In the dawn of the new millennium, Jaguar wanted to create a saloon to rival against the C-Class, the A4, and the 3-Series, with the X-Type, but sadly the X-Type never made the cut because of its Ford-derived chassis, front-wheel drive, and its lackluster character, making it the reason why they would never compete in a class like this but now, Jaguar decided to have another go in this segment with their latest vehicle, the
XE.
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| 2016 Jaguar XE |
Here it is and by the looks of it, it looks more stylish and tasteful as its big brothers, the XF and the XJ, but you might imagine that the XE is going to have the similar recipe for disaster as the X-Type but no. That's because the new XE comes with a lightweight aluminum monocoque that makes it lighter and more stiffer than any other saloons from Germany. It is the first to use JLR's brand new platform which we are looking forward to their future lineup of cars, all in the name of cost-effective measures. Combine with a new platform, space-age aluminum bodywork, and its rear-wheel drive and what you get is a saloon that likes to lay a finger against Germany's finest.
The XE is the most important car in the Jaguar range because it is the first to introduce the new "Ingenium" engine range suitable for the XE to deliver a healthy balance of performance and efficiency. There's a 2.0L 4-cylinder diesel engine with two different configurations; the first that can achieve 75MPG on the combined cycle and the latter is the more powerful one with 180PS of power. Apart from the Ingenium range, you can get a 2.0L turbo petrol engine or the more powerful 3.0L Supercharged V6 engine derived from the F-Type.
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| 2016 Jaguar XE |
The 3.0L V6 supercharged engine, available on the S variant produces 340PS of power and 450Nm of torque. 0-60mph takes about 4.9 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph. This version is mated with an improved 8-speed automatic gearbox which sounds like a much but if you want to have a more enjoyable drive should go for the lesser models, basically the one with the Ingenium engines in it because of its newly-developed 6-speed manual gearbox which shifts greatly and accurately without the drama.
Now, let's talk about handling and this is where the XE starts to come unraveled because for the first time in the Jaguar, an electric power steering is implemented and when you engage to its sportiest setting, you'll be having a hard time giving this car a good thrashing but when you get things right, the XE feels more accessible and planted to the road like sliding through jellied eels. Think about this, when you try to draw a string on your bow, you are trying to break the silence and things get a little more surprising as you come across the right path.
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| 2016 Jaguar XE interior |
The XE really gets on the right path unlike the X-Type from the last decade and while this is still essentially a good car to drive, despite the implementation of its electric power steering, which became a thrill-killing curse to all cars of today, and it feels more civilized on the road. On the inside, it has everything what a good saloon car should do when he's done with his office affairs and it's nicer to live with.
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| 2016 Jaguar XE |
The new XE starts at around 29,775 Pounds and that costs a lot than its German competitors but if there's one thing to like about the XE that is on par against its German rivals, it's not about the style and the performance. It's about the importance of being an all-important Jag on the lineup and by proving that this is the future for Jaguar, it's been sealed and we can expect great things to come from the XE and the rest of the Jaguar lineup.
Available colors: Ebony Black Solid, Polaris White Solid, Ammonite Grey Metallic, Bluefire Metallic, British Racing Green Metallic, Dark Sapphire Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Italian Racing Red Metallic, Odyssey Red Metallic, Osmium Blue Metallic, Quartzite Metallic, Rhodium Silver Metallic, Ultimate Black Metallic, Black Cherry Premium, Celestial Black Premium, Ingot Premium, Storm Grey Metallic, and Tempest Grey Premium.
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
