Part of why I like jaguar is because of its uniqueness and that not many people drive them.

Now with the introduction of the XE, which looks a lot of like an XF, that aspect of it may diminish due to the increase of "average joes" being able to afford them.

 

Dat, so you are saying that the X-Type did a bad thing for the Jaguar name? While Jaguar hates to use this relationship, the XE is really a new version of the X-Type. Being a person that got to talk with the Jaguar marketing people and the engineers during the world premiere of the XE, I got to get a back door look at why the XE was even created. In short, most people think of Jaguar as a very high end car (to your point). The problem is, because of that, most people look right past Jaguar because "the car is out of my league and I could never afford it". Jaguar just lost a sale to a person that could have very well bought a car. So, in steps the XE. It is meant to get the "young executive" who is looking to get that "car that can impress with looks alone" but doesn't have the unlimited budget. With the XE starting at about $45K (USD), that is at a level that most people would be willing to spend to get the looks. Then the hope is that with them being impressed with the car, their next vehicle will be something higher up in the Jaguar line (ie, XF, XJ) and therefore Jaguar gets a second sale.

 

A necessary evil, maybe. Benz and Porsche now cater for the prestige entry level. The prices for the XE in Oz have just come out, they are on a par with the equivalent 3 series but I'd be happy to pay 10% more just so I didn't have a 3 series. I'm a little concerned that the 177KW 4 pot turbo I'd look at at about $70K odd AUD will look pretty much identical to the $60K entry level model, but at least there isn't 10 years of the same general shape of the car around (like the 3 series or a lexus i250) which makes it more "common".


Probably my only real reservation is if they adopt the cookie cutter approach like audi, with each car exactly the same as the other, just bigger.

 

In the Northeast, there are tons of X Types around being given the same love as any other Jag. They, by and large, are very happy to be able to afford a Jag. Hopefully, they finally put a proper suspension in this new model to make it drivable at the limits unlike pretty much any other Jagcurrently built except the XJ. Seems Jaguar is addicted to rear springs that are always ~10% too stiff resulting in a tail happy car. Drifting may look cool but its slow as hell.

 

Exclusivity is a two edged sword.

A X308/R on asteroids going around a corner is poetry in motion.

The problem is that the owner only usually gets to see the car
standing still. In five years, I have seen maybe three in motion.

Exclusivity also helps to keep repair and parts prices high as well
as killing any chance of an active aftermarket. BMW and Mercedes
owners have a healthy selection of aftermarket sources. Jaguar
owners get nada.

As for XF's ... I see them all the time and keep on mistaking them
for Kia's or Hyundai's unless I can see the badging.

The XE shooting brake concept looks promising though.

 

mmmmm....So the base model appears to be an inline 4 cylinder engine?

https://jaguar.webqem.com/driveaway/#?range=XE

It doesnt look like they will be offering a turbocharged or supercharged version, even in the XE-S version (V6)

It seems to start with the XF..

Has anybody driven a Jaguar i4 cylinder engine? How did you find it?

I current drive my XJS (V12) and think it would be too hard drop down to a 4 cyclinder.

I sometime drive the Mrs 4 cylinder Mitsu and I keep thinking there is something wrong with it lol!

I think the XE-S version might be nice to drive though..

Maybe best asked in the XF secion but What does a turbocharged inline 4 cylinder engine feel like vs a standard V6 (ie. XE-S ) without turbo/super charge?

 

Paul you seem to be getting a little confused.

All the engines in the XE are forced induction i.e. turbocharged or supercharged.

2.0L I4 Petrol Turbo (Ford Ecoboost at launch, will be replaced by Ingenium)
2.0L I4 Diesel Turbo (Ingenium, Jag engine)
3.0L V6 Petro Supercharged (Jag V6, same as XF, XJ, F-Type)

The 2.0L Petrol Turbo is the same engine that's currently used in the Evoque, Freelander, the XF, and the XJ (but you won't find a 2.0L XJ in Oz)

And this 2.0L Petrol Turbo is also used in the Falcon, Focus, Mondeo, etc...

There will be two different power levels in 2.0L Petrol XE

147kW/280Nm, or 177kW/340Nm

A quick check on the internet tells me your 5.3L XJS was making around 194kW/377Nm when it was new. A few horses may have escaped in the last 30 years though...

Bearing in mind your XJS weighs close to two tonnes, and the XE is more like 1600kg, you will probably find the XE is more spritely that your old girl.

 

Cheers Cambo

What confused me is on the price calculator link, all descriptions for the XE omit any mention to turbo or supercharge (as far as I can see)

https://jaguar.webqem.com/driveaway/#?range=XE

But when you select the XF it specifically mentions Turbo or Supercharge.

See my confusion?

 

I wouldn't worry. I test drove the car a number of times before placing an order. The suspension makes the opposition seem primitive. It is one of the best aspects of the car.

