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Jaguar turns down offers to join V8 Supercars, questions AMG, Volvo participation

Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that Jaguar may be the next manufacturer to join the V8 Supercars racing series, made popular in Australia but now well-known in other parts of the world as well. Sadly, Jag's participation is not to be. In fact, it would be "insane," according to Jaguar Land Rover Asia Pacific Managing Director David Blackhall, for it to accept either of the two offers it has received to bring Jaguar into V8 Supercars.
Not only is Jaguar not interested in entering V8 Supercars, says Blackhall, it also fails to understand the recent entries from AMG and Volvo. "I don't know what it does for AMG to get flogged by a V8 Commodore week after week, but it's their brand, their issue. And the same thing will happen to Volvo to be honest."
Judging by Blackhall's statements to motoring.com.au, after not-so-serious consideration, the automaker decided the monetary commitment it would take to compete for wins would be more than any potential exposure would be worth, despite the fact that Jaguar has a 5.0-liter V8 to go along with what would seem to be a tailor-made rear-wheel-drive chassis. For what it's worth, one offer would have had Jaguar putting its name across an engine made by someone else, an option that was flatly turned down.

Stunning Jaguar E-Type Lightweight tribute featured by Petrolicious

This is a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type Coupe. Enzo Ferrari, Il Commendatore himself, called it "the most beautiful car ever made." It can count among its owners Steve McQueen, Brigitte Bardot and a number of other celebrities from the 1960s. It remains one of the prettiest and coolest cars ever.
While we don't normally prescribe to modifying classics like the E-Type, cars that are used for vintage racing, like this particular example, are certainly the exception. It's owned by Jason Len and is the subject of the latest video from the team at Petrolicious.
Len's 1964 E-Type has been fashioned to look like one of the rare Lightweight E-Types from 1963 and 1964. The aluminum-bodied E-Types, of which only a dozen were built, were all intended exclusively for racing, much like Len's heavily modified example. While it retains the 3.8-liter straight-six, its engine, transmission, suspension, brakes and body have been extensively tweaked and fettled to allow this classic Jag to compete with a field of V8s.

Jay Leno's Garage features funnyman's 1963 Jaguar E-Type

Jay Leno looks inward on this episode of his eponymous garage, checking out a 1963 Jaguar XKE that he bought earlier this year. It is an example of his favorite kind of car, that being original and unrestored. He bought the E-Type from its first owner, a woman who purchased it new, held on to it for 50 years and took excellent care of it. Having never been in an accident, Leno says even the paint is 85- to 90-percent original.
In the video, the XKE sits in front of two heavily modded XK120s and another '63 XKE, but Leno said all he's done - and all he plans to do - is clean it up and put on a modern set of wire wheels for safety.
He's not on any junket and there are no guests, it's just a guy talking about an object dear to his heart. If you need a refresher on the excellent genes of the new F-Type, check out the video below.