The Jaguar XJ is is a near clean-sheet design for the 2011 model year with all-new sheet metal, interior bits and powertrains. All that change leads to a new price tag  when the biggest cat hits UK dealerships this April, and the MSRP ranges wildly depending on what you’re looking for. UK site Autocar reports that the XJ will range from £53,775 ($86,741 in U.S. funds, though that’s not directly comparable) for the 3.0 diesel Luxury model to £90,455 ($145,638 U.S.) for the “base” 5.0 Supersport LWB. Those prices will climb based on the options chosen, and we’re sure plenty of models will crest the £100,000 mark. The middling XJ 5.0 V8 Premium Luxury comes in at £64,355  and New Jaguar XJ Price ($103,579 U.S).

Jaguar will reportedly sell three different versions of the XJ, with powertrain options ranging from five versions of the 3.0-liter diesel model to four versions with the petrol-powered 5.0-liter V8 and finally two different supercharged 5.0-liter Supersport models. All models will reportedly be available with both standard and long wheelbases, with the longer Jags coming with a £3,000 price premium.

Keep in mind that UK pricing very often has very little to do with the XJ MSRP we’re likely to see here in the U.S. due to the much higher value of the British Pound versus the U.S. dollar and the UK’s wonky Value Added Tax. In other words, don’t read much into the pricing unless you live on a very large island just north of mainland Europe. Head over to Autocar to see cross-pond pricing for all ‘11 XJ models.

The Reva NXG concept car looks aggressive, like it wants to hunt down anyone who says that all electric cars needs to look silly. The Chevrolet Spark concept, too, looks pretty darn good for a little car. The two companies are working together on an all-electric car for the Indian market and it was revealed at the New Delhi Auto Show this week. Sadly, the look of the car is a big bag of yawn.

The car in question is the Chevrolet e-Spark, and it would be India’s first four-door electric vehicle. The outside is simply the standard Indian-spec Spark, but Reva’s EV powertrain sits underhood. Detailed information on this car is scarce, but we hear it will have both regular drive and boost modes as well as regenerative brakes. There might also be an option to get the car with either lead acid or lithium-ion batteries. Production should start sometime this year.

In a rambling presentation that presented almost nothing of any value, Fred Diaz, CEO of Chrysler’s newly-created Ram brand, did drop at least one little tidbit in passing. Currently the Dodge truck offerings consist of only two vehicles, the full-size Ram and the mid-size Dakota. The long-term fate of the Dakota has been the subject of much speculation but one of Diaz’s slides did mention that Ram was considering a replacement. The key word was “considering.”

Interestingly, the possible replacement would be based on a unibody platform which in all likelihood would be derived from the new Grand Cherokee/Durango architecture. That would be a big departure for Chrysler – jumping into a vehicle type that currently consists of only the slow selling Honda Ridgeline. If Chrysler were to build this vehicle, it would make sense to do something to differentiate it from the big Ram, and perhaps with the right styling and powertrain – perhaps something like the Rampage concept from 2006 – it could be more successful than the Honda.

The current Durango will remain in production until mid-2011 and the new truck, if approved, would not launch until at least then.

Ford’s “Face for the Chase” (their phrase, not mine!) for 2006 is the new Fusion, and the NASCAR version was introduced on-track for the first time today on the high banks of Daytona.

On hand for the test session was Greg Specht, the Performance Operations Manager for Ford Racing Technology, who pointed out that, “…it’s the first time that we’ve introduced a new race car and a new production car at the same time since 1968 with the Torino.”

Of course, the NASCAR Torino and the showroom Torino shared the same basic chassis, powertrain and bodywork. In new millenium NASCAR style, the race Fusion is a tube-frame, V8-powered, rear wheel drive, live axle car with a custom NASCAR-spec body, and shares absolutely nothing with the street Fusion (a V6-powered, front wheel drive, independent suspension car based on the Mazda6).

I guess we’ll find out if Ford’s wind tunnel is better than GM’s and Chrysler’s though.

[Source: Ford]