Jaguar’s on track
It’s all go for Jaguar, in more ways than one.
First up is the FIA Formula E Championship for all-electric racing cars on December 2 and 3 in Hong Kong.
The Panasonic Jaguar Racing team’s second season in the event, Asia’s first double-header race weekend is also the first for team drivers Nelson Piquet Jr and New Zealander Mitch Evans together in the new British team.
At the Hong Kong E-Prix, drivers do 45 laps of the 1.86km street race circuit in the new Jaguar I-TYPE 2 which has more than 200 new parts to make it lighter and more efficient. The race power level increases to 180kWh.
From season five, 20 Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecars will line up on the grid in ten of the world’s most iconic cities, in the world’s first all-electric support race series.
The championship will take place on the same day as the FIA Formula E Championship, enhancing the electric race schedule.
Jaguar Racing also announced the first Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY race team for its new global production-based electric vehicle racing series starting December 2018 will include the Bobby Rahal led Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team.
Rahal is a three-time IndyCar Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner.
Meanwhile, the Jaguar E-PACE has just gained a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
Jaguar’s first compact SUV scored 86% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection and 77% for pedestrian protection, featuring a comprehensive suite of standard safety systems.
It is expected to be available in New Zealand in April, with pricing likely to be announced in the new year.
The Jaguar I-TYPE 2 electric race car.
On another note, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 has just been confirmed as the world’s fastest four-door saloon car with a record breaking round at the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.
It clocked 7min 21.23sec – the fastest time by a saloon of production-intent specification.
The record set by racing driver Vincent Radermecker is 11 seconds quicker than the previous fastest sports sedan around the legendary 20.7km German circuit.
The car’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine develops 441kW, with 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds and a 322km/h top speed.
It features on the Jaguar Land Rover stand at the Los Angeles Auto Show from December 1-10, where North America also gets a first look at the E-PACE, the XJR575 flagship sedan and the Jaguar XF Sportbrake.
Project 8 production will be limited to 300, available as a four-seater or with optional two-seat Track Pack.
From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover model lines will be electrified – with either hybrid or battery technology.
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