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Jaguar has unveiled its fastest ever production car since its mighty XJ220 supercar.

The XKR-S is based on the standard Jaguar XKR, but a series of enhancements boost its performance and improve its focus as a drivers’ car.

The supercharged engine produces 420bhp, the ECU recalibrated to allow the XKR-S to reach a maximum of 174mph and sprint to 62mph in just 5.2 seconds.

Although there’s no boost in power, Jaguar promises that the 200 limited series run of XKR-S models will provide their drivers with greater thrills behind the wheel.

To achieve this, Jaguar’s engineers have completely recalibrated the XKR’s acclaimed CATS active suspension system. …continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Jaguar

Three bidders for Ford’s Jaguar and Land Rover marques remain in the process, said a person familiar with the matter on Friday, but India’s Tata still looks favourite to seal a deal which may not come until new year.Tata Motors (TAMO.BO: Quote, Profile, Research), rival Mahindra & Mahindra (MAHM.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) and U.S.-based private equity firm One Equity Partners emerged last month as the last bidders left in the race for the two luxury brands.

And they remain in the auction which is likely to fetch about 1 billion pounds, said the person, though Tata is viewed as most likely to eventually win the bid.

The Indian group has the backing of the UK-based brands’ unions and is viewed as a long-term owner that will invest in the units, the person told Reuters on Monday.

British media had earlier reported Ford was set to announce Tata as the preferred buyer for the brands on Friday, but the person said on Friday Ford has made no final decision on a clear frontrunner. […continued with Reuters Motoring News]

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mahindra-Mahindra, Tata

The luxury brand Jaguar is poised to join an Indian auto company that makes everything from tractor-trailers to the world’s least expensive car.Tata Motors is the front-runner in the race to buy Ford Motor’s Jaguar, as well as Land Rover, and a decision about a winning bidder could be made over the next few days, people close to the negotiations said. A final signed deal, expected to be worth about $2 billion, will not be announced until early next year, they said.

About the same time that a final deal may be announced, Tata Motors plans to roll out its “People’s Car,” with a price tag of about $2,500.

The combination of high-end, specialized products and less expensive ones may seem like an unlikely business model, but Tata Group, the sprawling family-run conglomerate that owns Tata Motors, is full of similar contradictions.

The company’s Taj Hotels command some of the highest rates in the world - one night in a luxury suite in the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai can cost 110,000 rupees, or $2,795. But the Tata Group is also building a chain of no-frills hotels around India, with rates as low as 1,499 rupees a night for a double room in some cities.…continued

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Business, Ford, India, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mahindra-Mahindra

‘Cave drawings’ show the way for Jaguar and Land Rover

Jaguar and Land Rover today revealed plans for a new industry-leading design facility that will draw on advanced audio visual technologies with the projection power of eight cinemas to significantly speed up product development cycles. Some $4million is to be invested in a state-of-the-art ‘Virtual Reality Centre’ which will allow engineers and designers to see in life-size three-dimension, models of vehicles and components. It will reduce the need for physical prototypes, saving both time and money in the process.

The most advanced facility of its kind in the world, Jaguar and Land Rover’s four-walled ‘cave’ draws on projection power equivalent to eight hi-tech cinemas and will provide a virtual reality environment simulating vehicle exteriors and interiors and capable of making bodywork appear transparent.

“This is a key advance in our development toolbox,” said Al Kammerer, Product Development Director for Jaguar and Land Rover. “The awesome power of this project is unparalleled in our industry worldwide and will allow us to produce new vehicles on a much quicker timeline, to update and develop more responsively to customer trends and to be considerably more efficient as well.”

Eight Sony SRX-S105 high resolution projectors – each as powerful as the strongest projector used in any of today’s hi-tech cinemas – will provide a visual quality that clearly outstrips existing industry virtual reality caves by producing photo realistic images. The user wears 3-D glasses to experience ‘ultimate realism’ with an ultra-high resolution that is twice as clear as the latest High Definition TV!

Working in partnership with Sony, Sun Microsystems and ICIDO, Midlands-based HoloVis International Ltd is bringing together all of the different components of the project to design, install and support the next-generation virtual environment for Jaguar and Land Rover.

