Jaguar sends off the XK with E-Type-inspired Final Fifty special edition

By Stephen Edelstein Published April 18, 2014

The Jaguar XK will be axed before the end of 2014, but Jag isn’t letting this fast and luxurious four-seater leave showrooms without some recognition.

Announced at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the 2015 Jaguar XK Final Fifty edition isn’t exactly the bang custom says it’s best to go out on, but it is an appropriate way to end the production run of a fine automobile.

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As the name implies, Jaguar will build just 50 Final Fifty cars; 25 coupes, and 25 convertibles. They’ll actually be based on the sportier XKR, and will be the last of the XK line sold in the U.S.

While it was the only sports car in Jaguar’s lineup for years, the XK has been rendered somewhat irrelevant by the more overtly sporty F-Type, while its aging design has lost ground to fresher external rivals like the BMW 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

Even fairly regular refreshes and the limited-edition XKR-S GT model weren’t able to arrest the XK’s sales slide.

The commemorative model takes inspiration from Jaguar’s own past. The company launch a run of 50 special-edition cars when the E-Type went out of production. The majority of those cars were painted black with cinnamon trim, but one wore British Racing Green.

All XK Final Fifty editions will also be painted black, and will get the louvered hood from the XKR-S GT hot rod. The only other clues to the cars’ provenance will be special badging on the center console and door kick plates.

The XKR’s supercharged 5.0-liter V8 remains unchanged, producing the same 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque as other models. In addition to the mandatory six-speed automatic, the Final Fifty also gets the Dynamic Pack and Performance Pack that are normally optional on the XKR.

The Dynamic Pack adds 20-inch “Vortex” wheels, model-specific side sills, a rear diffuser, and larger rear spoiler. These aerodynamic enhancements help the XKR Final Fifty reach a top speed of 174 mph, compared to 155 mph for non-Dynamic Pack models. The 0 to 60 mph sprint happens in 4.6 seconds.

The 2015 Jaguar XK Final Fifty will arrive in U.S. showrooms this fall. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

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Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

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Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

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Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.