This week’s selection of snippets from the automotive sphere brings news of Seat’s continuing rise towards premium status, a bright future for McLaren and Nissan’s worries that governments could be doing more for autonomy. London longing for electric Jaguars UK sales of the Jaguar I-Pace will double to around 3000 units in the next 12 months, according to UK boss Rawdon Glover, though he predicted that five-digit sales of the EV would be at least five years away. More than 40% of I-Pace sales are within the M25. Seat not so simple any more The Seat Tarraco and stand-alone Cupra brand are pushing buyers into higher, hitherto unseen price points for the firm, much to boss Luca de Meo’s delight. “We’ve been on a journey, first to get people to consider our cars for more than £20,000 and now more than £30,000. It is working. There was no future in selling our cars for 15% less than similar ones,” he says. McLaren gives customers what they want McLaren’s Special Operations department has tripled its business in the past two years, and CEO Mike Flewitt sees no reason why that trajectory won’t continue. “We’re seeing it again with Speedtail that people who buy exclusive cars want to make them individual,” he said. “Our bespoke content offering is hitting new heights.” Governments make autonomy a no-go? Peter Bedrosian, Nissan Europe’s product planning chief, says it’s government legislation, and not technology, that is slowing the advancement of autonomous vehicles. “It’s not the know-how holding us back – a lot of policy needs to change before we introduce level-three autonomy and above,” he said. “It requires a big change in legislation and infrastructure, because it profoundly changes cars. We’ll be ready for level three by 2019 and, depending on policies, 2020 for level four and above.”
Origin: Autocar confidential: five-digit EV sales still a way off for Jaguar, Seat finds a more premium audience and more
Jaguar
Jaguar Land Rover posts heavy annual losses
Jaguar Land Rover has recorded an annual loss of £3.6 billion, but chief executive Ralf Speth says an ongoing cost-saving programme will transform it into a “leaner and fitter” company for the future. The pre-tax loss for the financial year that ended in March reflected a £3.1 billion write-down of the value of the business in the final quarter of last year, but also showed the ongoing impact of falling sales in China and continued uncertainty over Brexit. The firm’s annual revenue of £24.2 billion was down £1.2 billion year-on-year. Without the one-off write-down, Jaguar Land Rover’s annual pre-tax loss was £358 million. While annnual sales increased by 8.4% in the UK and 8.1% in North America, the sharp decline in China meant that its overall sales of 578,915 vehicles was a year-on-year decline of 5.8%. Jaguar Land Rover did post a £269 million pre-tax profit in the final quarter of the financial year running covering January-March 2019, although this was reduced to £120 million after redundancy costs, part of its ongoing transformation programme, were taken into account. The firm noted that it retained £3.8 billion of cash. Speth said that restructuring programme has already resulted in £1.25 billion of efficiencies, and made the firm “one of the first companies in its sector to address the multiple headwinds simultaneously sweeping the automotive industry.” He added: “We are taking concerted action to reduce complexity and to transform our business through cost and cash flow improvements. “Jaguar Land Rover is focused on the future as we overcome the structural and cyclical issues that impacted our results in the past financial year. We will go forward as a transformed company that is leaner and fitter, building on the sustained investment of recent years in new products and the autonomous, connected, electric and shared technologies that will drive future demand.” The financial results come in the wake of ongoing rumours that Jaguar Land Rover’s owners, Tata Motors, are considering selling the firm to the PSA Group. More updates to
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover posts heavy annual losses
Jaguar Land Rover boss plays down PSA sale report – but doesn’t deny it
Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth has played down reports the firm could be sold to the PSA Group – but not refuted them outright. Quizzed on rumours linking the firms, with JLR owner Tata Motors reported to be considering an outright or partial shareholding sale, at the FT Future of the Car summit, Speth said: “There are lots of rumours flying around but I can’t confirm any of these discussions.” Asked if he and PSA boss Carlos Tavares had spoken, Speth said: “I have met Carlos Tavares at ACEA (the association of European car makers) meetings but we didn’t discuss anything about ownership”. Autocar first reported talks of a potential deal last month, while last week, the Press Association reported seeing a ‘post-sale integration document’ that has been circulated within JLR, highlighting the benefits of the company being sold by Tata Motors to PSA, which comprises Citroën, DS, Peugeot and Vauxhall/Opel. A source also told the PA that “things are moving quickly behind closed doors.” In reponse to that, Tata