up the narrow Goodwood hill climb, pitching it sideways
before corner entry and exiting with a trail of tyre smoke and a stunned silence from the crowd. The man can
drive. now I've got two days with him at an empty Anglesey circuit, plus a van full of tyres and a pair of XFRs
that are raring to go. Faintly intimidating, hugely exciting.
Two days earlier and the security barrier at Whitley lifts to grant us access to Jaguar's engineering HQ.
There are XJ mules, the first XFR prototype, other cars with mismatched black and red wheels. 'red means
the wheels are the correct weight and strength, so they're essential for chassis development,' explains an
engineer. 'That's probably a powertrain development car, so it's not so important if all the wheels aren't quite
right.'
Around 200 people worked on the XFR, but closer to 10 really shaped it, and today we've got six of them
together, Cross being otherwise engaged with Jaguar Land Rover owner Ratan Tata.
The vibe is laddish pub banter. There's Big graham, Baby-Faced Matt, talk of a fledgling band that they
should really get out gigging, puns that can't be printed in a family magazine and jibes for vehicle refinement
engineer Stuart Adlard. 'remember the sign-off run for the XFR in Germany?' chortles vehicle engineering
manager Graham Williams. 'he thought he'd got through the worst on the autobahn...' 'Yeah, rang me wife,
said I'd done the worst bit,' nods Adlard, staring at the floor. 'Pffft. Then we took him on the back roads,' says
Big graham. 'his face! remember!? Pffft. Your face, mate!'
In fact, such is the incessant, blue-collar Mickey-taking it's easy to forget that every one of the blokes here is
hugely skilled, has massively, obsessively specialised knowledge and can talk eloquently about the minutiae
of engineering components that some drivers wouldn't miss if they were removed altogether.
'we started working on the XFR just as we were making the first XF prototypes,' says vehicle integrity
engineer Jeff Mitchell. 'we could only guess at how the press and public would react to that car, so in some
ways it was a shot in the dark to be already making the hot version. But we set out to build a car that was
more tactile than the Merc CLS AMG, not as daunting as an M5, and I was confident that we were moving in
the right direction.'
It started in 2007 with an XF mule equipped with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and electronic differential,
the latter shared with Land Rover but massively retuned for performance work. 'They're blunt instruments at
first,' says chief programme engineer Kevin Stride. 'we do tuning batches, so different prototypes focus on
different aspects - chassis, powertrain, refinement and so on.'
By November 2007 the team had a representative prototype - the same mule that Cross would later scorch
up the Goodwood hill come summer 2008-and came together to finesse the disparate elements into one
harmonious whole. 'we had what we call a basic hygiene level,' explains Stride. 'The maths give you a level of
competence, but you don't really know how it feels. we wanted to shift that competence to excellence, and to
do that we had to trust one another and go more by feel.'
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 6
The steering rack became 15% quicker for greater agility; the standard car's fixed-rate dampers were
replaced with continuously variable Bilsteins; the engine swelled from the 4.2-litre supercharged V8 seen in
previous hot XKs to a healthier 5.0-litre; the electronic diff was tuned to tame the 503bhp and 461lb ft going
to the rear wheels; 35 different rear exhaust boxes were tried before the team hit on just the right kind of
cultured note.
The press launch came in early 2009. Car placed the XFR above Audi's RS6 and BMW's M5; other positive
reviews followed. 'They couldn't have been much better,' smiles Kevin Stride. 'But I think the high point was
beating the M5 in a one-marque German title. Bet their readers loved that!'
1 SUSPENSION
The XFR doesn't have in-car adjustable dampers, but its hydraulic Bilstein units are continuously variable,
meaning they are supple at low speed but firm up in direct relation to building cornering forces thanks to a
solenoid-operated bypass valve that alters the hydraulic pressure. Endless variations were tested and
discarded. The XF Diesel S's less-than-perfect ride will soon be improved by adopting the XFR's tech.
2 DIFF...
With 503bhp and 461lb ft, the engineers knew they couldn't stick with the open differentials previously used.
Unlike other manufacturers' traction control-based electronic differentials, Jaguar's E-diff is a proper
mechanical unit, but it's electronically controlled. 'A normal locking differential is passive and has to react to
slip,' explains engineer Tim Clark. 'So it has to be very tight to be effective which isn't so good for everyday
refinement. The E-diff is active, so it calculates steering angle, torque, wheel slip and yaw and responds
instantaneously. It can also lock by 100% on acceleration and deceleration where most locking diffs are 20-
30%. But it's more like an open diff in normal driving, and so more refined.'
