New impressions

When we first viewed some pictures of the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S, we thought its aerodynamic kit added too many Viper-like hard edges for the soft lines of the XK. We threw those thoughts out the window after we were introduced to our XKR-S test car. Pictures give the car no justice. Its long hood, small cabin bubble, and steep rear-window rake mix with its new pronounced carbon-fiber wing, rear diffuser, and prominent vents at a near-perfect ratio to captivate the eyes. The Jaguar is not only causing murmurs around the office, but out in public as well. We literally heard an adult male mutter “good-looking car” to himself as we crossed paths at an entrance to a store; more discreet people just openly point. Its styling almost defines the term elegant exotic, leaving us to wonder if Aston Martin will now be stealing some ideas from Jaguar.



Nice place to stay

The blend of elegance and boy-racer continues inside. The cabin is adorned in the same soft leathers as any XK, but makes its track-day readiness known with its sport seats and, to a lesser extent, its red-accent stitching and carbon-fiber trim. The seats look racecar-ready and come standard with inflatable side bolsters. There is no need to dive deep into the infotainment system’s menus to adjust those bolsters thanks to a button near the rest of the seat’s controls on the door; push to inflate or deflate at a moment’s notice, with the latter accompanied by an audible hiss as air escapes.

So it’s good looking, like many Jaguars in the past, but what it is like to drive?

The cars we love most are the ones that cause us to spurt out exclamations, even when we are alone. The Jaguar XKR-S is one of those cars. Jaguar calls the XKR-S its most agile, responsive, and driver-focused production car ever, and, without back-to-back drives with an XJ220, we have no reason to argue with them. Power buildup is explosive and immense. It comes from a free-revving supercharged V-8 engine with a raspy exhaust note that evokes spine tingles and goose bumps. It produces 550 hp, 40 more than the standard XKR. The engine is joined to an automatic transmission that does a very good job of swapping gears and holding onto rpms. It may be even too good at the latter. It holds onto gears for so long, it feeds the need to drive fast and provokes pops and burbles from the exhaust that act as a constant reminder that the Jag was built to be driven hard. Jaguar claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds, which would nearly verify the hair-less-than-four-seconds estimates from our in-seat impressions. Understeer is present, but it plows through corners with noticeable rear-differential lock and grip and steering feedback better than we ever remember from the luxury brand. This could sum up the car: better than we ever remember. If Jaguar continues down this path, the next generation could have a very different outlook on the leaping-cat badge.



Is this love?

In case you haven’t already guessed it, we are smitten with the Jaguar XKR-S. And just when we were about to call back home to tell mom we found the one, it drops a big disappointment in our lap: a check engine light. A check engine light in a car with less than 2,000 miles on the odometer! Suddenly, we feel like all of Jaguar’s promises that it has changed were just lies. But is it enough for us to call off this love affair? We doubt it, but we will let you know more about our fling next week.

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The purpose of the Jaguar XJ220 of the 1990s was to move the marque into the last decade of the millennium with a state-of-the-art supercar. It was designed to rival the Lamborghini Diablo and Bugatti EB110, two of the fastest production cars in the world at the time. Almost 20 years later, Jaguar has confirmed plans for a new high-tech supercar that will once again compete directly with the aforementioned brands along with the upcoming Porsche 918 Spyder and Mercedes SLS E-Cell. The C-X75 will become the make’s first supercar since the XJ220, the first supercar under Tata Motors, and the British brand’s most advanced model ever.

The production car will feature the same sexy sheetmetal that made the concept so desirable. Unfortunately, the concept's futuristic power plant will not make it into production. The concept utilized four 195-hp electric motors, one at each wheel, for four-wheel-drive propulsion. Two micro-turbines extended the car's 68-mile range to 560 miles. Although jet-like turbines would certainly solidify the C-X75’s place as a state-of-the-art supercar, these types of devices have never been integrated into a production automobile and, due to very high exhaust temperatures, have yet to prove themselves as a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine. Therefore, Jaguar is going to implement a more-stable hybrid powertrain. The production car will use a highly boosted 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine supplemented by one electric motor at each axle.