Motors re-affirmed a previous statement saying that “there was no truth to rumours that Tata Motors is looking to divest its stake in JLR.” A PSA Group spokesperson told PA that it was in “no hurry” to make any acquisitions, but added it would “consider” any oportunities that came along. Tavares has been open in recent months about his desire to expand the group, either through acquisitions or partnerships with other car firms. Tavares led PSA’s purchase of Vauxhall/Opel from GM in 2017. The Peugeot family, which owns the largest stake in the PSA Group, also recently said it would back future mergers or acquisitions, including with the FCA Group. In an exclusive interview with Autocar India recently, Tavares was asked about the firm’s interest in Jaguar Land Rover. He said that it would be good for PSA to have a luxury brand, and that the company was “considering all opportunities,” adding he would be interested “as long as it’s not a distraction.” Tavares said that there had been no discussions with Tata Motors about Jaguar Land Rover yet. He also said that “we don’t have a specific target but if there are opportunities, of course, we will consider it.” Asked further about adding a luxury brand that would sit about DS, Tavares said: “Why not? Why shouldn’t we discuss it? It depends on what kind of value creation we could generate.” Jaguar Land Rover has struggled in recent months, hit by falling demand for diesels and the decline of the Chinese market. Recent heavy losses, including an asset writedown, also caused the Tata Group to post a quarterly loss. Tavares cited PSA’s success in turning around Vauxhall/Opel, which posted its first profit in 20 years recently, suggesting it could have a similar impact on the strugging British firm: “With Opel, we have demonstrated that we can turn around a company that was in the red for 20 years, in 12 months. So this is something we know how to do.” Tavares said the group’s current focus was on its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic growth strategy to expand the company’s global presence, including expansion into the US, Russian and Indian markets. In a statement to Autocar India following its interview with Tavares, Tata Motors said that Jaguar Land Rover was not for sale. Following Jaguar Land Rover’s 2018 losses, Tata’s boss had previously affirmed its commitment to the
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover boss plays down PSA sale report – but doesn’t deny it
Jaguar Land Rover owner denies deal to sell firm to PSA is close
The owners of Jaguar Land Rover have denied reports that they are close to finalising a deal to sell the car firm to the PSA Group. The Press Association has reported seeing a ‘post-sale integration document’ that has been circulated within JLR, highlighting the benefits of the company being sold by Tata Motors to PSA, which comprises Citroën, DS, Peugeot and Vauxhall/Opel. A source also told the PA that “things are moving quickly behind closed doors.” In reponse, Tata Motors re-affirmed a previous statement saying that “there was no truth to rumours that Tata Motors is looking to divest its stake in JLR.” A PSA Group spokesperson told PA that it was in “no hurry” to make any acquisitions, but added it would “consider” any oportunities that came along. PSA boss Carlos Tavares has been open in recent months about his desire to expand the group, either through acquisitions or partnerships with other car firms. Tavares led PSA’s purchase of Vauxhall/Opel from GM in 2017. The Peugeot family, which owns the largest stake in the PSA Group, also recently said it would back future mergers or acquisitions, including with the FCA Group. In an exclusive interview with Autocar India recently, Tavares was asked about the firm’s interest in Jaguar Land Rover. He said that it would be good for PSA to have a luxury brand, and that the company was “considering all opportunities,” adding he would be interested “as long as it’s not a distraction.” Tavares said that there had been no discussions with Tata Motors about Jaguar Land Rover yet. He also said that “we don’t have a specific target but if there are opportunities, of course, we will consider it.” Asked further about adding a luxury brand that would sit about DS, Tavares said: “Why not? Why shouldn’t we discuss it? It depends on what kind of value creation we could generate.” Jaguar Land Rover has struggled in recent months, hit by falling demand for diesels and the decline of the Chinese market. Recent heavy losses, including an asset writedown, also caused the Tata Group to post a quarterly loss. Tavares cited PSA’s success in turning around Vauxhall/Opel, which posted its first profit in 20 years recently, suggesting it could have a similar impact on the strugging British firm: “With Opel, we have demonstrated that we can turn around a company that was in the red for 20 years, in 12 months. So this is something we know how to do.” Tavares said the group’s current focus was on its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic growth strategy to expand the company’s global presence, including expansion into the US, Russian and Indian markets. In a statement to Autocar India following its interview with Tavares, Tata Motors said that Jaguar Land Rover was not for sale. Following Jaguar Land Rover’s 2018 losses, Tata’s boss had previously affirmed its commitment to the