3...AND GEARBOX
The E-differential hooks up with a conventional-sounding six-speed torque converter gearbox (yes, okay, it's
at the front of the car and you can't actually see it here), but one that hides a few tricks up its sleeve. For
instance, the converter slurs for silky smooth parking manoeuvres, but locks from second gear onwards for
direct gearshifts. The software is also in-car tweakable. Stay in Drive and the auto mode will always prevail,
even if you occasionally intervene on the paddles. Select Sport and the shift mode becomes more
aggressive and won t revert to auto once you've selected a gear via the paddle-shifters. Sport also adapts to
your driving style, but it will still change up at the limiter. Press Dynamic and you can hit the limiter, the
suspension and steering subtlety firm up and the gearbox limits the extent to which it adapts - it will always
retain a slightly manic edge, no matter how docile your driving. In all modes the kick-down step is still active.
Elsewhere, winter mode brings a 10-15% less aggressive throttle, plus more lenient traction control (some
wheel slip is beneficial in snow...) and earlier stability control intervention (...while getting out of shape isn't).
4 EXHAUST
Unlike Aston Martins, which use active bypass valves to make their exhausts suddenly louder above a
certain rpm threshold, the XFR uses a progressive valve so the soundtrack swells from barely noticeable at
cruising speeds to an insistent, throaty gurgle under heavier throttle loads. Asymmetric exhausts bring more
of an offbeat burble, and, during development, hatches cut in the silencers gave the engineers easy access
to experiment with baffles and fine-tune the soundtrack.
Now it's time to reacquaint myself with the XFR on the excellent welsh roads that all Jaguars are honed on,
before hooking up with Mike Cross and heading to the sweeping corners, dramatic elevation changes and
epic cliff top views of Anglesey race circuit.
There's nothing like an exciting car to overcome a horrifically early start and I positively bound out of the
house at 5.30am, plip the keyfob and sink into the XFR's plush leather chairs, press the starter button and
listen as the engine settles with a breathy, offbeat woofle that sounds ocean liner unstressed. There's a
loungey ambience inhere that reminds of gentlemen's clubs, understated evening wear and business class
travel- even the bottoms of the cupholders look like they've been turned from hunks of solid metal.
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 7
The world feels like a safer, warmer place and, for the first time ever, I select radio 3 on the DAB radio, ramp
up the volume and let those sweepingly epic classical numbers seep through the Bowers and Wilkins stereo
system. Then catch myself- I'm not that old yet -and realise I really should make the most of Dev on radio 1
before that oaf Chris Moyles comes on at 6.30am.
I absolutely 100% convince myself that it's a long four-hour run and it's probably best not to turn the traction
control system off, but the maladjusted side of my brain takes over and I find myself reaching down and holding the
button for 10 seconds to ensure all safety nets are removed. Ten seconds is too long when you spy a slideable bend,
so you might as well be ready for sergeant sideways duty.
Cambridgeshire A-roads and dual carriageways are effortlessly dispatched in darkness before daylight
dawns with a soporific grey blue pallor and we're onto the M6, skirting around Birmingham, spearing west
towards wales on the M54.
The steering feels incredibly light and quick to react without being nervous, and it still telegraphs enough
road surface data to keep you informed; the throttle response is quite edgy, at first slightly clumsy, but you
learn to modulate it more gently, tipping it in, easing it out; the chassis flows with the undulations of the road
and subdues most secondary imperfections, but isn't so cosseting as to entirely quell the fizz of a chassis
interacting with tarmac; and the gearbox - a disappointing sounding six-speeder- actually works superbly,
offering all the silky manners of a torque converterwith quick changes and a well-reasoned auto logic.
By the time the A5 gets interesting I've been driving for well over two hours and couldn't have felt much
fresher in a Mercedes S-class. Then the fun begins as I dive down a B-road and start to work the XFR more
aggressively. The V8 takes on a harder edge, I switch to selecting gears on the paddles and the car instantly
morphs from exec cruiser to B-road slayer. The acceleration always feels absolutely instant, hugely muscular
and entirely linear - the stats tell you that all 461lb ft is with you from 2500rpm to 5500rpm but you're never
really aware of it coming on stream or tapering off- the gear changes are robustly instant thanks to a torque
converter that locks from second gear onwards to abolish that frustrating slush, and the steering ups its
game, giving you weight to work against as you commit more fiercely to bends.
And, you know what, despite the massive power and torque reserves, the traction is actually very good
indeed. I try to get the rear end working and at first I'm too tentative, too mindful of the XFR's rep as a tyredetonating
mobile, so I start by going deep into slow corners before timidly flattening the accelerator and
emerging with something of a tank slapper. with acclimatisation I learn it's all about having the confidence in
the chassis to go in early, so I accelerate gently but insistently just as I'm turning into a second gear turn,
the back progressively relinquishes grip and I slide through the bend while having a quick enough steering
rack to keep my hands in the same position, then pull for third and, ahem, overtake the poor bloke I'm tailing
whose eyes are by now actually bigger than his rear-view mirror.
after half an hour I've totally bonded with the XFR and even eke a delightful smudge of oversteer through a
fast, well-sighted corner in third and involuntarily yelp in delight. I know, I know, it sounds mad and
irresponsible, but these roads are deserted and the limits are lower on this car and easier to read than in,
say, an M5, so if you've got even a mill of superplus in your veins you'll get curious, you'll get braver and
eventually you'll learn to exploit the XFR and trust its benign balance.
