According to the motoring media, Jaguar are going to build a straight 6-cylinder variant of the Ingenium. I find this a little surprising given the fashion for V6s for packaging and crash-worthiness reasons.

If we assume that the straight six will happen, what capacity would you like to see, and should it be naturally aspirated (NA) or have forced induction, either a turbo or a supercharger.

My preference is for something around 4.0 litres with a low-pressure turbo. I had a LPT Volvo and it produced great torque and fantastic gas mileage when cruising.

My gut tells me that Jaguar are likely to go for 3.0 litres and a supercharger, basically a straight version of the current 3.0 SC.

 

I think your speculation will prove correct. Straight sixes are unique in their torque delivery, and I don't doubt it will be a unique selling point for most models.

I'm still holding out hope that their development of this engine is really just their efforts in developing the first of 2 six cylinder banks for an impending V12!

 

I hope we will see that Ingenium in-line SOHC six in upcoming Jags. I have the distinct impression that it will be 3-liters displacement (since the four is a 2-liter) and almost certainly supercharged. While the advantages you mention of the V-6 are quite valid, the L-6 has the advantages of lower weight and fewer moving parts, not to mention natural balance smoothness. I love my XK8 but still miss the wonderful sounds my XK-150 made.

 

Odds are, the I-6 motor will be a 3.0L motor. The reason why I say that is the Ingenium engine is meant to be an engine based around sharing common parts and the change in displacement is simply done through adding more cylinders. If I remember my talk with the engineers while in London relating to the Feel XE event, even the diesel variant was sharing a lot of the same parts. This was all being done to save on cost since you now need to develop fewer parts and the parts you have on the shelf will be usable by more things.