Raj Pandya, General Manager, Sony UK added: “We have been working closely with HoloVis International who have developed this innovative solution for Jaguar and Land Rover and the automotive industry. The Sony 4K projectors are four times the resolution of High Definition, meaning it is almost impossible to see pixels on this size screen. These projectors are now going to affect the auto market in a drastic way.”

The new Virtual Reality cave is due to be completed and operational at Jaguar and Land Rover’s Gaydon engineering centre by spring 2008.

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover

You’ll notice the heartbeat every time you enter the driver’s seat of the new 2009 Jaguar XF sedan. Not just your ticker — the car’s, too.

Slide into the cockpit, and immediately your eyes are drawn to the keyless start/stop button on the center console: It’s beating a rhythmic red, as if the XF is coming alive. Press it, and the supercharged 4.2-liter V-8 twists into a muted whir, concealed air vents in the dash glide open, an innovative rotary shift knob — the so-called JaguarDrive Selector — rises out of the transmission tunnel. You’ve just witnessed “the Jaguar handshake,” the first of several servings of pizzazz that differentiate this striking new four-door from such classmates as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series.

“You may recognize the grille as being inspired by the original 1968 Jag XJ,” says Ian Callum, director of Jaguar design. Then his voice grows almost stern. “But the XF is not a retro car.” Quite the opposite, in fact. “We need to attract buyers in their 30s and 40s,” admits Mike O’Driscoll, Jaguar’s managing director. “The XF is an overtly expressive automobile; it’s designed to make you smile. And its success is critical to the future of Jaguar Cars.”

Make no styling judgments until you’ve seen the XF in person. Distinctive as it may look in photos, in the metal the XF radiates a modernity and sexiness that simply don’t translate to the printed page. The current XJ8 — admittedly a considerably larger and more traditional sedan — appears positively baroque in comparison.

The design flair continues inside. Watch out, Audi: The XF will have your celebrated cockpit stylists grumbling with professional jealousy and admiration. A low, nearly seamless dash sweeps from door to door in a smooth, even plane. Flawless twin-needle stitching finishes the edges. A band of textured aluminum frames the air vents, central seven-inch touchscreen (standard on all XFs), and the console’s audio and HVAC controls. Also evident is more hand-rubbed tree than in any Jag in decades; buyers will have a choice of American Walnut, Burl Walnut, or Rich Oak. Like its namesake cat, at night this Jaguar shines: Phosphor blue lighting illuminates the instruments and the edges of the controls (much like the Motorola Razr cell phone, which inspired the look). Prepare to make the jump to hyperspace: You’re at the glowing helm of your own Millennium Falcon….continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Jaguar

Ford Motor Co (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research) expects to close the sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover brands in early 2008 and is intent on selecting a bidder that shows a commitment to investing in the luxury nameplates, a senior Ford executive said on Tuesday. “First and foremost in our minds is to make sure that we sell to a buyer that looks to grow (the brands),” Mark Fields, Ford’s president for the Americas, told reporters at a presentation at a Ford training facility. “We’re still going through the process.”

Fields said it was unlikely that Ford could close the deal in the remaining weeks of this year.…continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Business, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover

There may be a group of mystery Gulf investors backing one of the three bidders in the fray for Jaguar and Land Rover. Although the identity of these investors isn’t clear yet, the buzz in the financial circles is that they may turn out to be the decisive factor in the race for Ford’s bespoke brands. 

With the backing of the Middle East investors, the valuation game could change gear. So far, the speculation over the bids has been that they are all in a close range of around $1.5-2 billion.

Ford’s last luxe brand sale also attracted interest from investors in the Middle East. This March, Aston Martin was sold for $848 million to a consortium comprising Investment Dar and Adeem Investment, international investment companies, headquartered in Kuwait.

It was fronted by David Richards, founder & chairman of Prodrive, a motorsport and automotive technology company and John Sinders, an Aston Martin collector and backer of Aston Martin Racing. That isn’t the only Gulf connection in Europe’s auto sector. With substantial single digit stake, Kuwait Investment Authority is German auto major Daimler’s single largest shareholder.