If anything the XFR doesn't work quite as well as 2008's superb XKrS on these roads, but it's only when you
start pushing to the extremes that you notice. You can't quite work the front end as hard, don't feel quite as
confident leaning all the weight of the nose on the sidewalls of those 20in tyres, can't quite take as many
liberties with your inputs as you could in the nimbler XK. no, the better bet is to ease back a little, plan
further ahead and attack the bends in a more thoughtful, more joined-up manner. Do that and you'll have a
blast, and, really, to ask for more is a little greedy. I'd honestly take the small dynamic penalty for the extra
all-round ability. That said, the engineers nudge and wink and hint about getting ready for the upcoming M5,
quiz me on what I'd want out of, oooh, let's say an XFRS, and mention that the same-sized wheels with
wider front tyres might add the extra bite I crave. Seriously chaps, only do it if the car's equally comfortable at
a cruise.
Jaguar News
23 Apr. 10
Produced by Jaguar Land Rover Public Affairs 8
We rendezvous with Mike Cross and roll into Anglesey race circuit in convoy just as thick black clouds roll in
from the Irish Sea, pelting the circuit with heavy slugs of cold, hard rain. The grass at the edge of the circuit
glows a lustrous green and quickly saturates, and the track surface runs a glossy black with streaming
water. Yikes. Cross tells me that the new E-diff- a good old-fashioned English name as pub landlord al
Murray might comment - is great because it gives you traction when exiting junctions and is safer during
emergency lane changes. But it's also very good when you knock all the traction aids off and go absolutely
mental, isn't it Mike? 'Yes, that too,' he smirks. 'That too.' On cue we're into a fast corner, Cross confidently
and smoothly kicking the tail out while keeping hold of the wheel with one hand, a benefit of the faster
steering rack. It's different to my own technique of letting the steering wheel slip through my fingers as the
car swings to its maximum angle, before holding it firmly and feeding it with both hands to control it on exit
as the attitude reduces and the threat of a snap back in the other direction looms large. each to his own, and
the one-handed approach obviously works soundly enough for Cross. I reckon his sideways face is far
superior to mine, though.
Cross is incredibly proud of the XFR. 'It's the first time we've had all the componentry - the more powerful
engine, the E-diff, the stronger structure, the transmission- to go head-to-head with the Germans,' he
reveals. 'But when we started work on the car I was worried that the engine could dominate the package. It
doesn't, and I'm really pleased with the way all the components work together in harmony.'
After a couple of very fast sideways passenger laps I head out in my XFR, select Dynamic ('it'll let you hit the
limiter with that selected,' says Cross), hold down the traction control button for the regulation 10 seconds
and twist the rotary gear controller to Sport so that the auto mode won't intervene when I use the paddles.
at first we lap separately, exploring each and every corner in relative safety, all of which, as luck would have
it, are on for a bit of tomfoolery, even if some are dauntingly fast and initially invite a cautious approach that,
ironically, makes failure even more likely. with the surface so wet and the XFR so soft - the very reason it
works so well on the roads we've just driven - there's some frustrating understeer to manage at first,
especially on the slower corners, though the faster ones bring speed, and with that comes the potential for
weight transfer - the ultimate understeer bypass.
The soft chassis also brings weight transfer at the slide's end, meaning a progressive lift off the throttle and a
controlled drift back in the opposite direction is the best option for a smooth exit, odd as it at first feels to be
swinging away from the corner and back. The diff feels fantastic, always like it wants to hold a secure, fairly
straight slide that you work to tweak. It responds instantaneously too.
Before long our sliding cars are tucking up next to each other, Cross leading as I dive in alongside him, me
always wondering if his heroic amounts of steering lock will turn into a spin, him remaining resolutely focused
on his exit strategy. Soon enough we learn to trust each other, and the entry speeds become ever dafter and
dafter with judicious egging on from our camera and video crew - you can see the video on
carmagazine.co.uk-and some local builders. 'Faster!' 'Closer!' 'Crash!' It's laugh-out-loud ridiculous.
But let's not be immodest here - it isn't two days packed full of perfectly controlled powerslides and
beautifully balletic transitions. Sometimes I run out of lock and Cross has to take evasive action; other times
he spins in front of me and I have to quickly stand on the stoppers. 'They say to aim for the spinning car,'
Cross will say later, and we'll both stand there mulling it over and umming before deciding that, no, 'they've'
actually come up with a spectacularly bad idea. when we finally stop we're laughing at the sheer lunacy of it
all, relieved that both XFRs have emerged unscathed, but mentally and physically exhausted - my left knee
is heavily bruised from constantly bracing it against the transmission tunnel during big slides, my legs feel
lead weight heavy and my right foot twinges with biting cramp. Seriously, it's proper hard work, this. not that
I'm expecting any sympathy. Yet barely 10 minutes after the track has closed for the night, Mike Cross is
back to his newspaper-and-slippers best, talking about what a mess his two daughters make when they
come home from university and how he likes to relax by tinkering with his beloved motorbike when it all
becomes too much. Intelligent, reserved but with a wicked sense of fun, Mike Cross and the XFR are perfect
metaphors for each other. They just couldn't be more similar.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
2011 Jaguar XJ To Hit U.S. Dealers Next Month,
Company Looking For 50% Growth
12 Apr 10, AUTOBLOG, Steven J. Ewing
The 2011 Jaguar XJ is certainly a drastic departure from Ye Olde Saloon that went out of production last
summer. The new car adds some much needed sex appeal to the flagship Jag, and as we found out in our
first drive, it's a pretty good steer, as well. Jaguar is hoping that consumers will appreciate the reworked
sedan, too – the automaker is hoping to boost overall sales by 50 percent when the 2011 XJ hits dealerships
around the world next month.
