Tata Motors may develop engine with Jaguar Land Rover

Tata Motors Ltd. will consider a joint engine-development program with its Jaguar Land Rover unit, according to a company report released today.

"To optimize the synergistic strengths between JLR and Tata Motors in India, an examination is also under way on a joint engine development program which would have manufacturing facilities both in the U.K. and India," Ratan Tata said in a statement released in the company's annual report for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which ended on March 31.

Currently, Tata, India's leading automaker by sales, obtains engines for Jaguar and Land Rover models from the brands' previous owner, Ford Motor Co.

Joint engine manufacturing would be another step closer to establishing the brands' independence from Ford. Tata bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in 2008.

Tata Motors said its Pune, India, plant, which began manufacturing the Land Rover Freelander in late May, could assemble other products and variants from the brands, according to The Wall Street Journal. A report from the Birmingham Post claims that Wolverhampton, England, plant has been chosen for Jaguar and Land Rover engine manufacturing.

Globally, Tata Motors sold 62,090 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles for the fiscal year, up 9 percent from the previous year, the company said.

Jaguar Land Rover N.A. sold 23,702 vehicles in the United States in the first six months of 2011, a 13.9 percent increase over the first six months of 2010.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110718/OEM01/307189867/1131#ixzz1TW5UCRZ4

Consumer Report - Test complete video: 2011 Jaguar XJ review

There’s no denying that the redesigned 2011 Jaguar XJ has a great body. Even by moving away from the traditional Jaguar sedan styling, the big cat still gets lots of looks.

But the Jaguar is not just form over function. Instead, the XJ has become a thoroughly modern luxury sedan that manages to be both sporty and relaxing. The 385-hp, 5.0-liter V8 delivers excellent performance and emits a muted, muscular rumble. The XJ also handles with agility and grace while delivering a smooth, supple, and well-controlled ride.

Inside, the driver and passengers are treated to an exceptionally plush cabin, with details and luxury features that truly fit the quiet, tasteful interior. The front seats are firm-some testers even called them hard-and narrower and more tailored than some people might expect from a luxury sedan. One neat feature: The front seats have a massage function that kneads the lumbar and bottom cushion. Only four adults fit comfortably in the XJ, though, and head room is a little stingy, making the cabin feel snug for larger people.

Some controls are confusing and not particularly well arranged, and the trunk is quite small for a large car.

Still, the XJ makes for a great date-night car.

Check out our video below, giving a further review of the Jaguar XJ. And continue on to see our complete road test and Full Track Report.

—Mike Quincy

Read More: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/07/test-complete-video-2011-jaguar-xj-review.html

Shopping Tools * Advertisement 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Spy Photos - Future Cars

Even for a vehicle with such historically long lifecycles, the Land Rover Range Rover is overdue for a full updating. You may remember that the current truck was designed under BMW ownership, updated by Ford, and recently got new engines and an interior under Tata rule. One generation, three parent companies. Three consecutive British prime ministers have no doubt ridden in them, too. Fortunately, as these spy photos—and those we previously captured—suggest, an all-new Rover family is just around the bend.

Given Land Rover’s convoluted full-size lineup—LR4, only-slightly-larger Range Rover, and LR4-based Range Rover Sport, which is smaller than either—we’re not entirely certain which model this is. In general proportion and in details such as the door handles tucked into the body line, it bears strong resemblance to the big-dog Range Rover. But the cut line of the rear door and the greenhouse, which tightens toward the back of the truck, make the body of this mule look very much like a hacked-up current-gen Range Rover Sport.

It’s also tough to tell what’s happening at the rear corners, thanks to a pair of blinders that have been slapped on, but the rear glass looks to have a slightly sharper slope to it and more streamlined trim at the edges. Overall, regardless of which model this is, it seems like the goal will be refining the current shape for better aerodynamics and lower wind noise, without losing the classic Range Rover silhouette.

Old-School but High-Tech

Technology will no doubt play a large role in the next Rover’s launch, and the most obvious bits peeking out in these photos are the LED clusters in the headlights. Behind them, expect a new hybrid powertrain to brighten the stately SUV’s eco image. Land Rover previewed this powertrain with the Range_e concept earlier this year. That vehicle used a diesel V-6 paired up with a plug-in hybrid system, but if the company intends to sell a Range Rover hybrid to U.S. customers, it’ll most likely have to use a gas engine.