The C-X75 (it will be renamed before production) will have an all-electric range of 30 miles. The gasoline motor will extended that range by another 270 miles. Calling forth all the power from both the combustion engine and electric motors, the Jaguar C-X75 will instantly transform from electric car into one of the fastest production cars in the world. Jaguar did not specify how much power the C-X75 will create, but we believe it will be close to the concept’s 800 hp and 1,000-plus lb-ft of torque. With a carbon fiber F1-inspired chassis from a partnership with Williams F1, weight should remain below 3,000 pounds. Jaguar claims the C-X75 will run zero-to-60 mph in less than three seconds, 0–100 mph in less than six seconds, and on to a top speed in excess of 200 mph.

Only 250 examples will be built, each costing approximately $1.1 million. Jaguar will be taking orders after it announces the car’s official specifications in September. Jaguar has learned never to accept down payments too early. The XJ220 left the factory with heavy modifications due to emissions standards and the result was cancellations, lawsuits, and unsold cars. We hope that is one road that the C-X75 doesn’t follow the XJ220 down.

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That classy German daily driver may be less appealing once all the maintenance and insurance costs coming rolling in. In a list compiled by Insure.com of the most expensive cars to insure for 2011, German sedans and sports cars lead the pack followed closely by the Aston Martin and Jaguar British marques. Mercedes-Benz is the worst offender with nine of its AMG vehicles placing in the top 20. Porsche is a distant second with four cars in the top 20, followed by Jaguar, Aston Martin, and BMW, respectively.

The Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG two-door convertible sits at the top of the list with average annual premiums of $3,543.81. That’s three times more expensive than the least expensive vehicle: the Chrysler Town and Country minivan. The BMW 750i and 750Li took home second and third place.

Insure.com combined the rates for a 40-year-old male driver from six large carriers in more than 500 zip codes. Since all makes and models were not available, some exotic manufacturers, like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley, and classic and vintage automobiles were not included.

Insure.com says a vehicle’s premiums for collision and comprehensive coverage are largely determined by that vehicle’s “loss history,” meaning the frequency and severity of claims that are typically filed for that model by other drivers. Thus, cars chosen for flash and speed—and even mundane cars typically chosen by young, experienced drivers—will pile up claims and thus garner higher insurance rates.

The full top 20 list:

• Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
• BMW 750i
• BMW 750Li
• Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG
• Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
• Aston Martin DB9
• Mercedes-Benz CL600
• Porsche 911 Carrera S
• Aston Martin DB9 Volante
• Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
• Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG
• Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG
• Porsche 911 Carrera 4S
• Mercedes-Benz SL550
• Jaguar XJ L Supercharged
• Jaguar XJ L Supersport
• Porsche 911 Carrera 4
• Porsche 911 Carrera S
• Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
• Jaguar XJ Supercharged

[via Insure.com]

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As a follow up to our “Girls of the 2010 SEMA Show” spread, and to prove our interest in these shows goes beyond attractions of the flesh, we are proud to bring to you the Cars of the 2010 SEMA Show. View all the cars of the 2010 SEMA Show here. Photos come courtesy of Richard Robello at Auto-focus.us. Follow the link for the full Auto-Focus Facebook gallery.

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The Jaguar C-X75 concept to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show could become the brand’s first supercar since the XJ220 and the first supercar after being purchased by Tata Motors. It is powered by four 195-hp electric motors, one at each wheel, and utilizes two “turbines” powered by compressed natural gas, diesel, biofuel, or liquefied petroleum gas to help extended the 68-mile range offered by the lithium-ion batteries to 560 miles.

These types of turbines have never been integrated into a production automobile and, due to very high exhaust temperatures, have yet to prove themselves as a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine.

Performance is that of a true supercar. An aluminum chassis helps keep weight down to just shy of 3,000 pounds. With a total output of 780 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque, the C-X75 can hit 62 mph from a standstill in 3.4 seconds, 100 mph in 5.5 seconds, and on to 186 mph in a Veyron-whopping 15.7 seconds. Top speed, which by the previous statistics one would think would be much higher, is 205 mph.

See more pictures of the Jaguar C-X75 concept here.

