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Jaguar has revealed the prototype of its new Lightweight E-type, a further six of which will be built and sold... 51 years after the original.

The Special GT E-type project indeed started in February 1963 with the goal of building 18 cars. Only 12 of the aluminium-bodied Lightweight E-types were eventually built.

“The E-type is an iconic car, and the Lightweight E-type the most desirable of all,” said John Edwards, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations. “To be able to complete the intended production run of 18, some 50 years after the last Lightweight was completed, was an opportunity we couldn't miss.”

A prototype Lightweight -- ‘Car Zero' -- has been completed and will be officially introduced on Thursday at the opening reception to the Pebble Beach Automotive weekend, the world's most prestigious classic car event.

All six cars will be sold as period competition vehicles and all will be suitable for FIA homologation for historic motorsport purposes.

Source: Jaguar

Photo: Jaguar

Red Bull is very pleased to announce that Max Verstappen has accepted the invitation to join the Red Bull Junior Team.

This is effective immediately and the 16-year-old Dutchman will continue his FIA Formula 3 European Championship campaign at the Nürburgring this weekend as a Red Bull Junior in the Van Amersfoort Racing team.

Vertappen Jr. will compete also at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in November.

Max Verstappen (photo: Red Bull)

The Dutch racer, son of former-Formula 1 driver Jos, has won seven F3 races in his maiden season of car racing.

We reported last week that his rookie form had attracted interest from Red Bull and Mercedes , and a deal has been struck with the Austrian drink company.

From GMM

Recently departed Renault Sport F1 boss Jean-Michel Jalinier says the struggling French marque was out-spent as the sport entered its new V6 era.

Dominant with Red Bull at the tail-end of the long normally-aspirated 'engine' era, Renault has struggled against the new might of Mercedes as the German company mastered its first 'power unit' for 2014.

Frenchman Jalinier, former president and managing director, retired for "personal reasons" last month, but his departure was also interpreted amid Renault's restructuring as it looks to return to top form in 2015 and beyond.

But Jalinier said the pecking order in 2014 is more about Renault and Ferrari's conventional approach to the new regulations versus a dramatic turn for Mercedes.

"When Ferrari and Renault are getting similar results, and Mercedes has a significant advantage, the first thing is to look at the level of investment," he told the French magazine Auto Hebdo.

"At Renault the same level of investment was maintained, while Mercedes raised the bar very high, investing a lot of money, resources and technology," said Jalinier.

"As a result, they were much better prepared than us and the Italians who have operated at the known and practiced levels of investment.

"In the paddock," he continued, "you did hear about these enormous and - in our view - disproportionate investments by Mercedes, but do you believe these rumours or not?

"In terms of resources used for this project, it is clear that Ferrari and us invested far less (than Mercedes)," said Jean-Pierre Jalinier, the former boss of Renault Sport F1.

"In the end it was true. In terms of resources used for this project, it is clear that Ferrari and us invested far less," said Jalinier.

"We are 320 people at Viry, but together with the chassis and the engine there were up to 1,250 at Mercedes. With those resources, it is obvious that you are not confined to one solution but can go with two or even three in parallel during the development phase," he said.

"This is a powerful force to achieve the right solution."

Renault has been heavily criticised by its formerly title-dominant premier team partner Red Bull amid the 2014 'crisis', but Jalinier insists that "with the means available, we completed the project entirely correctly".

However, he does admit that Renault should have adopted the Mercedes-like approach of optimising a single 'power unit' package, rather than offering customised solutions to teams like Red Bull and Lotus.

"The advantage of Mercedes was to have an optimised version of the chassis and engine specifically for Mercedes GP, their own team, that was used as is by the client teams or adapted to their own needs at their own risk," said Jalinier.

Ferrari Formula 1 drivers, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, admitted they will keep fighting hard during the second half of 2014 despite driving the problematic F14 T.

“The car is still not goo enough and we are missing downforce and traction”, said Alonso.

“With Kimi, we are working very hard and the debriefing sessions are very long this year. We are providing the engineers with a lot of information so that they point the guys in Maranello in the right direction. That's exactly what I was doing previously with Massa and my other teammates”, added Alonso.

“I think we can do a better job, because Kimi has not performed very well so far this year. We've got to solve our handling problems and first against Mercedes”, the Spaniard said.

Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T (Photo: WRi2)

Raikkonen insists he has lost none of his speed since his winter return to Ferrari from Lotus despite his disappointing run of results and remains confident that both he and the team can eventually return to race-winning ways.

"It's been a hard first part of the year," the 34-year-old Finn said. "I know I've not lost speed from last year, so it's been disappointing to fight against the issues and problems we've had.

"I hope the second part of the season will be much better than the first, but one slightly better day doesn't change an awful lot.

"It doesn't take away the mistakes, the things we have to improve, to make us work much better as a team.

"There are a lot of things that need to be done to make sure we are where we should be."

Consumer Reports, which last year gave top marks to Tesla Motors' Model S sedan, now says the car it owns has had "more than its share of problems."

Jaguar Land Rover's surging retail sales and profit helped parent Tata Motors triple its first-quarter net income.

BMW of North America appointed Stefan Walmrath CFO, effective Sept. 1, succeeding Stefan Sengewald, who will return to Germany to serve as a senior vice president for BMW Group.

BMW of North America has appointed Stefan Walmrath as its new chief financial officer, effective Sept. 1. He succeeds Stefan Sengewald, who will return to Germany to serve as a senior vice president for BMW Group.

The next-generation Kia Sorento crossover will be longer, lower and have more interior space than the outgoing version. Kia released the first images of the 2016 Sorento today ahead of an unveiling this month in South Korea.

Lawyers for GM customers are jostling to lead lawsuits over faulty ignition switches. They don't know what they can sue for -- a judge will tell them that -- but they do want to be in charge.

Florida dealer David Maus is bowing out of a deal to become COO and part owner of a new South Carolina dealership holding company called First Team Automotive Group.

Russia's Association of European Businesses (AEB), says July sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles dropped 22.9%, noting the overall trend is "worrisome."

News 11 Aug, 2014

Track-ready 650S has stripped-out cabin, trick chassis tech and more downforce but sadly isn’t legal for street use

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Prestolite E-Propulsion Systems (PEPS), a 50/50 joint-venture between Prestolite Electric Beijing and TM4, has secured what it refers to as "a multi-million dollar order" from Foton, one of China's largest bus manufacturers, for more than 200 SUMO HD electric powertrains.

Ford sales in China jumped 25% in July to 90,775 taking year so for sales to 640,031, and increase of 33% on last year.

Strong sales and an increased first quarter profit at Jaguar Land Rover have once again boosted the figures of Indian owner Tata Motors.

Car sales in Western Europe grew by 5% in July according to data released by LMC Automotive. The most recent month's result indicates that the recovery remains on track. The Seasonally Adjusted Annualised Rate (SAAR) of sales stood at 12.2m units a year, similar to the previous month.

The appointment of a non-GM person reflects the way the US giant is moving as is the way it has dealt with the recall crisis in the US.

News 12 Aug, 2014

Lighter, more spacious platform set for new Volvo SUV