As for the traditionally motivated models, we expect Land Rover to get a few more years out of its selection of 5.0-liter V-8s, both naturally aspirated and supercharged. Minor updates may eke out some gain in efficiency, but a larger increase likely will come from a jump from six- to eight-speed automatic transmissions, the new industry standard. As usual, Europeans will benefit from a range of turbo-diesels while we will not. A concept might preview a production model in the next year, but don’t expect production to start until the end of 2012 at the earliest.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/spied/11q2/2013_land_rover_range_rover_spy_photos-future_cars

Chicago Land Rover

2013 Jaguar XE Roadster Spy Photos - Future Cars

As we left this year’s Geneva auto show, at which Jaguar kicked off the iconic E-type’s 50th birthday party, we were disappointed. After the music had stopped, the champagne flutes sat dry, and the confetti lay lifeless on the floor, we still had no E-type successor or tribute. Today, though, our spirits are lifted, as our crafty spy shooters have caught Jaguar testing a mule of what will become the modern version of the E-type, likely called XE.

Whether or not the future two-seater will be able to pick up the torch of the famed E-type, it’ll fill that car’s role within the Jag showroom. At first glance, this mule appears to be just a rough-bodied version of the XK, complete with its updated headlights, but upon further study we can clearly see that the wheelbase—and consequently, the sheetmetal—have been shortened. Note how the surface between the leading edge of the front of the rear fender and the door seam is smaller than it is on the XK, which is why the body lines no longer match. Additionally, the rear overhang has been compressed on this mule, displacing the fuel door. The tacked on fender flares could indicate a wider rear track than the XK has.

It shouldn’t take much Sherlock Holmes–ing to determine what lies under the hood. As this car will be based on the XK platform, we fully expect it to receive either a naturally aspirated or supercharged version of Jag’s spectacular 5.0-liter V-8. Additionally, we know Jaguar is working on a new V-6 for the XF sedan and a forthcoming BMW 3-series–size sedan, and anticipate that’ll find its way into a base model of the XE.

The XE will eventually be offered as both a coupe and a convertible. The ragtop should be the first to market, possibly entering production as early as 2012. Its primary targets will be the Porsche Boxster, Audi TT, BMW Z4, and Mercedes-Benz SLK. Figure on the XE being priced toward the pricier end of that segment, or around $60,000. Stay tuned for more details as the E-type’s party really gets rockin’.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/spied/11q2/2013_jaguar_xe_roadster_spy_photos-future_cars

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2014 Range Rover Mule has Jaguar Dial Shifter—and Possible Diesel-Electric Hybrid Powertrain

With us since the 2006 model year, Land Rover’s current Range Rover flagship is palatial and iconic and capable. But we expect its replacement within a couple of years, likely with simple evolutionary styling changes covering a slew of new technologies—including some intended to help it slurp less fuel. This particular Range Rover–bodied mule, snapped at a facility of a technology partner, contains at least a few of those technologies, the most obvious of which is the dial-type electronic shifter like that used by its sister brand, Jaguar. It certainly isn’t the sportiest shift device in the world, but it is rather in keeping with the Range Rover’s wafty personality.

It’s clear that much more has changed beneath that current-gen Range Rover body, and there are a few possibilities as to what this vehicle might actually be. Among them is a new, super-high-performance version of the Range Rover, a swan-song model with a unique front clip for, say, the 2013 model year. More likely is that this is a powertrain/chassis mule for the next-gen Range Rover, due for 2014, with the fender flares hinting at increases in front and rear track width. Though we can’t see any of it here, a more aerodynamic body likely will need to be adopted if Land Rover hopes to raise fuel economy from “atrocious” to “just plain awful.” Also telling are the twin outboard bumper intakes, which show off what appear to be grilles for twin intercoolers, suggesting that a turbocharged engine—likely a diesel-powered V-6 or V-8— sits up front.

A close look at a mysterious box located between the mufflers suggests one further exposition: that this mule is testing Land Rover’s new “Range_e” plug-in diesel-electric hybrid system announced at this year’s Geneva auto show, with the box presumably containing some of the battery components. Intended for Land Rover’s larger vehicles, Range_e was shown installed in the Range Rover Sport and combines electric power with a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. It surely will work in the larger Range Rover, too, although we shudder to think of the curb weight of a Rangie with a heavy diesel engine and a battery pack containing enough energy capacity to propel it 20 miles on a single charge.


Land Rover has said in the past that a diesel hybrid will be ready by 2012 and on sale by calendar-year 2013—just in time to debut in the 2014 Range Rover.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/2014-range-rover-mule-has-jaguar-dial-shifter%E2%80%94and-possible-diesel-electric-hybrid-powertrain/

Chicago Land Rover