There is no doubt that Jaguar is hard at work designing various hybrid systems for its upcoming products. In fact, the recently-sold automaker is receiving some assistance from the UK government to fund the research into dual gas and electric powertrains, as is sister company Land Rover. Recent rumors indicate that the automaker is considering going hybrid for its next XJ sedan. Now, new spy shots indicate that the automaker is currently testing a hybrid drivetrain in its sportier XK coupe as well, as photographers near Germany's famed Nürburgring circuit claim that very little noise is coming from the Jags as they circle the track at high speed. Normally, when racing around a circuit such as this, an abundance of engine roar can be heard for miles, so the lack of sound leads us to believe that there's something different about this car. Could it be a parallel hybrid? Of course, we don't know... but feel free to speculate away in the comments as you see fit.

[Source: Next Autos]

Hypermiling is too strong a phrase when you apply the MPG-increasing practice to a Jaguar XK-R. Extra-miling might pass muster, but all it amounts to in this particular instance is driving a $104,000, 420 horsepower Jaguar convertible like it's a $22,000 Camry.

Why not go for big dollops of both performance and luxury when you're trying to rock every possible mile out of a tank of fuel? With that in mind, we lined up a Jaguar XKR convertible filled to the hilt with everything but the
$8,000 brake upgrade. When it arrived, the last thing on our minds was what kind of mileage it gets. Dressed in a metallic red called "Radiance" which complemented the tan leather interior and matching cloth top, it looked like the ride home from the office was going to be a good one. Then the thunderstorms rolled in and stayed for a week. Hit the jump to see how we dealt with the weather in our XK-R.

Rumor has it that the classic XJ saloon may be the first model to benefit from the government-sponsored testing which should endow Jaguar with the technical know-how to make its first hybrid model. According to the spy shooters from Next Autos, the next edition of the iconic leaping cat has been spotted testing and will reportedly sport distinctive new sheetmetal that should serve to differentiate the newer models from the old. Despite the fact that the latest Jags have been built on new lightweight aluminum-intensive structures, they have been met with less than stellar sales, a fact that many attribute to stale styling that looks just like Jags from... oh, thirty years ago. For this reason, expect a pretty radical departure for the next-gen, which could share styling features with Aston Martin - not a bad place to get some inspiration from if you ask us. Along with the rumored hybrid should be gas-powered V6 and V8 engines as well as the Euro-requisite diesels.

[Source: Next Autos]

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with the new Jaguar XF, but here in the US we only get to select from among two powertrains, both 4.2L V8s, one with and the other without a supercharger. Over in the home country, XF buyers can also select from a pair of V6 engines running on either gasoline or diesel. The diesel is a twin turbo 2.7L that was originally developed with Peugeot and is built at the Ford diesel factory in Dagenham England. Popular Mechanics had the chance to spend some time with diesel XF and came away impressed in spite of the writer hating the new Jaguar's grille. The diesel V6 puts out 207 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque which is more than enough for the 3,900 lb sedan. With a 0-60 time of a respectable 7.7 seconds it gets a combined EU rating of 31.3 mpg (US). During the test PM driver managed 29.4 mpg (US) which compares very favorably with the 18 mpg I saw with normally aspirated V8 model. Will Jag bring the diesel XF to the US? At this point no one knows. With Tata Motors now holding the purse strings, anything is possible. If the new diesels from Mercedes, and BMW prove popular, its certainly possible.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

For many motorists, V8 means the quintessential type of engine. Power and a beautiful roar from under the hood are its typical signatures, but it's also a synonym for high fuel consumption and a general sense of being dirty. Nevertheless, there are a certain number of V8 engines, and not only diesels, which spot decent fuel consumption and German site Auto-News has gathered them. Coming from a German source, it doesn't spot any small-block Chevy but besides Teutonics, there are three members from the Toyota family and a Briton. Curious? Follow us after the jump for the complete list.

[Source: Auto-News.de]

Cleangreencars.co.uk has awarded BMW as the "cleanest premium manufacturer" in Great Britain. Their report found that total model range CO₂ emissions from January 2008 to June 2008 at BMW averaged 161.64g/km. BMW's competitors all achieved worse figures. For instance Audi and Mercedes were 177.36g/km and 192.85g/km respectively. Lexus, with its hybrid-based model line-up, managed an average of 194.85g/km, while Jaguar topped 200g/km and Porsche recorded 275.64g/km. BMW's MINI brand had an average of 139.64g/km.