According to Automotive News, Jaguar sales dropped 21 percent last year – only 51,885 units being moved
worldwide (11,955 of which were in the United States). The automaker is counting on the XJ to increase
overall sales numbers to around 75,000 units, with one Jaguar spokesperson saying that the XJ will reignite
interest in the brand, though the less expensive XK and XF ranges will still continue to be the lead sellers.
The 2011 XJ is certainly priced and equipped to compete with the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Mercedes-
Benz S Class, but can it seriously boost Jaguar's sales numbers? We certainly hope so, and be sure to give
us your opinion in the comments below.
Company Looking For 50% Growth
12 Apr 10, AUTOBLOG, Steven J. Ewing
The 2011 Jaguar XJ is certainly a drastic departure from Ye Olde Saloon that went out of production last
summer. The new car adds some much needed sex appeal to the flagship Jag, and as we found out in our
first drive, it's a pretty good steer, as well. Jaguar is hoping that consumers will appreciate the reworked
sedan, too – the automaker is hoping to boost overall sales by 50 percent when the 2011 XJ hits dealerships
around the world next month.
According to Automotive News, Jaguar sales dropped 21 percent last year – only 51,885 units being moved
worldwide (11,955 of which were in the United States). The automaker is counting on the XJ to increase
overall sales numbers to around 75,000 units, with one Jaguar spokesperson saying that the XJ will reignite
interest in the brand, though the less expensive XK and XF ranges will still continue to be the lead sellers.
The 2011 XJ is certainly priced and equipped to compete with the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Mercedes-
Benz S Class, but can it seriously boost Jaguar's sales numbers? We certainly hope so, and be sure to give
us your opinion in the comments below.
Jaguar Pins Future Sales Hopes On Forthcoming 2011
XJ
14 Apr 10, AUTOMOBILE MAG Online, Benson Kong
Jaguar expects a big sales boost when the redesigned 2011 XJ sedan is released next month. The Tata
Motors-owned British automaker needs the XJ to be its “shot in the arm.”
The Coventry-based automaker expects it new flagship luxury sedan to drum up interest and draw more
followers looking for “sporty, stylish, and exclusive cars,” according to Managing Director Mike O‟Driscoll.
Jaguar brass are aiming for as much as a 50-percent increase in sales worldwide.
Last year, Jaguar sold just 51,855 vehicles (down 21 percent versus 2008) around the globe, with 11,955
(down 19 percent) of those originating from U.S. dealers. Jaguar stopped producing the 2009 XJ last
summer, and after primarily relying on the XF midsize sedan and niche XK coupe for the better part of 2010,
new product is a breath of fresh air. Gary Temple, president of Jaguar Land Rover North America,
acknowledged the departure of the previous-generation XJ made the brand nearly “a one-model company.”
The upcoming 2011 XJ bows next month, and despite sharing underpinnings with the last-gen model, this
version features all-new, modern bodywork. Available in short and long wheelbases, the XJ will be
competing with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Maserati Quattroporte, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Pricing
starts at $72,500, including destination, and runs as high as $115,000 for the long-wheelbase XJL
Supersport.
For the first time in its history, Jaguar will be launching a car in four major markets simultaneously: China,
Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. With the 2011 XJ in its arsenal, Jaguar currently has
its sights set on selling 75,000 cars this year.
XJ
14 Apr 10, AUTOMOBILE MAG Online, Benson Kong
Jaguar expects a big sales boost when the redesigned 2011 XJ sedan is released next month. The Tata
Motors-owned British automaker needs the XJ to be its “shot in the arm.”
The Coventry-based automaker expects it new flagship luxury sedan to drum up interest and draw more
followers looking for “sporty, stylish, and exclusive cars,” according to Managing Director Mike O‟Driscoll.
Jaguar brass are aiming for as much as a 50-percent increase in sales worldwide.
Last year, Jaguar sold just 51,855 vehicles (down 21 percent versus 2008) around the globe, with 11,955
(down 19 percent) of those originating from U.S. dealers. Jaguar stopped producing the 2009 XJ last
summer, and after primarily relying on the XF midsize sedan and niche XK coupe for the better part of 2010,
new product is a breath of fresh air. Gary Temple, president of Jaguar Land Rover North America,
acknowledged the departure of the previous-generation XJ made the brand nearly “a one-model company.”