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover owner denies deal to sell firm to PSA is close
Nearly-new buying guide: Jaguar F-Type
In 2013 when the F-Type convertible launched, you needed from £60,000 or so to get one. Today, a six-year-old entry-level 3.0 with 35,000 miles is a shade under £25,000. That’s more like it. As a new car, the F-Type has always looked expensive next to the competition, but used ones make a lot more sense. There are hundreds to choose from at prices ranging from the aforementioned £25,000 all the way to £140,000 for a 2016-reg limited-run Project 7 convertible. In between are clusters of achingly desirable examples at multiple price points. Jaguar approved used cars start at around £30,000 for a 2014/64-reg 3.0 coupé with 45,000 miles, backed by an impressive two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Meanwhile, legions of specialists are selling F-Types, albeit with less comprehensive warranties, as well as private sellers whose prices can be optimistic. A hard economics lesson and threats to look elsewhere usually softens their resolve. The original 335bhp 3.0 supercharged V6 is handy enough and good value, but the more powerful, 375bhp S version is the one you’ll wish you’d bought. It costs around £3000 more but supplements the standard car’s sports suspension, partial leather trim and steering wheel paddles with a sports exhaust, adaptive suspension and a mechanical limited-slip diff. You want an electronic diff? You need the 488bhp 5.0 V8 S convertible. The cheapest we found was a 2013/13-reg with 27,000 miles and full Jaguar service history for £35,000. The coupé version was called the R and had 542bhp. Pay from around £39,000 for an early 2013/13 with 40,000 miles. This engine is what it’s all about and why you’ve been saving all these years. The all-wheel-drive SVR, with an uprated chassis and lots of aero features, arrived in 2016. Today, prices start around £65,000, a reflection more of their low mileages than anything else. In fact, low mileage is a feature of used F-Types. Perhaps owners have something more practical in the garage… In 2017, the F-Type got its first facelift and a couple of new versions. The 400 launch edition was based on the V6 coupé and convertible, with two- or four-wheel drive. We praised its near-perfect set-up and specification. We found a 2017/17 with 27,000 miles for £47,000. The bigger news, though, was the arrival of the F-Type’s little brother, the 296bhp 2.0-litre. It doesn’t wake the neighbours like its beefier siblings but is lighter on its feet and great value. How about £36,950 for a 2018/67 with 10,000 miles? From 2018, the F-Type’s badging was changed so that the 2.0-litre became the P300, the basic V6 the P340 and the V6 S the P380. The 5.0-litre engines stayed the same. Something else that remained the same was the F-Type’s sheer charisma. This side of an Aston Martin, nothing can touch it. Need to know S and R versions of the F-Type have Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system that actively controls vertical body movement, roll and pitch. Check that it all works on the test drive. The F-Type was facelifted in 2017 (new bumpers, LED headlights, Touch Pro infotainment) while R-Dynamic replaced S and the 400 Sport arrived. In 2018, it got torque vectoring, a bigger infotainment screen and new badging. What Car? voted Jaguar’s approved used scheme the best of its kind in 2018 and 2019. It includes a two-year unlimited mileage warranty with no limit to the number of claims. Two-year breakdown assistance is also included. Our pick Jaguar F-Type 5.0 V8 550 R AWD Coupé: All the looks with the power to match: that’s the F-Type R. We favour the tin-top but the convertible adds another dimension with little trade-off. The SVR is more powerful but £20,000 dearer. Jaguar F-Type 2.0 I4 Coupé Auto: The least powerful F-Type is actually one of the better versions to drive. That it looks like a full-fat F is a bonus, the cherry on the cake being that a 2018-reg with 10,000 miles is just £36,950. Ones we found 2014 F-Type 3.0 V6 coupé, 68,000 miles, £26,985 2017 F-Type 2.0 i4 coupé, 15,000 miles, £39,950 2015 F-Type 5.0 V8 R, 32,000 miles, £47,750 2018 F-Type 3.0 R-Dynamic, 2000 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Jaguar F-Type
SUV Comparison: 2019 Jaguar I-Pace vs. 2019 Hyundai Nexo