According to BMW's press release (which you can find after the jump), both the EfficientDynamics and the MINImalism program have reduced emissions while keeping up driving dynamics. BMW also said that it's preparing NOx storage capability within a catalytic converter on certain models in the near future and that it was finalizing drivetrain configurations to meet the likely EU6 legislation due to come into effect in 2014.

[Source: BMW]

Now that Jaguar and Land Rover are no longer part of the Ford family, they can't rely on the engineers in Dearborn to provide them with technology they need to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The new owners from Tata also don't have that expertise in house. With CO₂ emissions limits coming to Europe, Jaguar and Land Rover are in the process of hiring 600 people, many of whom will be engineers with the knowledge required to develop hybrid and electric drive systems as well as other new powertrain technology. The Land Rover LR2/Freelander will get a start-stop system this fall and a production version of the LRX concept is expected to debut in the next couple of years. Jaguar so far hasn't implemented any of these types of systems in its cars, although European models do offer diesel engines.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]

Lotus Engineering is continuing to move aggressively into the realm of greener transportation. This week two different consortia of which Lotus is a part were awarded development contracts by the UK Government Technology Strategy Board. The first of the two projects is the Zero Emission London Taxi that we reported on last month. The government money will be used to help with the commercialization of fleets of fuel cell powered taxis in London by 2012.

The other project, dubbed Limo-Green, involves developing a hybrid drive Jaguar sedan. The description of this car is fairly vague, mentioning an advanced drive motor, small battery pack and an auxiliary power unit for sustained cruising. It sounds like it might be an extended range electric vehicle but with a relatively small battery for only minimal EV-only range. Lotus is developing the APU as a small engine with high thermal efficiency and power output. This could be an interesting project to watch. The Lotus press release is after the jump.

Jaguar and Land Rover are looking to offer hybrid vehicles for sale within the next five years. It seems reasonable to conclude that they will parlay the experience gained from the government-sponsored testing that they recently were awarded into real production systems. According to reports, Jaguar is considering using a system similar to the one that Mercedes-Benz is working on for its flagship S-Class hybrid. The S-Class is expected to pair a 3.5 liter V6 engine to the ZF transmission, while Jaguar is said to be considering both a 3.0 liter diesel engine and a 5.0 liter gasoline direct injected V8.

Land Rover, on the other hand, seems ready to create its own home-grown hybrid system using something it calls the "Electric Rear Axle Drive." One thing that seems certain is that Tata Motors has plans to keep its two new luxury marques on the top of the technology curve, which could mean good things for the two ailing brands.

[Source: Autocar]

As part of the Technology Strategy Board's (TSB) ongoing efforts of promoting and supporting research into environmentally friendly automotive technology, the group has given funding to Ricardo, Jaguar and Land Rover for quite a few separate projects. Five of the projects are outlined here:

• Ricardo, along with the University of Brighton, DENSO Sales UK Ltd and Jaguar, has received funds to continue work on its innovative 2/4SIGHT engine, which is capable of running on either the 2 stroke cycle or the 4 stroke cycle.
• The Range Extended Electric Vehicle is led by Land Rover. A large SUV chassis will be used with the goal of delivering 120 to 130 g/km CO₂ and a zero emissions range of at least 12 miles.
  
• A flywheel-based hybrid drive system will be tested, led by Jaguar and including Flybrid Systems, Ford Motor Company, Prodrive, Ricardo UK Ltd, Torotrak plc, and Xtrac Ltd. Formula 1 racing is also testing these flywheel-based hybrid systems.
  
• The Limo-Green project is the fourth bit of technology and looks to incorporate the aluminum structure of the current Jaguar sedan range along with an electric motor, battery pack and generator.
  
• Recycled aluminum will be looked at to see if it is feasible to use post-consumer scrap to form the basis of a lightweight, mass-producible vehicle.
  

These five projects are part of a group of sixteen total investments which will receive a total of £90 million in funding from the TSB. We've pasted two complete press releases after the break detailing each of the proposed projects that are mentioned above.