The upcoming 2011 XJ bows next month, and despite sharing underpinnings with the last-gen model, this
version features all-new, modern bodywork. Available in short and long wheelbases, the XJ will be
competing with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Maserati Quattroporte, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Pricing
starts at $72,500, including destination, and runs as high as $115,000 for the long-wheelbase XJL
Supersport.
For the first time in its history, Jaguar will be launching a car in four major markets simultaneously: China,
Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. With the 2011 XJ in its arsenal, Jaguar currently has
its sights set on selling 75,000 cars this year.
Monday, 12 April 2010
The 2011 Jaguar XK Series
The Cat's Whiskers Among Coupés
11 Apr 10, THE SUNDAY TIMES, Jason Dawe
UK --- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but frankly, if the Jaguar XK doesn't make you weak at the knees
you need your eyes tested. The British grand touring coupé makes German sports cars seem as soulless as
politicians, and while their Italian equivalents are initially exciting, their novelty soon wears thin.
Launched in the spring of 2006, 10 years after the original model, the second-generation XK showed that
Jaguar could compete with the best of them.
Built of lightweight aluminium, it performed like a true thoroughbred and yet featured real-world practicalities
such as a lifting tailgate and rear seats you could fit the kids into.
Today one could be yours for less than half the price when new, and the pick of the range is unquestionably
the XKR. For about £32,000 you get a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 developing 420bhp; enough to make the hair
on the back of your neck stand on end.
The R's 0-60mph time of just 4.9 seconds confirms that there is no shortage of pace, but arguably even more
impressive is the way the engine relays its power through the standard six-speed automatic gearbox.
Smooth-shifting and ultra-quick between the gears, it also lets you change ratios manually for a more
involving drive, using steeringmounted paddles.
On the road the XKR's light body and finely tuned suspension system endow the car with a dual personality.
At low speeds the Cats suspension (computer active technology suspension) relaxes the damper settings
into pampering mode, while the rigid body ensures solid, impressively silent progress.
Push the Jag hard and the suspension stiffens to minimise body-roll, pitch and dive, giving the big coupé a
nimble, surefooted feel. A semi-active exhaust system changes the sound of the engine under hard
acceleration, the V8 sounding superb when performing to the maximum, but fading into the background when
cruising gently.
Another big step up from the firstgeneration model is the quality of the cabin's fixtures and fittings. All XKRs
gained an excellent touchscreen satellite navigation system and a centreconsole-mounted starter button. The
large, electrically adjusted front seats memorise the ideal seating position and provide a wide range of
adjustment, so occupants of all sizes can get comfortable. The admittedly tight rear seats can be folded flat to
create extra storage space to supplement what is already a good-sized boot.
Enhancements in early 2009 saw a move to 5-litre direct-injection V8 engines, which substantially increased
power outputs — to 385bhp and 510bhp respectively for the XK and XKR. Jaguar also introduced a rotary
gear selector system, similar to that of the XF saloon.
This may sound bold, but once the iconic E-type was discontinued, Jaguar sports cars became rather hit and
miss. The second XKR hit the mark, though, and Jaguar once again produces one of the world's finest
sports coupés.
RELIABILITY AND SERVICING
Unlike some exotic luxury coupés, running a Jaguar XKR need not be a painful financial experience. The
standard 10,000-mile/12-month service looks decidedly good value at £220, and even the major 60,000-mile
dealer visit is quoted at £340. Jaguar has also avoided building in anything mechanical that might require
costly and involved maintenance later in life — the use of a durable chain for the camshaft drive (rather than
a belt) being a case in point.
The six-speed automatic transmission is well proven and rarely gives any trouble, while the car's uprated
brakes handle normal usage pretty well.
The XKR's supercharged performance means the big cat can eat through rear tyres if driven hard, and the
20in rims (once optional but standard since the introduction of the 5-litre engine) are prone to scuffing, so it's
best to budget for replacements. The 19in tyres, standard on the 4.2-litre model, should set you back
between £230 and £280 per corner, depending on whether it's the narrower front or wider rear tyre.
All new XKRs come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, so many used examples will still enjoy
comprehensive cover, making it worth your while to have a second-hand car checked over by a Jaguar
dealer while the warranty is valid. Steer clear of examples with any signs of body damage — good repairs
should be invisible to the untrained eye, and bad ones can be a lingering sign of a chequered history.
RESIDUALS
Once upon a time, buying a Jaguar had to be a case of the heart ruling the head. The British car maker lost
out in terms of residual values when compared with the likes of BMW and Porsche, but today the picture is
quite different and residual values for the XKR now rank among the best in the industry.
With an already generous standard specification, the XKR is likely to have few of those costly extras that can
exaggerate a car's list price when new, and only result in heavy depreciation when used. Classic colour
combinations with a dark exterior and light interior (or vice-versa) work well on the XKR, while the lack of
outrageous colours helps with the resale.