Sources say Ford could announce its choice among the three bidders in the next fortnight. Ford officials have said the final decision will be taken early in January “at the very latest”. Currently, there is a lot of speculation on the bid amounts with the Tata range pegged at $1.8-2.2 billion, the Mahindra range at $1.7-2 billion and One Equity at $1.6-1.9 billion.…continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Business, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mahindra-Mahindra, Tata

Jaguar continues its trend ofbeing a leader in innovative media technology as it launches the industry’sfirst broadband multimedia magazine specifically for Apple iPhone and iPodTouch users. The largest Broadband 2.0 Video Network, 29HD Network, developed thisunique spin on the traditional website for Jaguar. By going towww.jxfphone.com, iPhone and iPod Touch owners can experience the new JaguarXF like never before. The broadband magazine features the XF in vibrant photosand dramatic videos, all cropped to perfectly fit the portable devices’displays and take full advantage of their widescreen format…continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Jaguar

In a few weeks, a drama involving several of Her Majesty’s prized treasures will play out in the media. As it happens, some Brits will surely cry foul. When the fish and chips settle, Jaguar and Land Rover, two right and proper marques, will be in the hands of new owners. If reports hold true, even odds are that the newest keepers of the Jag and Land Rover flame will be from that massive outpost of British imperialism, India. Yes, among bidders are Tata, the large Indian carmaker.

In this time of corporate consolidation, we should not be surprised. The Germans (Volkswagen) own French and Italian marques Bugatti and Lamborghini, and all are better for it. BMW owns Rolls-Royce and Mini. Is there anything wrong with Tata owning Jaguar? …Continue Reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Jaguar, Land Rover, Mahindra-Mahindra, Opinion, Tata

Who will hold the keys to Jaguar and Land Rover? Read the latest on the takeover deal of the year.

The race is on to take ownership of Jaguar and Land Rover – and there are two contenders left in the running!

With a reported price tag of £1.5billion, an announcement about the identity of the buyer is expected within days. Tipped for the takeover are both Indian automotive firm Tata and American private equity company One Equity….Continue Reading

But, Mahindra & Mahindra said to be among final bidders for Ford’s units !
Mahindra, which has joined private equity firm Apollo Management LP to bid for the British automakers, is competing against another Indian automaker, Tata Motors Ltd., and U.S. private equity firm One Equity Partners LLC, said the person, who requested not to be named because the talks are private.

Tata and the private equity firm have been previously identified as possible bidders for the luxury car operations.

All three bidders were meeting Tuesday with the British government, labor unions and Ford about the sale, the person said.

Labor unions in the United Kingdom are seeking assurances that the sale would not affect employment levels. Combined, Jaguar and Land Rover employ about 15,300 in the U.K.

Cash-hungry Ford, which lost $12.6 billion last year but earned $88 million (euro59.5 million) in the first nine months of 2007, has been looking to sell Jaguar and Land Rover…Continue Reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Business, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mahindra-Mahindra, Tata

The wait is over - the first Jaguar XF has been built

The first XF has rolled off the Jaguar production line in Castle Bromich, West Midlands.

On sale now, the fresh faced executive saloon is heralded as the model that will begin an exciting new era for Jaguar.

The first model to be completed was a 4.2-litre SV8 model finished in Vapour Grey. But none of the eager customers waiting to take delivery will get the keys to the car pictured here. Instead, it has been donated to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection and will go on display alongside some of Jaguar’s most memorable models of the past. …continue reading

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Jaguar, XF

Tata Motors Ltd., India’s biggest car marker, has reportedly asked Ford Motor Co. to let it take a look at its books for Jaguar and Land Rover, two companies Ford has put up for sale.

A report Sunday in the online edition of the Hindustan Times says Tata (TTM) could launch due-diligence of Jaguar and Land Rover within the next few days and that senior executives, joined by investment bankers, are in place to begin the process.

The newspaper, quoting an unnamed source close to the talks, reported senior Tata officials are already in London and will start due diligence next week.

