For decades, Ford has carried Jaguar like an 800 lb guerrilla on the company’s back. And just as Ford is able to unload the money-burning British marque, the leaping cat responds by posting its first sales increase in two years. Jaguar’s April sales were up a ridiculous 69.6% in Europe, and while Automotive News somehow gives credit for this sales success to Tata Motors, it likely has a hell of a lot more to do with the all-new XF sedan. Jaguar has 18,000 customers in line for the new 4-door, which has given sales figures a big lift while helping other Jags leave the dealer lot, too. The slow-selling X-Type and the underrated XJ also got a lift from the extra showroom traffic.

At first glance, it appears Ford’s luck just can’t change, as Jaguar is finally looking interesting just as the Blue Oval sells it off. What’s more likely is that Ford wouldn’t have gotten as much cash for the leaping cat if it couldn’t dangle a hot-looking sedan to potential suitors.

[Source: AutoBlog]

The timing of our first hands-on experience with the Jaguar XF is, to say the least, awkward. Less than a week after Ford agreed to sell both Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata Motors, we find ourselves in sunny San Diego behind the wheel of Jag’s supposed savior. While the business end of the equation will be exhaustively covered in the coming months, the renaissance underway at Tata’s newly acquired pet is of equal importance. The XF is a serious step on the road to recovery, but undoing the perception gap that’s plagued this cat for the last couple of decades won’t be easy.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Lightning McQueen came home 13th in his first race in the Japanese Super GT-300 Championship, one place ahead of new rival, Speed Racer Mach Go Go Go.

The rookie, who looks suspiciously like last year’s Team Toy Story APR Toyota MR-S, has apparently been lured away from The Piston Cup by a company that makes products under license of Pixar and Disney. No matter, my three-year-old was beside himself with joy when he saw number 95 hit the track, and I suspect he was not alone.

14th pace finisher, the Mach Go VEMAC 320R (below), is far from new to Super GT’s 300hp class, but may get a little more attention internationally once Speed Racer is released Stateside.

It’s been argued that the Jaguar XF lost a lot of the edge that it’s conceptual predecessor displayed on the show stand. The end result was less than thrilling, but the available powerplants and sumptuous interior may have made up for the exterior’s shortcomings. Galpin Jaguar, the largest volume Jag dealership in the States, has decided to pull an Emeril on the XF and kick it up a notch through a custom, two-tone paint scheme, 22-inch, color-matched Forgiato wheels, smoked tail lamps and “blacked-out” window trim. Thankfully, Galpin has left most of the interior intact, save the wood trim and matching black and burgundy leather seats. Overall, the effect ranges from cruel to unusual, and as such, we’re considering a call to the Hague.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Jaguar will produce a limited run of 200 XKR-S coupes, which will be offered in Europe only. Now, the regular XKR is a delectable conveyance that combines endless sex appeal with eye-widening performance. Put plainly, it is an absolute hoot to drive. The XKR-S takes all that goodness and ramps things up a bit. The 420-horsepower blown V8 is unchanged, and the XKR-S has the same 0-60 time (4.9 seconds) as its standard counterpart. What does change is the electronically governed top speed. Adding the “S” also adds 19 mph to the cat’s top end, now 174 mph.

Among the myriad other changes made for the XKR-S are the addition of big Alcon Performance R brakes, a retuned suspension, and a host of visual and aerodynamics upgrades, such as new wheels with retro-logo caps, a new front splitter, side skirts, a new rear spoiler, and a rear diffuser insert. Inside, what was already a very nice cabin becomes opulent, with new interior trim, a higher-end audio system, updated instruments (to accomodate the higher top speed) and other sundry niceties. You can sum the whole thing up in two words: “fast” and “beautiful.” We want.

[Source: AutoBlog]

The Jaguar XKR is already one of our favorite sports-coupes, but just in case it needed some extra visual oomph, Jaguar is coming to Geneva with the new 2009 Portfolio edition. Admittedly more style than substance, the updated Portfolio package picks up where the 2008 version left off. That means an array of visual enhancements to make this one sophisticated cat, but also a few substantial upgrades to the standard XKR including bigger wheels and upgraded brakes.

Available for order now in either coupe or convertible form, the 2009 XKR Portfolio gets unique Shadow Grey metallic paint with contrasting milled aluminum side-vents, and special 20-inch “Selena” alloys barely hiding the 400mm front/350mm rear brake discs clamped by bright red six-pot calipers up front and four-pots in the rear. Inside the sumptuous leather seats come in either charcoal with cranberry twin-needle topstitching or ivory with slate stitching, offset by either oak vaneers or engine-turned aluminum with a piano-black lacquered instrument panel, and Alston headliner. The XKR Portfolio also gets the 525-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system and a host of special Portfolio badging inside and out. Along with the Portfolio edition, the 2009 XK range also gets some new standard equipment, including iPod and USB connections, air quality sensor, front park assist and power folding mirrors.

Check out the press release after the jump for all the details and the high-resolution images in the gallery below for all the angles.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Land Rovers have run Jaguar’s rorty AJ V8 engine since Ford got tired of sourcing engines from BMW. CAR magazine has dug up information on some mules running around in Finland with a new 4997cc engine underhood. Their photographers also caught the vehicles while they hung out in a parking lot full of tantalizing 2 and 7 series Volvos. While the AJ is a great motor, it’s well into its design life. Range Rover’s new engine is being developed with Bosch, and sports direct fuel injection to boost efficiency while keeping power up and emissions down. Output is rumored at 350 horsepower in naturally aspirated form and 460 ponies come to the party when a supercharger pressurizes the intake. The new engine will wind up in the engine compartment of Land Rovers, Range Rovers, and Jaguars, and will be part of a freshening of Landies and Rangies expected to drop soon.

[Source: AutoBlog]