When new, the XKR commanded a premium of about £10,000 over the standard XK, but today this has
eroded to between £4,000 and £6,000 on used examples. You will pay a modest premium for upgraded
alloys (the 20in rims look great) and features such as the clever adaptive cruise control.
With the used-car market still suffering from a relative shortage of stock — particularly of the 5-litre variant —
values remain solid. The outlook for the XKR in coming years is good, as it continues to provide a nearperfectblend of practicality, performance and prestige.
11 Apr 10, THE SUNDAY TIMES, Jason Dawe
UK --- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but frankly, if the Jaguar XK doesn't make you weak at the knees
you need your eyes tested. The British grand touring coupé makes German sports cars seem as soulless as
politicians, and while their Italian equivalents are initially exciting, their novelty soon wears thin.
Launched in the spring of 2006, 10 years after the original model, the second-generation XK showed that
Jaguar could compete with the best of them.
Built of lightweight aluminium, it performed like a true thoroughbred and yet featured real-world practicalities
such as a lifting tailgate and rear seats you could fit the kids into.
Today one could be yours for less than half the price when new, and the pick of the range is unquestionably
the XKR. For about £32,000 you get a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 developing 420bhp; enough to make the hair
on the back of your neck stand on end.
The R's 0-60mph time of just 4.9 seconds confirms that there is no shortage of pace, but arguably even more
impressive is the way the engine relays its power through the standard six-speed automatic gearbox.
Smooth-shifting and ultra-quick between the gears, it also lets you change ratios manually for a more
involving drive, using steeringmounted paddles.
On the road the XKR's light body and finely tuned suspension system endow the car with a dual personality.
At low speeds the Cats suspension (computer active technology suspension) relaxes the damper settings
into pampering mode, while the rigid body ensures solid, impressively silent progress.
Push the Jag hard and the suspension stiffens to minimise body-roll, pitch and dive, giving the big coupé a
nimble, surefooted feel. A semi-active exhaust system changes the sound of the engine under hard
acceleration, the V8 sounding superb when performing to the maximum, but fading into the background when
cruising gently.
Another big step up from the firstgeneration model is the quality of the cabin's fixtures and fittings. All XKRs
gained an excellent touchscreen satellite navigation system and a centreconsole-mounted starter button. The
large, electrically adjusted front seats memorise the ideal seating position and provide a wide range of
adjustment, so occupants of all sizes can get comfortable. The admittedly tight rear seats can be folded flat to
create extra storage space to supplement what is already a good-sized boot.
Enhancements in early 2009 saw a move to 5-litre direct-injection V8 engines, which substantially increased
power outputs — to 385bhp and 510bhp respectively for the XK and XKR. Jaguar also introduced a rotary
gear selector system, similar to that of the XF saloon.
This may sound bold, but once the iconic E-type was discontinued, Jaguar sports cars became rather hit and
miss. The second XKR hit the mark, though, and Jaguar once again produces one of the world's finest
sports coupés.
RELIABILITY AND SERVICING
Unlike some exotic luxury coupés, running a Jaguar XKR need not be a painful financial experience. The
standard 10,000-mile/12-month service looks decidedly good value at £220, and even the major 60,000-mile
dealer visit is quoted at £340. Jaguar has also avoided building in anything mechanical that might require
costly and involved maintenance later in life — the use of a durable chain for the camshaft drive (rather than
a belt) being a case in point.
The six-speed automatic transmission is well proven and rarely gives any trouble, while the car's uprated
brakes handle normal usage pretty well.
The XKR's supercharged performance means the big cat can eat through rear tyres if driven hard, and the
20in rims (once optional but standard since the introduction of the 5-litre engine) are prone to scuffing, so it's
best to budget for replacements. The 19in tyres, standard on the 4.2-litre model, should set you back
between £230 and £280 per corner, depending on whether it's the narrower front or wider rear tyre.
All new XKRs come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, so many used examples will still enjoy
comprehensive cover, making it worth your while to have a second-hand car checked over by a Jaguar
dealer while the warranty is valid. Steer clear of examples with any signs of body damage — good repairs
should be invisible to the untrained eye, and bad ones can be a lingering sign of a chequered history.
RESIDUALS
Once upon a time, buying a Jaguar had to be a case of the heart ruling the head. The British car maker lost
out in terms of residual values when compared with the likes of BMW and Porsche, but today the picture is
quite different and residual values for the XKR now rank among the best in the industry.
With an already generous standard specification, the XKR is likely to have few of those costly extras that can
exaggerate a car's list price when new, and only result in heavy depreciation when used. Classic colour
combinations with a dark exterior and light interior (or vice-versa) work well on the XKR, while the lack of
outrageous colours helps with the resale.
When new, the XKR commanded a premium of about £10,000 over the standard XK, but today this has
eroded to between £4,000 and £6,000 on used examples. You will pay a modest premium for upgraded
alloys (the 20in rims look great) and features such as the clever adaptive cruise control.
