Jaguar XF 2011 News

Czech brand Skoda and British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have revealed which models will be recalled as part of the wide-spread mandatory Takata airbag call back.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued its latest round of recalls, with models from Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia and Volvo impacted by the recent safety notices.

Ford has taken out three of the six categories in the CarsGuide People’s Choice award.

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.

The cat car with the 380 kiloWatt supercharged V8 has been on sale since 2008 and Carparazzi has caught a camouflaged update on trial.The big change is inside the cabin, which is completely disguised with curtains over the dashboard and centre console. The secrecy points to   a major update, perhaps to bring the XF more into line with Jaguar's latest XJ flagship.Externally, BMW-style swirling camouflage paint covers the nose and tail of the upcoming XFR to deflect close examination of the grille, lamps and panels. Carparazzi believes changes for the 2012 model year, on sale in 2011, will bring the XFR more into line with the XJ with sleeker headlamps, changes to the grille and bumper, and daytime LED running lamps in the nose and LED tail lights in the tail.It also hints at some updating of the engine and transmission in the Jaguar. The XFR prototypes were caught on trial in the USA, possibly because of Jaguar's ongoing links to Ford for its engine and component supply despite its sale to Tata Motors of India.

The hi-tech 5.0-litre V8 will be introduced in 2010 - a year that is shaping as a boomer for Ford Australia with the first facelift of the Orion Falcon, the switch to V6 engines in Ford's family fighter, and the likely introduction of the next-generation Territory.There is a good chance 2010 will also bring the first diesel engine to the Falcon and Territory, a 2.7-litre powerplant already in use in Europe. The good news on the V8 front comes as Ford Australia confirms plans to axe its existing 5.4-litre V8, which was standard in the G8, Fairlane and LTD and optional in a range of other Fords, including the Falcon ute.The Jaguar V8 is a new all-alloy design that was developed for the upcoming XF hero car, which is a make-or-break model for the legendary British luxury brand.The new Jaguar V8 will be available both in naturally-aspirated form and with a supercharger and the basic bottom line is 375kW. It will be the hero engine for the XR8 Falcon and will also be used in the fliers from Ford Performance Vehicles.The move to the Jaguar V8 is part of a shift prompted by the end of production of the existing 5.4-litre engine.Ford Australia imports the engine from the Essex plant in Ontario, Canada, which has been steadily phasing out the engine.Locally, the engine was known as the Barra 220 or Barra 230, depending on the application, with the number reflecting its kilowatt output.Still, Ford will continue with the part-locally assembled, four-valve twin-overhead camshaft version of the same engine in its Falcon XR8 and FPV models. The three-valve V8 was optional on the base-model BA Falcon from 2002, replacing the ancient 5.0-litre Windsor pushrod V8.But Ford's Broadmeadows factory has had little use for the engine, according to Ford Australia's president Tom Gorman.“Quite honestly, we were down to about 10a month and it's not a major impact on our business,” Gorman says.“They've actually ceased production in the US and, as you know, we're ceasing production on our long-wheelbase cars.”Gorman says Ford has enough remainingV8s stockpiled to meet demand in the long-wheelbase cars until production of the Fairlane family in a few months.