Two similar but different new electric vehicles that represent two probable, and competing, futures of zero-emission motoring, the Hyundai Nexo, left, and the Jaguar I-Pace.Andrew McCredie Welcome to the main event of the evening. Introducing first, in the BEV corner, weighing in at 2,170 kilograms, it hails from Graz, Austria and is the current reigning AJAC Vehicle of the Year — the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace. In the fuel-cell corner, weighing in at 1,873 kilograms, all the way from South Korea and incorporating a distinctively orthodox means of propulsion — the 2019 Hyundai Nexo. Vehicles, let’s get ready to charge! Thanks to a steady stream of all-new electrified vehicles coming to Canada, we’re beginning to be able to put together comparisons like this. Previously, any new EV contender was put in the ring with a vehicle from the Tesla gym, an unfair fight from the opening bell, in most cases due to that company’s near decade-long track record, its cutting-edge battery technology, and in founder Elon Musk, the ultimate promoter (with apologies to Don King). But now, legitimate prospective ‘Tesla-killers’ are climbing into the ring with regularity and in a number of key segments, most notably utility vehicles. Which brings us to this electrifying matchup, pitting one of the best battery-electric vehicles against one of the most intriguing hydrogen fuel-cells to ever to come to the Canadian market. Noting the obvious, this comparison is both apples-to-apples and apples-to-oranges. Both the $89,800 Jaguar I-Pace and $73,000 Hyundai Nexo are zero-emission SUVs that derive all their power from onboard electricity. However, the former’s battery pack stores electricity derived from plugging in to an external power source, while the latter mixes hydrogen gas from its storage tank with oxygen from the atmosphere to produce an electric current, resulting in an electricity-on-demand system. That said, this head-to-head match-up makes for an intriguing battle in the bigger war of which zero-emission tech will ultimately wear the carbon-reducing championship belt. For the moment, though, we’ll put aside that big apples-to-oranges question and focus on just the apples. We’ll start with looks. Each vehicle’s exterior has a number of ‘forward-thinking’ design features one has come to expect in EVs, including flush door handles (hat tip to Tesla), state-of-the-art headlights and taillights, funky aerodynamic wheels and slippery surfaces. The Nexo has a unique, jewel-like bar running along the top of its grille, while the I-Pace features a front air dam that pushes oncoming air under the front of the hood then out through a large gap to run over the windshield. The Nexo has a far more traditional SUV look; the I-Pace captures more of the futuristic ‘performance pod’ aesthetic we’re seeing more and more of in the luxury space. Judge’s scorecard on exterior: I-Pace. Those differing exterior designs translate into much different interiors, without even taking into consideration dashboard and control designs. The I-Pace’s cabin feels not unlike a sports coupe, with a distinctive driver-centric cockpit, while the Nexo’s is airy and full of light and space. The Jag’s controls and gauges don’t veer far from it’s gas-powered stablemates in terms of standing out, which isn’t a bad thing as the current generation of Jaguar interiors is top-notch (of course, even in its darkest days, Jag always had stellar cabins in terms of style and luxury). The Nexo’s dashboard and centre console, on the other hand, resemble nothing in the current Hyundai lineup. That’s also not a bad thing, as the design is fantastic and reflects the Nexo’s futuristic ethos — super clean and super intuitive. Both vehicles have large and easy-to-read horizontal display screens that can be formatted to display more than just one feature (i.e., a map, along with radio options). The Nexo’s traditional SUV look pays dividends in rear seat space and in rear cargo capacity, though. Judge’s scorecard on interior: Nexo. A hallmark of new EVs is at least one cool techy feature, and these two are no exception to that unwritten rule. In the case of the Nexo, it’s an industry first blind-spot monitor that uses the wide-angle surround-view cameras to show the blind spot in the instrument cluster screen while changing lanes in either direction. Expect to see that in many vehicles in the coming years — for instance, it’s already in the Kia Telluride. The I-Pace’s neat tech is a Range Impact screen that shows in real time the impact using things like the heated seats, headlights and A/C has on the current vehicle range. Judge’s cool tech decision: Nexo. But enough of this static stuff; let’s put these babies in
Origin: SUV Comparison: 2019 Jaguar I-Pace vs. 2019 Hyundai Nexo
First drive: 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR
NICE, France — My dear old dad, rest his Scottish soul, was a Jaguar man. Loved them since he was a kid in Britain. Bought several as an adult, raved about them all his life, lost money on several. To him, owning a Jag was a mark of prestige, success, a life well lived. The same affection for the brand somehow passed over his sons entirely, even though all of us are certifiable petrol heads. Perhaps our attention wandered because Jaguar back then was just another luxury marque catering to those old guys and women who spent more time at the country club than the race track. But in 2014, Jaguar Land Rover launched its Special Vehicle Operations unit — a little like BMW’s M division or Mercedes’ AMG arm — in Warwickshire, England, with a team of 200 specialized engineers hell bent on turning regular Jags and Rovers into vehicles that would command everyone’s attention. And, boy, has it worked. The arrival of the 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR, only the second production vehicle to come from the facility after the Jaguar F-Type Coupe, is not just an achingly good-looking SUV, it is a compelling and utterly fascinating vehicle to drive, marking new territory for the brand and its long history. To be sure, it looks downright villainous, the way a proper Jag ought to appear in public, with lighter 21- and optional 22-inch wheels, hood vents for the intercooler, side vents for the brakes, big air intakes up front and rear diffusers that work to slice the air, joined by four 95-mm exhaust ports that are not only lighter, they sound properly feral (though they can be quieted too). Stranding on the gas pedal of this $92,000 SUV, however, reveals the true reward of a vehicle that has gone under the SVO scalpel. In an instant, the 5.0-litre V8 beneath the creased hood releases 542 horsepower to all four wheels in the form of 502 lb.