With the used-car market still suffering from a relative shortage of stock — particularly of the 5-litre variant —
values remain solid. The outlook for the XKR in coming years is good, as it continues to provide a nearperfectblend of practicality, performance and prestige.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
India: India, China Rising As Car Consuming Nations:
Congress Report
06 Apr 10, DAILY THE PAK BANKER
USA / INDIA --- The rise of China and India as car consuming countries and fall of major US automakers last
year are candid reflections of the restructuring of the global auto industry, a Congressional report has said.
"GM's (General Motor) fall from being the undisputed largest car company in the world to No 2 status and the
rise of China and India as car-consuming nations illustrate the restructuring that is taking place in the global
motor vehicle industry," said the report prepared by the Congressional Research Service, an independent
bipartisan research wing of the US Congress.
The 72-page report 'The US Motor Vehicle Industry: Confronting a New Dynamic in the Global Economy'
takes note of the purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover by the Tatas last year and also the successful
launching of its Nano brand, the cheapest car in the world, which according to the CRS report has the
potential to storm the world as it gradually starts exporting outside India.
"The Indian subcontinent is entering a new, more robust investment stage for auto manufacturing," said the
report, dated March 26.
The CRS quoted a recent report, according to which India's exports of automobiles have surged as global
automakers turn the country into a production hub for compact cars. A host of companies such as Suzuki,
Ford, and Toyota plan to spend millions of dollars in the coming years to build auto plants in India.
Noting that Ford Motor had announced that it will build a new model, the Figo, in India for the Indian, Asia-
Pacific, and African market, the CRS said, "The company announced in September 2009 that it would invest
USD 500 million to double its production capacity to 200,000 units a year," it said.
"Indian automaker Tata is a highly diversified Indian conglomerate with global dimensions. Tata owns two
UK-based luxury carmakers, Jaguar and Land Rover, which it purchased from Ford Motor. Tata Motors
launched the Nano in India in 2009, at USD 2,500, it is the world's cheapest car," it said.
"The Nano has already passed European safety crash testing and is set to go on sale in Nigeria in 2010, in
Europe for about USD 8,000 in 2011, and in the US in 2012," it added.
Reva Electric Car is an entrepreneurial venture between Maini Group of India and AEV Llc of California,
which are backed by US investors, including General Motors. Reva is selling a small electric car in 22
countries worldwide for about USD 6,000, the report said.
Looking forward, the report said European automakers forecast a flat market in 2010, with foreign markets,
such as China and India offsetting much lower demand in Europe.
Congress Report
06 Apr 10, DAILY THE PAK BANKER
USA / INDIA --- The rise of China and India as car consuming countries and fall of major US automakers last
year are candid reflections of the restructuring of the global auto industry, a Congressional report has said.
"GM's (General Motor) fall from being the undisputed largest car company in the world to No 2 status and the
rise of China and India as car-consuming nations illustrate the restructuring that is taking place in the global
motor vehicle industry," said the report prepared by the Congressional Research Service, an independent
bipartisan research wing of the US Congress.
The 72-page report 'The US Motor Vehicle Industry: Confronting a New Dynamic in the Global Economy'
takes note of the purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover by the Tatas last year and also the successful
launching of its Nano brand, the cheapest car in the world, which according to the CRS report has the
potential to storm the world as it gradually starts exporting outside India.
"The Indian subcontinent is entering a new, more robust investment stage for auto manufacturing," said the
report, dated March 26.
The CRS quoted a recent report, according to which India's exports of automobiles have surged as global
automakers turn the country into a production hub for compact cars. A host of companies such as Suzuki,
Ford, and Toyota plan to spend millions of dollars in the coming years to build auto plants in India.
Noting that Ford Motor had announced that it will build a new model, the Figo, in India for the Indian, Asia-
Pacific, and African market, the CRS said, "The company announced in September 2009 that it would invest
USD 500 million to double its production capacity to 200,000 units a year," it said.
"Indian automaker Tata is a highly diversified Indian conglomerate with global dimensions. Tata owns two
UK-based luxury carmakers, Jaguar and Land Rover, which it purchased from Ford Motor. Tata Motors
launched the Nano in India in 2009, at USD 2,500, it is the world's cheapest car," it said.
"The Nano has already passed European safety crash testing and is set to go on sale in Nigeria in 2010, in
Europe for about USD 8,000 in 2011, and in the US in 2012," it added.
Reva Electric Car is an entrepreneurial venture between Maini Group of India and AEV Llc of California,
which are backed by US investors, including General Motors. Reva is selling a small electric car in 22
countries worldwide for about USD 6,000, the report said.
Looking forward, the report said European automakers forecast a flat market in 2010, with foreign markets,
such as China and India offsetting much lower demand in Europe.