Arun Gandhi, executive director of Tata Sons, will likely lead the Tata team of negotiators. Gandhi is credited with putting together the $­8 billion deal to acquire Anglo-Dutch steel company Corus in 2006, a move that landed Tata among the world’s biggest steelmakers.

Reports of a Ford-Tata deal have been in circulation since mid-July. Just last week, Ford knocked down a report on Indian television that it had agreed to sell Land Rover and Jaguar to the Mumbai car maker, calling it “inaccurate.”

Jaguar and Land Rover are part of Ford’s (F) Premier Automotive Group, or PAG. Ford snapped up the legendary marques back in 1999 and 2000 as part of its foray into the luxury overseas auto market.

But as Ford’s fortunes reversed, the Dearborn, Mich., car company decided it could no longer afford to support the full PAG stable. It sold Aston Martin to a private consortium in March for $­925 million and has made clear that it would like to shed Jaguar and Land Rover as well as part of a massive restructuring aimed at rebuilding its core market.

There is also widespread speculation that Volvo, the most profitable division of the group, is up for sale following Ford’s announcement that the unit is under “strategic review.”

While Land Rover sales have been buoyant over the past year, Jaguar sales have not, resulting in steep discounts to avoid an inventory build-up on dealers’ lots. Ford reported Jaguar sales fell 34.7% in June compared with a year ago, while Land Rover sales were up 8.1%.

According to the Hindustan Times, Ford is compiling a short list of bidders for the two car companies and is looking for binding offers by the end of the month.

Auto industry analysts have estimated the combined value of Jaguar and Land Rover at $­3 billion to $­7 billion.

Tata Motors, which is announcing quarterly results on Tuesday, is itself struggling with slower growth in car sales as higher interest rates have dampened demand for both its passenger and commercial vehicles.

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo

Ford could soon sell Jaguar and Land Rover, its premier British marques, after the American car giant appointed banks to examine a sale.

The move comes only months after Ford said that its Premier Automotive Group, which links the luxury marques, was performing well.

News that Ford has appointed HSBC, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley throws the businesses into fresh uncertainty less than a year after a series of reviews at Ford questioned their viability and then appeared to reprieve them.

The expected sale of the brands comes after Ford sold Aston Martin for £450 million to a venture capital consortium led by the racing driver David Richards.

Jaguar and Land Rover are expected to be sold together because they have been heavily integrated by Ford. They share components and production facilities. Premier Automotive, which also includes Volvo of Sweden, saw its losses more than treble last year to $­327 million from $­89 million in 2005.

Last year Ford recorded the worst losses in its 103-year history at $­12.7 billion, equal to a loss of $­4,380 on every car it sold. The first-quarter profits from Premier Automotive improved to $­191 million this year from $­129 million for the same period in 2006.

Yesterday Jon Moulton, the head of the venture capital group Alchemy, said at first he would be interested in bidding. Later Mr Moulton, who failed in an attempt to buy Rover seven years ago, pulled back, saying that he was only showing an emotional interest.

A sale of Land Rover and Jaguar is likely to attract the interest of other leading car companies, unlike Aston Martin, which was not viewed as a key asset.

Premier Automotive has been dogged by the underperformance of Jaguar, which is loss-making. Land Rover, meanwhile, is believed to have been strong. However, Ford appeared to give Jaguar backing last year when it invested $­1.2 billion into the operation.

Jaguar stumbled after Ford, which bought the brand in 1989, attempted to move it into the volume market with the cheaper X-type model. The car, which is made at Halewood, was poorly received because of similarities to Ford’s Mondeo, with which it shared some design and parts. Together Jaguar and Land Rover employ about 19,000 at three main sites: Solihull and Castle Brom-wich in the West Midlands and Halewood on Merseyside.

Ford declined to confirm or deny an impending sale, describing the idea as speculation.

Alan Mulally, Ford’s chief executive, is under pressure to turn around the huge losses at the business. Ford is cutting 12 per cent of its US workforce.

He set out a business plan last year when the sale of Aston Martin was announced. But analysts believe that the plan may now be in shreds because of poor sales in North America.

Christine Buckley, Industrial Editor
Timesonline

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written by driive.com \\ tags: Business, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo