The automotive industry is changing, no doubt about it. World governments are cracking down on excessive fuel emissions left and right, and that means automakers must find ways to somehow achieve solid performance while being "green." It ain't easy and some sacrifices will have to be made. And if sources prove accurate, Jaguar may one day be forced to give up on the V8 engine. Fortunately, this won't be happening in the near future, but it could one day.

Steven de Ploey is a product and marketing director for the historic UK brand. He's the guy whose job it is to help plan for the future based on existing and upcoming market conditions, regulations, etc. In a conversation with Australia's Drive website, he clearly stated that his company is "not wedded to V8s." He continued by asking: "Can Jaguar exist without a V8? The answer is yes, but is it our intention at this stage to eliminate the V8 from our engine palette? Clearly not because we need it for performance." Should we be cautious here?

Oh yeah, because de Ploey went on to say that "when we have the technology that delivers intelligent performance at the same level will we even consider such a move." For now, Jaguar will be sticking with supercharging to achieve top-level performance, but mark our words: Jaguar (and others) may be forced to abandon the V8 by the time our kids learn to drive.