Tag Archives: Jaguar

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Waymo’s Driverless Jaguars to Hit London Streets in 2026

Next year, a fleet of self-driving Jaguar I-Pace SUVs will start rolling silently through the streets of London, not as posh Chelsea runabouts but as fully autonomous taxis, courtesy of American tech firm Waymo. Backed by the UK government and cheered on by the motoring industry, this pilot marks the country’s boldest leap yet into the driverless future.

Waymo’s no rookie either. The company already has its robo-taxis roaming across six U.S. states, with cars that have collectively clocked up more than 100 million miles. It’s also gone international, recently launching in Japan. Now, with a few British tweaks — likely including a penchant for roundabouts and an innate fear of cyclists — Waymo’s machines are headed for the capital.

The Robot Invasion Begins

London will be the first testing ground, where Waymo’s electric Jaguars will quietly map, learn, and ferry passengers through some of the most chaotic streets this side of Mumbai. It’s part of a new government-backed framework that allows companies to run autonomous services before personal driverless cars become legal — currently pencilled in for 2027.

In other words, while you still can’t legally let your Tesla drive you to Tesco, you can soon hail a taxi that does exactly that.

And Waymo won’t be alone. Uber, clearly not wanting to be outgunned by Silicon Valley rivals, has confirmed its own driverless trials will begin next spring — in collaboration with British AI mapping firm Wayve. Because nothing says “trust us” quite like the combined forces of a taxi giant and a startup run by machine learning PhDs.

The Government’s Grand Vision

UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander is understandably chuffed. She calls the move “cutting-edge investment” that will make Britain a “world leader in new technology.” Lofty words, but not without merit — the UK’s regulatory framework for autonomous driving is among the most advanced globally, and this pilot could finally bring some Silicon Roundabout sparkle to Britain’s roads.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has even dubbed the project a “landmark moment.” Its chief, Mike Hawes, hailed it as proof that Britain’s ambition is translating into a “social and mobility revolution.”

Translation: if all goes to plan, you might one day flag down a taxi that never misses a turn, never gets distracted, and — crucially — never asks if you’ve “got any cash, mate.”

Why It Might Actually Work

Waymo insists this isn’t just a publicity stunt. The company already has engineering hubs in London and Oxford, and it claims the project will support the capital’s transport goals — namely, reducing collisions and improving accessibility.

“We’re making roads safer and transportation more accessible where we operate,” says Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-CEO. The firm argues that removing the human from the driving equation could drastically improve safety — a point backed by Road Safety GB director James Gibson, who puts it bluntly: “Autonomous vehicles hold the potential to significantly improve road safety because, quite simply, the human driver is removed.”

Ouch. Sorry, Clarkson.

But Let’s Be Honest…

Of course, we’ve heard the promises before. Nissan’s been running autonomous Leafs around UK roads for years, claiming to have brought driverless tech “one step closer to reality.” And yet, the reality is still full of messy edge cases — rogue delivery vans, double-parked Range Rovers, and pedestrians who think zebra crossings are optional.

Still, there’s something undeniably exciting about the idea. For all our British cynicism, seeing a Waymo silently glide down Oxford Street — steering itself, watching every cyclist, never missing a green light — might just be one of those moments where you realize: the future’s arrived, and it doesn’t need a steering wheel.

So, next year, when a driverless Jaguar pulls up outside your flat and flashes its lights, don’t panic. Just get in, sit back, and let the car do what it was built for — everything.

Source: Autocar

News

Jaguar’s Type 00 EV Inches Closer to Reality, V-8 Rumble and All

Jaguar’s long-awaited return to the grand-touring spotlight is inching closer, though not without controversy. The Type 00 concept, first shown late last year, drew a lukewarm reception—its blend of futurism and British restraint didn’t quite ignite the passions once reserved for the F-Type or E-Type before it. Still, the prototypes now testing in Spain suggest that the production car could yet be a force in the ultra-luxury EV segment.

The new footage, posted by the NCars YouTube channel, shows two camouflaged Type 00 test mules hustling through winding mountain roads. One appears more polished than the other, riding on updated wheels and wearing subtly revised bodywork that differs from the show car. Even beneath the heavy black-and-white wrap, Jaguar’s classic long-hood, short-deck proportions are unmistakable.

But the real surprise isn’t visual—it’s auditory. Listen carefully, and you’ll pick up what sounds suspiciously like a V-8 burble echoing through the canyons. Don’t be fooled: Jaguar has already confirmed this car will be fully electric. That sound is almost certainly an artificial engine note, pumped through external speakers, a trick Porsche and Dodge are already leaning into for their performance EVs. Whether it’s a clever nod to heritage or a gimmick that grows old fast remains to be seen.

Performance figures, though, are beyond reproach. Jaguar promises 986 horsepower and a WLTP-estimated 430 miles of range—numbers that plant the Type 00 squarely in hyper-GT territory alongside the likes of the Rimac Nevera and the next-generation Tesla Roadster. Global Managing Director Martin Limpert has teased that the car is “all about exuberance,” though fans shouldn’t expect the feral, combustion-fed drama of Jaguar’s past V-8s. This is a new era, whether the faithful are ready or not.

The production model is slated for a late-2025 reveal, with customer deliveries starting in 2026 or early 2027. Jaguar’s future is riding heavily on this car. If the Type 00 can deliver on its promises, it might just reestablish the brand as a leader in electric luxury performance rather than a fading memory of British motoring glory.

Source: NCars via YouTube

News

Jaguar’s Big Gamble: Killing Everything to Save Itself

Well, here we are. Jaguar – proud purveyor of svelte coupes, leaping-cat bonnets, and the occasional sales dud – is about to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete on its entire lineup. Yes, all of it. The F-Pace, the E-Pace, the XE, the XF… gone. Dead. Buried. And in their place? One car. A single, über-luxurious, fully electric sedan, landing in 2026.

It’s called the Type 00 (yes, like a secret agent crossed with a pasta flour), first shown as a two-door concept back in 2024. The production car will sprout four doors and four seats, but Jag swears it’ll keep the striking, monolithic design that made the show car look like something you’d park outside the Batcave. Think less “heritage leaper,” more “electric sculpture you have to squint at.”

And don’t expect to see one on every street corner. Jaguar is deliberately going scarce. “When you see one, it’ll be a special occasion,” says Jaguar USA boss Brandon Baldassari. Translation: if you live next to a Range Rover dealer in Beverly Hills, maybe. If you live in Wolverhampton… probably not.

This isn’t a mass-market EV play. No, Jag’s done with chasing BMW and Audi with the F-Pace and XE. Instead, it’s doubling down on profit per car. Think fewer vehicles, higher prices, and absolutely no discounts. The average Jaguar will soon cost $130,000, double today’s sticker. Cue the sound of loyal XF owners choking on their tea.

But here’s the thing: JLR dealers already flog $200k Range Rovers before lunch. So Jaguar reckons its new clientele won’t bat an eyelid. “They know this client,” Baldassari insists. In other words, if you can afford a Range Rover Autobiography with quilted everything, you can probably swing a Jag that costs the same as a starter flat in Sheffield.

Of course, the problem is that the luxury EV battlefield is already full of sharp elbows. Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Mercedes EQS, Lucid Air, Tesla’s still-around-for-some-reason Model S… they all drive in broadly the same way, because instant torque and heavy batteries are a great leveler. Which means the Jag has to win on design, interior, and brand magic alone. No pressure, then.

So, is this a bold rebirth or just the latest chapter in Jaguar’s decades-long identity crisis? Hard to say. But one thing’s certain: the next time you see a Jaguar, it won’t be an F-Pace in the Waitrose car park. It’ll be something rarer, pricier, and – fingers crossed – worthy of the badge.

Because if this doesn’t work, well… there may not be a Jaguar to talk about in 2030.

Source: Motor1