[via Autocar.co.uk]

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In 1999, the duPont REGISTRY held a survey where it asked its subscribers and the visitors to its web site to pick the 10 best cars of the century. Using those opinions, along with the picks from a number of notable persons like Mario Andretti, Don Panoz, Carroll Shelby, and Reggie Jackson, it compiled a list of the Top 100 Cars of the Century and dedicated a special book to its cause (in a way it was the precursor to our annual editorial-based Exotic Car Buyers Guide). The book hit newsstands before the turn of the century and was a great success. Today we are going to take a look back at that list and reminisce on what cars were picked and why and compare it to how those cars would probably rank exactly 10 years later.

Taking the number one spot on our top 100 list was the Lamborghini Diablo. Unveiled in production trim in Monte Carlo in January 1990, the Diablo was in its ninth year and still being produced at the time the book was written. We praised the “devil” for its “staggering 530 bhp from the…5.7-liter V-12,” and “0-60 mph acceleration under 4 seconds.” In the review we wrote “Lamborghini is rumored to be working on the next generation supercar. Though it’s hard to believe, they will create an automobile that will surpass our number one car in speed, power, and aerodynamic style.” Of course none of us knew the Lamborghini Murciélago was going to be so fast and so powerful and garnish as much admiration from the motoring public with its stout 580-hp 6.2-liter V-12 engine as it did. However, looking back, we can’t help but think that if a Lamborghini were to make the top ten list, shouldn’t it be the Lamborghini Countach? A model that has influenced the styling of all the company’s cars for the past 40 years.

Continue our look back at the top 100 cars of the last 100 years.

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duPont REGISTRY's 2010 Exotic Car Buyers Guide is your ultimate source on the newest exotic and luxury cars and accessories. This issue offers modified exotics, a wheel guide, and more than 110 reviews of the top exotic and luxury cars from all the premium manufacturers.

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On the streets of Qatar sits an abandoned Le Mans Blue Jaguar XJ220 with 560 miles on the odometer that, in pristine condition, could fetch near $250,000. This is number 132 of the 281 units built by Jaguar until the factory that built the XJ220 was closed in 1994. There is no mention on who actually owns the rights to this once-world-speed-record-holder Jaguar, but we do know that after being built it made its way to Beirut, Lebanon, where a dealership in Dubai brokered its sale to the owner in Qatar.

It has become well known that people are abandoning their cars in the Middle East—especially Dubai—where the penalty for defaulting on loans breeches on absurd and simply abandoning their cars and skipping town is an easier alternative. Qatar has already anticipated a marked rise in the number of abandoned cars after a new law went into effect in January where cars older than 15 years would no longer have their licenses and registration renewed due to environmental concerns. Classic or Vintage vehicles can bypass this law. Qatar’s capital city of Doha has seen a 791 percent increase in the number of abandoned cars from January 2008 to January 2009 after a similar ban for cars more than 20 years old was passed. Dubai authorities announced in January of last year that they were going to send 6,800 abandoned cars to auction because it no longer had the room to store these vehicles. We hope this car can at least makes its way to an auction like this.

[via Luxist via CrankandPiston.com and Gov.qa and Gulfnews.com ]

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Porsche has topped the J.D. Power and Associates dependability study for 2010. Porsche owners only reported 110 problems per 100 (PP100) cars sold. For comparison, the industry average was a 155 PP100 score and lowest on the list was Land Rover with 255 problems per 100 cars sold. In 2009 Porsche was number eleven with a 150 PP100 score. Other premium brands on the list include Lexus (4), Mercedes-Benz (9), Cadillac (12), Infiniti (13), BMW (16), Hummer (23), Jaguar (24), and Audi (27). One interesting note is Jaguar, which has been increasing in reliability the past ten years or so, placed second in 2009 with a 122 PP100 score, has now dropped considerably with a 175 PP100 score.

[via J.D. Power and Associates]

A Jaguar recall was issued for 2,131 XF models. The recall is for 2010 models and is due to a pipe in the tank that may develop a kink and thus prevent fuel from entering into the fuel pump at low-fuel levels. If this occurs, the engine will stall without warning and even in the middle of driving. Any Jaguar dealership will fix the fuel tank at no cost.

[via Kicking Tires]

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