-ft. of torque and two very loud alarms — one from the supercharger whine up front, the other from those chrome pipes out back, each oval barking like a rabid dog that crackles and pops on throttle lift. When paying attention, 100 km/h will disappear in 4.3 seconds. Keeping the foot down brings 200 km/h in only a few seconds more, on its way to a top speed of 283 km/h, which seems bonkers for a mid-size SUV that will primarily see more days at the local hockey rink than anything resembling Hockenheimring, the German motorsports complex. But here’s the thing: Driving the F-Pace SVR obscenely fast is entirely enjoyable, never scary and totally thrilling because the SUV remains so smooth and so well composed at crazy speeds. NVH is all but eliminated. There is almost no wind noise. It is Donovan Bailey on a good day, a bolt of adrenaline so full of grace that sprinting off the line and hitting 150 km/h feels serenely effortless. Sure, the roads of South France are not like those of Montreal’s South Shore, but the suspension tuning is so well executed that it makes long drives, especially in these highly comfortable, lozenge-quilted leather sport seats, an event to anticipate. As Ross Restell, the lead engineer, SVO vehicle dynamics, puts it: “What’s the point of having an SUV like this if it beats you up all the time?” Indeed, Restell and his team have hit the sweet spot of comfort and performance. Torque vectoring of the rear wheels, coupled with a standard electronic active rear differential and a constantly variable AWD system that usually powers the rear wheels (but can send up to 50 per cent of torque to the front wheels) keep the F-Pace SVR surprisingly well planted. New dampers and stiffer spring rates keep bounce and lean to a minimum, the overall ride impressively delivering equal parts smoothness and control even in “Dynamic mode,” the sportiest of settings. It’s neither hard nor too soft. A massive recalibrating of F-Pace software also helped each system perform to its maximum ability. Yes, this might sound over the top, but the ride is so good and so smooth in the SVR, it may be the most pleasing ride of any vehicle — car or SUV — I’ve ever had the opportunity to drive. Electric steering has excellent feedback and weight, sorting itself out as the speed gets quicker. Braking power is good but not outstanding, and the pedal didn’t remain as firm as I would have liked after repeated bouts of shredding speed. That’s partly because the 1,995-kilogram SVR does forward momentum so well that we come to expect the same in reversing that momentum, especially since the SVR wears larger and lighter 395-mm brakes over a regular F-Pace. Ceramic brakes, which would cost about the same as sending one kid to university for a year, are not an option, but few will track this SUV anyway, even if the SVR could probably keep pace with a Cayenne Turbo. The cabin, of course, has been handsomely tailored in fine materials and brought up to date with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as 4G WiFi for up to eight devices. It’s too bad it doesn’t get the new steering wheel that
Origin: First drive: 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Jaguar IPace wins World Car of the Year award
Jaguar I-Pace wins World Car of the Year award The EV SUV has racked up the awards recently Jaguar’s I-Pace has won the World Car of the Year 2019 title, taking the overall prize from the Audi e-tron and the Volvo S60/V60. To have two pure-electric models in the last three says a lot about how quickly the electric car market has moved on. Two years ago, it was the Jaguar F-Pace winning the award, and Volvo’s XC60 took the title last year. Despite all three being SUVs, this is the first time since 2011 that an EV has won the prize, when the Nissan Leaf won. The I-Pace won its section in the World Green Car of the Year category, and also was awarded the World Car Design of the Year title. Of the six categories available to be won – including the outright prize – the I-Pace didn’t win the Urban, Luxury, or Performance awards. These were won by the Suzuki Jimny, Audi A7, and McLaren 720S respectively. Jaguar’s win comes soon after the prestigious Car of the Year 2019 prize, which is a European award, on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show in March. It also won the UK Car of the Year title, completing a hat-trick for the electric Jaguar.
Origin: Jaguar IPace wins World Car of the Year award
All about car 