Jaguar and Land Rover could be adopting an Audi-like new naming scheme, using numbers instead of engine displacement to tell you how fast a car is.
The report comes from Auto Express. The UK publication said that a reader spotted an F-Type prototype that was out for testing. Instead of the usual engine displacement badging, it wore a P380 AWD badge. In this case, that badge means P for petrol (gas), 380 for 380 hp, and AWD for all-wheel drive. The models would still keep their brand badges, so it would be an F-Type P380 AWD.
Auto Express reports that this is going to be the new naming system for Jaguar and Land Rover. The new Velar is expected to start with a D180 - diesel engine, 180 hp - model, and they expect the I-Pace electric SUV to be badged E400. Although Mercedes-Benz, and their E-Class E400, might have something to say about that.
With the upswing of turbo and supercharging, along with more and more electrification of cars, displacement is losing relevance as an indicator of power, acceleration, and - maybe most importantly - prestige. Putting the power number on the car front and centre makes it immediately clear who wins top trumps in the parking lot. Jaguar's plan certainly makes more sense than Audi's new system where 30 means 110 to 131 hp, 70 means anything more than 544 hp, and the numbers get filled in in between.