In response to the original poster, my apologies for lowering the tone of Jaguar ownership. I will try not to wipe my nose on my sleeve too often.

 

I hope you were joking, but sadly I don't think you are.

Anyway if you want Jaguar to still be around for the long haul you better hope the XE is successful because Jaguar needs the volume sales.

 

+1

For anyone wanting Jaguar to be around in 10 years, you better hope that both the XE and F-Pace are home-runs, and I think they will be based upon the initial positive reviews in the automotive press. If the XE demonstrates similar reliability to BMW and MB (3- and C-series models), which means good enough albeit not perfect, they should be very successful.

Unless you are Ferrari, Porsche, or the like, you can't survive in today's brutal competitive environment, without selling a significant number of units to "average joes." Even Porsche recognized the need to have "entry level" models as well as SUVs. Right now in the U.S., Jaguar has trouble getting a large segment of the customer base to even look, unless they are there looking at Land Rovers.

 

Duplicate

 

While I'm a great fan of the XE (waiting for one to arrive that might suit my wife), I've never liked the Audi concept of babushka doll styling for cars. I mean that no matter how great an A8 is, it looks pretty much identical to an A4, just bigger, and the A6 is the same just bigger than the A4 but not as big as the A8.

So for someone like me who wants to drive something different (and I am ****** enough that I like to show off a bit), I wouldnt want a $250K A8 (which you might see once in a blue moon) to look the same as a $50K A4 (which you might see 10 times a day). Which is one of the reasons I have an XKR, aside from the fact that it is such a lovely car it just makes me happy to drive it.

So I'd agree with the proposition that if you were shelling out for an XF, you might be a little burned that the more popular XE looks so similar (actually I think in the metal they wont, in photos I cant tell them apart save for the back end), or say that for the price of a basic looking XF you could get a pretty hot looking XE. For superficial people like me (I gave up trying to hide that years ago, I'm not proud of it, but hey...) I'd always take the hot looking car even if it was less convenient.

So back to the OP, I can understand part of what you are saying. If I was in the market for an XF, it might be on my mind, but it wouldnt stop me coz the reviews of the new XF are so good, and ultimately I think in the metal the cars will look pretty different. Being in the market for an XE, it isnt a problem at all.

 

I don't disagree with you, and I think Audi is the grand champion of designing clones in different sizes, but almost all manufacturers do the same thing now to a large extent. They call it "corporate design language."

With few exceptions, you don't have to look at a vehicle's corporate logo to know it's a recent Acura, Alfa-Romeo, BMW, Buick, Fiat, Ford, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Honda, Infiniti, Jeep, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, MB, Mini, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, or Toyota. It must be an effective strategy.

It is interesting, however, that Ian Callum did create a unique new look for the F-Type, however, some of it's design features (e.g. tail-light design) are now migrating to other new generation Jaguar models.

 

After spending most of the day driving the XE on the track against the new BMW and because of price point, the ATS $55K version, Lexus (who knows what it was called...), I only cared about the BMW 340.

Until you drive the XE, seeing how much better the interior is, and the absolute handing revelation it is of the chassis and trick suspension, you cannot understand the importance of this car. It is completely in another class than the heavy feeling, laggy BMW engine (The XE =instant throttle reaction). Before, I always considered the 3 Series the best handling car in this segment. The XE blows it out of the water. It's that good.

 

Cheers, I take it that was the XE S (6 cyl supercharged)?


On all accounts the lower hp models trounce their BM counterparts, personally I found the XE 20T to be a better drive (power excepted) than anything I had driven before.

 

Thanks for the report. This is very good news, and of course, very consistent with every reported comparison by the automotive press.

 

Amid all the fun, our last training session on the new interior technology coming had some grim news. The instructor started off by saying why these lower priced models were so important to Jaguar.

His words "Make no mistake, Jaguar is in a crisis! If they do not release a vehicle that brings in younger people, they're current customer base will die off and Jaguar will cease to exist as it is in under 10 years."

I never thought about it like that but looking back, there are few that have the means,to buy or lease a new Jaguar. The customers I see at the dealerships are older, affluent and worked decades for financial comfort.

For an AWD Sport or Portfolio, you start at about $61k. That's 98% of what sells in MI new. Younger ones may want it but they rarely can get it.

The XE will change that and have the in car tech they demand. You can see then going into the XF and then XJ or XJL as their income increases. We do not have that now.

 

It wasn't until the second day that I asked the hp. It had the XE R Sport package. It turned out they were just weirdly configured and only had the 340 hp powertrain. I would've sworn it was the 380 hp engine from how loud they were and just how smoking fast they were.

I could have passed the BMW in front me without trying very hard, and I couldn't get away from the XE on my tail during switch out. It became intimidating, like I was in a ME 109 with a Spitfire about to flare me that I couldn't shake.

The 380 hp XE is going to be a giant killer!

 

Sweet, the 177KW (240hp) version is what I am getting for the sedan in the family, sounds like it will be an awesome drive.