Wrangling Big Cats At Jaguar’s New R Performance
Academy
05 Apr 10, CAR AND DRIVER Online, Mike Sutton
Beginning this year, Jaguar will include a one-day course at its newly established Jaguar R Performance
Academy with the purchase of a 510-hp XFR or XKR. (The same deal is retroactively applied to owners that
purchased a 2010 model last year.) Several journalists—myself included—recently had the opportunity to sit
in on the driving school‘s second meeting at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for an introduction to the
program and, of course, to have some fun with a couple of big cats.
The R Academy currently is a traveling road show of sorts that will visit various race tracks throughout the
year near the company‘s key markets, which include Las Vegas, as well as Miami (Homestead Miami
Speedway), Los Angeles (Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California), and New York (Monticello Motor
Club); a permanent home base for the school is still being looked into.
While the program is more of a responsible way for Jaguar to introduce new owners to the limits of their
cars—rather than a full-on track school for experienced handlers—the lessons and exercises that are taught
are crucial for anyone who enjoys driving quickly yet safely. And free track time never hurts; I‘ve spent a
considerable amount of time on race tracks, including another driving school, and still found the program to
be both helpful and very enjoyable. The R Academy also brings Jaguar up to par with other premium
carmakers, nearly all of which offer their owners some form of high-performance driving instruction, albeit for
a fee. What we like about Jaguar‘s setup is that it‘s included in the sticker prices of the XFR, XKR coupe,
and XKR convertible, which start at $80,000, $96,000, and $102,000, respectively. Jaguar says that only
XFR and XKR owners are eligible for the R program and that participants must use Jaguar‘s vehicles; those
that have a 2011 XJ Supersport on order are out of luck.
Although the setup may differ slightly by location, each event includes a classroom lesson on vehicle
dynamics and safety, along with autocross exercises and follow-the-leader lapping of a proper road course in
both XFR sedans and XKR coupes. Upon settling into the massive media center at the sprawling LVMS
complex—which includes 1.5- and 0.4-mile paved ovals, a smaller dirt oval, a 2.5-mile road course, a
quarter-mile drag strip, and several off-road tracks—we met our panel of instructors, including racers Roberto
Guerrero, Davy Jones, and Adam Andretti (Mario‘s nephew), among others, all of whom broke down the
intricacies of car control and smooth driving.
Once the instructors went over the settings for the cars‘ chassis electronics, we split into groups for a
morning of autocross lapping; one group on a conventional multi-turn course of cones, the other on a short,
tight oval that was designed to help you find and hit the proper entry and exit points of a corner. Drifting is not
the fast way around
Academy
05 Apr 10, CAR AND DRIVER Online, Mike Sutton
Beginning this year, Jaguar will include a one-day course at its newly established Jaguar R Performance
Academy with the purchase of a 510-hp XFR or XKR. (The same deal is retroactively applied to owners that
purchased a 2010 model last year.) Several journalists—myself included—recently had the opportunity to sit
in on the driving school‘s second meeting at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for an introduction to the
program and, of course, to have some fun with a couple of big cats.
The R Academy currently is a traveling road show of sorts that will visit various race tracks throughout the
year near the company‘s key markets, which include Las Vegas, as well as Miami (Homestead Miami
Speedway), Los Angeles (Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California), and New York (Monticello Motor
Club); a permanent home base for the school is still being looked into.
While the program is more of a responsible way for Jaguar to introduce new owners to the limits of their
cars—rather than a full-on track school for experienced handlers—the lessons and exercises that are taught
are crucial for anyone who enjoys driving quickly yet safely. And free track time never hurts; I‘ve spent a
considerable amount of time on race tracks, including another driving school, and still found the program to
be both helpful and very enjoyable. The R Academy also brings Jaguar up to par with other premium
carmakers, nearly all of which offer their owners some form of high-performance driving instruction, albeit for
a fee. What we like about Jaguar‘s setup is that it‘s included in the sticker prices of the XFR, XKR coupe,
and XKR convertible, which start at $80,000, $96,000, and $102,000, respectively. Jaguar says that only
XFR and XKR owners are eligible for the R program and that participants must use Jaguar‘s vehicles; those
that have a 2011 XJ Supersport on order are out of luck.
Although the setup may differ slightly by location, each event includes a classroom lesson on vehicle
dynamics and safety, along with autocross exercises and follow-the-leader lapping of a proper road course in
both XFR sedans and XKR coupes. Upon settling into the massive media center at the sprawling LVMS
complex—which includes 1.5- and 0.4-mile paved ovals, a smaller dirt oval, a 2.5-mile road course, a
quarter-mile drag strip, and several off-road tracks—we met our panel of instructors, including racers Roberto
Guerrero, Davy Jones, and Adam Andretti (Mario‘s nephew), among others, all of whom broke down the
intricacies of car control and smooth driving.
Once the instructors went over the settings for the cars‘ chassis electronics, we split into groups for a
morning of autocross lapping; one group on a conventional multi-turn course of cones, the other on a short,
tight oval that was designed to help you find and hit the proper entry and exit points of a corner. Drifting is not
the fast way around
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