Inside Line put four V8-powered luxury sedans to the test. Jaguar XF Supercharged vs. Audi A6 4.2 vs. BMW 550i vs. Mercedes-Benz E550.

Which one would you buy?

Read the V8 Luxury Sport Sedan Comparison Test on Inside Line.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Fresh off nailing down the Jaguar/Land Rover deal; there are rumors that Tata is interested in getting a stake in both MV Agusta, the hyper-performance Italian motorcycle maker; and Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina.

It's interesting to note that both VW (VW and Ducati?) and now Tata, are interested in getting an exotic motorcycle brand under their large umbrellas.

As for Pininfarina, Tata is aiming to take a minority holding in the firm, partnering up with the French industrial group, Bollore, with up to a 100-million euro capital increase. It's expected that Tata and Bollare will cut down the Pininfarina family's share from 55-percent to 30-percent.

Full story here and here.

Now that Tata has taken on the burden of reviving Jaguar and Land Rover, we can look back on this ill-fated Ford-Jaguar-Land Rover saga. That's exactly what AutoObserver has done; what went right (not a whole lot), and what went wrong (a whole lot).

The Jaguar/Land Rover Sale: It’s Best Not to Add Up How Much Ford Wasted

After months of will-they or won't-they, of when and for how much, Tata and Ford have finally inked a deal that will transfer ownership of the iconic British brands to the Indian Tata Motors. The price is reportedly close to $2.3 billion. In addition Ford will contribute $600 million to Jaguar Land Rover pension plans.

Full story here.

Here's Auto Observer's take: Ford Sells Jaguar, Land Rover to India's Tata for $2.3 Billion and Tata Gets Near-Death Jaguar, Recovering Land Rover from Ford In U.S.

Here's Inside Line's take: Ford Sells Jaguar, Land Rover to Tata and Tata Faces Major Work on Jaguar, Land Rover

Jaguar says this is its fastest car since the XJ220 supercar of the 1980s. It's the 2008 Jaguar XKR-S, and the company is boasting it can touch 174 mph. Um, that's 19 mph faster than an XKR.

Only 200 will be made, and each and every one will wear black. Left- and right-hand-drive versions will be built, but Jaguar will only sell the super coupe in Europe. Bummer. This thing looks like fun.

Power comes from the same 420-hp supercharged V8 used in the XKR and the same six-speed automatic Jag uses in everything. What makes the XKR-S special are its bodywork and its underpinnings.

Jaguar has lowered the car 10mm, bolted on unique 20-inch Vortex forged alloy wheels and quickened the coupe's steering ratio. Behind those wheels, which wear Pirelli PZero rubber (255/35ZR20 front and 295/30ZR20 rear), are larger Alcon R performance brakes with six-piston calipers. Jag says they're the most powerful brakes on any production Jaguar.

A revised suspension with bespoke springs, dampers, antiroll bars and recalibrated Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) is also part of the package. The goal, according to the car's press kit, was to achieve an even more sporting character while retaining the XKR's supple ride comfort. Judging by the way the car handled the spinning turntable of the Jaguar display, we'd say mission accomplished.

At great risk, Jag played with the coupe's classic good looks, adding a new front air splitter, side sill extensions, a rear spoiler and a new rear bumper with a diffuser panel. Better aero and a tougher overall appearance were the desired effect, and Jag managed both without adding any ugly. The XKR-S is both more aerodynamic and better-looking than your run-of-the-mill XKR.

Inside Jag kept things simple with soft leather, contrasting stitching and piano black veneer trim.

No word on price, but it won't be cheap. The XKR-S hits dealers this summer. -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief

What appeared to be a done deal just a couple of weeks ago, the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover by Ford to Tata, is still under discussion by all parties. And to throw a possible wrench into works, Moody's Investor Services is casting some doubt as to whether this is even a good idea.

"Should (Tata Motors) proceed with the transaction and acquire these two businesses, it will face considerable execution and integration challenges," Moody’s said. The rating service noted that though Tata has a strong position in the low-to-medium segments in India, the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover would expose the company to the luxury product segment in wider global markets, which would increase the material risk to the automaker.

So, what all this mean? Don't know yet—but stay tuned...

Here's AutoObserver's take: Jaguar, Land Rover Good Fit for Tata? Moody’s Says Possibly Not

Long rumored, the sale by Ford of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata of Mumbai, India appears to be close to being a done deal. Tata is part of the Tata Group, which is a large Indian conglomerate that has holdings in hotels, trucks  tea and more. In addition Tata makes some bottom-feeder cars, which should make for an interesting juxtaposition (and a marketing challenge!) by adding these two luxury car brands.

Here's AutoObserver's take: The Sun Rises on an Indian Auto Empire: Tata Buys Jag, Rover

Will the Jaguar XF be the car that saves Jaguar?

This modern sport sedan comes with a normally aspirated 300-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 or you can get the supercharged 420-hp V8.

Read the Jaguar XF First Drive on Inside Line.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

 

No sooner did Jaguar announce upgrades for the X-Type, we find out that this model will be pulled from the US market next March. Word is the new XF sedan, even though it's larger and more expensive, will replace the X-Type here in the states.

So here's a brief listing of the 500 or so upgrades that the freshened X-Type gets—which we won't see:

• New six-speed automatic transmission
• New Jaguar Sequential Shift function on 2.2D
• Enhanced, Phase 2 Bluetooth® telephone connectivity
• DAB radio options (dependent on market) with new roof-mounted antenna pod
• Revised parking aid systems
• New mesh grille featuring the Jaguar ‘growler’ badge
• New front and rear bumper design
• New sill moldings
• New, re-profiled side moldings
• New badging including front wing Jaguar ‘ingot’ badges, and rear chrome signature blade on saloon models
• New door mirrors with integrated turn indicator repeaters
• Two new alloy wheel designs
• New exterior paint choices
• New speedometer and rev-counter designs
• Tungsten metallic finish for air vents, steering wheel spokes, and center console
• Chrome finish for air-vent thumb wheels and steering wheel controls
• New seat designs, with new horizontal and diamond twin-needle stitch patterns
• New Rosewood veneer option
• New interior color palette, with additional trim options including Soft Grain leather
• New door trim designs, to complement new seat-trim and color combinations

Full story here and here.

Here's Inside Line's take: Face-Lifted 2009 Jaguar X-Type Reportedly Not U.S.-Bound

Designer Ian Callum and the gang over at Jaguar introduced the sedan they hope will save the storied British marque. The event was low-key in the British tradition, but the Jaguar XF is anything but boring. When it goes on sale in March the XF will replace the S-Type in the company's lineup and take the brand in a completely new styling direction.

"A very handsome car with too many references to the past doesn't make a Jag," Callum told us. "Taking design leadership worldwide is very important to us. Design modernity is rightfully ours and it's time to take it back."

If it's anything, the V8-powered fastback XF is modern. And it will have to succeed against the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class if Jaguar is to survive.--Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief