MAHWAH, N.J., Dec. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Jaguar today announced its return to global motorsport. In the autumn of 2016, Jaguar will enter the third season of the exciting FIA Formula E Championship as a manufacturer with its own team. FIA Formula E is the world's first global single-seater championship for electric powered cars.
FIA Formula E offers a unique opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover to further the development of future EV powertrain including motor and battery technology.
Nick Rogers, Group Engineering Director for Jaguar Land Rover, said, "I am proud to announce Jaguar's return to racing with an entry into the innovative FIA Formula E championship. Electric vehicles will absolutely play a role in Jaguar Land Rover's future product portfolio and Formula E will give us a unique opportunity to further our development of electrification technologies. The Championship will enable us to engineer and test our advanced technologies under extreme performance conditions.
It is my belief that over the next five years we will see more changes in the automotive world than in the last three decades. The future is about being more connected and more sustainable; electrification and lightweight technologies are becoming more important than ever as urbanisation continues to increase. Formula E has recognised and reacted to these trends and the championship's exciting and pioneering approach is the perfect fit for our brand."
Jaguar Land Rover employs over 8,000 engineers and is the UK's largest investor in research and development across any business sector. Jaguar's Formula E team will be able to draw upon this industry leading resource with Jaguar Land Rover engineers working closely with the race operations team.
Those engineers will not only be able to apply their knowledge within the race team environment but crucially use the experience to extract data and push the boundaries of electric technology in a performance environment.
Williams Advanced Engineering will be Technical Partner to the Jaguar Formula E Team and provide extensive motorsport knowledge, combined with high performance EV Systems experience and success. Jaguar Land Rover has a long term relationship with Williams, who partnered with Jaguar on the development of the Jaguar C-X75 plug-in hybrid concept car. The team entry has been granted by Formula E and approved by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
Alejandro Agag, Chief Executive Officer for Formula E, said, "We are delighted to welcome Jaguar into Formula E. Jaguar is a brand with a rich sporting heritage and the fact that it is returning to global motorsport with Formula E is a huge endorsement of the championship and its ability to influence the development of electric cars. Jaguar brings with it a passionate fan base that will drive the popularity of the championship across the world and once again shows that Formula E is the future of motorsport."
Jean Todt, President of the FIA said, "The FIA is pleased to welcome Jaguar as a new manufacturer to enter the FIA Formula E Championship. We built this series to offer an alternative competition for manufacturers to step into the sport and develop road-relevant electric technologies. The choice of Jaguar to come back to motor racing with Formula E is a proof of success. As it forges a path forward for the future of the electric car, Formula E managed to attract one of the most prestigious and historical brand across the automotive industry. I wish them success ahead of their arrival in 2016/2017."
James Barclay, Jaguar Team Director, said, "We looked in detail at alternative ways of returning to motorsport. This was such an important decision for Jaguar and we wanted to get it right. With our future EV plans, Formula E was the obvious choice and we believe that the benefits are enormous. The FIA and the promoter have exciting plans for the future of the championship and we are proud to be one of the first vehicle manufacturers to commit to the series with our own team. We have a lot of work to do ahead of the first race but it is a challenge we relish. We hope that we can welcome a new generation of fans to Jaguar through this exciting program."
More details on Jaguar's return to racing including team presentation, drivers and partners will be released in the run up to season three.
About Jaguar
Jaguar is a premier manufacturer of luxury sedans and sports cars offering unparalleled design with tremendous performance. The company's vision throughout its storied history has been simple: To produce beautiful, fast cars that are desired the world over. Jaguar strives to provide a world class ownership experience to every owner. Today's Jaguar lineup consists of the Jaguar XE, two-seater F-TYPE, XF sports sedan, and the XJ luxury sedan. Jaguar designs, engineers and manufactures exclusively in the United Kingdom, at the Castle Bromwich manufacturing plant in the British Midlands. Jaguar is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information visit the official Jaguar website at www.jaguarusa.com.
About Jaguar Land Rover
- The United States is one of the leading global markets for both Jaguar and Land Rover
- Jaguar Land Rover employs 32,000 people and sells vehicles in 170 countries around the world
- Jaguar Land Rover has two state of the art engineering and design facilities and four advanced manufacturing plants in the UK
- Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC has offices across the USA
- Jaguar Land Rover is represented by more than 330 independently operated retail outlets in the USA
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Information about Jaguar North America products is available to consumers at www.jaguarusa.com
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