Yesterday's big news that Land Rover and Jaguar were sold to Tata Motors give us a chance to talk Land Rover in terms of CO₂ emissions. Jaguar we'll just ignore for now, because Land Rover is a much more interesting case. We've ooohed and aaahed at the nice LRX concept, which would emit just 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer should it ever make it out of the Auto Show circuit, but in general Land Rover isn't exactly a clean car company. Automotive News Europe (subs req'd) found that Land Rover's sales are up dramatically in the last few years and the company is apparently "solidly profitable" (Jaguar's in trouble here). ANE said that Land Rover's CO₂ emissions across the board need to be dropped and a brand reinvention to feature "fun, fashionable SUVs with a social conscience, rather than big gas-guzzling V-8 models that attract criticism from environmental campaigners" would be the right move. I see Tata as getting a bit schizophrenic here: big SUVs, the world's cheapest car and Jaguars? Still, if AutoWeek is correct, then the LRX will play a big role in the future of this new automotive hydra. That'd be sweet.


[Source: Tony Lewin / Automotive News Europe]

We can understand why Lord Jones, Britain's trade minister, would want to be driven around in his Jaguar as opposed to a Toyota Prius. First of all, while we really do like the Prius, a luxury car it is not. Secondly, and more importantly (or so he claims) is that he should be seen in a British car. An argument could surely be made that at least one British automaker should offer at least one environmentally friendly car for Jones to choose, but where is this car? At least the Jag that he's likely to use is powered by a small 2.0 liter diesel engine. Still, all MP's in Britain are supposed to be driving hybrids and an exemption for Lord Jones because the Prius isn't British enough sounds pretty lame to us. CO₂ doesn't care about borders.

[Source: What Car]

Jaguar is set to start a new era under new ownership next year. To celebrate they'll unwrap an all-new XJ sedan in mid-2009, a vehicle that is expected to have the brand's first hybrid power-train. The current XJ already weighs in at a surprisingly sprightly 3,726 lbs thanks to it's aluminum structure. The new car will keep an updated version of the aluminum structure to carry the new XF inspired body work. Motivating the fancy new duds will be the latest addition to the power-train lineup. Jaguar will debut its hybrid power-train in the new flagship model. A bank of ultra-capacitors will be used for electrical energy storage in combination with an electric motor backing up the 3.0L V-6. The new XJ should appear in concept form late in 2008 with production in mid-2009.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Perhaps my response to a statement released last week by Autocar is misinformed because there is some misinterpretation going on between my American English reading of British English words. The key is whether or not "minority group" carries with it the same connotations in the UK as it does in America. I read this line in Autocar editor Chas Hallett's statement - "Why do we need a scheme which is so expensive to administer that it has to pick on a minority group" - and thought how silly it was for him to use those words to describe people who drive the most expensive vehicles, those that are also fairly unkind to the environment. You can see what your response is by checking out the statement in full after the jump.

In any case, Hallett's point is that the proposed £25 congestion charge will not really do anything except raise £250 million for Transport for London, the "integrated body responsible for the Capital's transport system." By unfairly charging vehicles in the Band G category (those that emit more than 225 gm/k of CO2), Hallett says, the charge does nothing but punish a driver who causes "almost no harm to congestion or pollution, and helps preserve British jobs." The jobs issue is because so many vehicles by Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover are in Band G.

I understand that someone who works at Autocar isn't going to be keen on anything that, in effect, criticizes the classic UK automakers. Still, just because someone makes a car in your backyard doesn't mean they can have that vehicle emit anything they want. Some things - the air we breathe, for example - are more important than a particular vehicle or automaker. It's not like it's a secret that there are plenty of powertrain options these companies could look into so their vehicles fit into one of the less expensive Bands (see this example).

[Source: Autocar]

As Ford continues to work on the dissolution of their Premier Automotive Group, the coming new European Union carbon dioxide emissions rules could be playing an unwelcome factor. As with fuel economy rules here in the United States, the emissions limits would likely be averaged over the entire fleet of vehicles produced by a carmaker. For Mercedes their big high power AMG models would be offset by the 88g/km Smart ForTwo diesel. That's also probably a big part of why Porsche has bought a controlling stake in Volkswagen over the past year.

It looks like many of the potential bidders for Ford's two remaining British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, are in the private equity business and won't necessarily have other car brands in their portfolio. The new rules could put a damper on the types of vehicles they build and limit the possible value of the brands. One possibility is that Ford could maintain a minority stake in both companies which may allow them to count their emissions along with the rest of the Ford fleet.

[Source: Detroit News]