EXCLUSIVE: Meet the 2018 Jaguar Line Up
Jaguar kicks off “The Art of Performance Tour” in Detroit to much fanfare.
Jaguar invited us to Detroit to experience its 2018 model line up. The brand has been on quite an engineering spree as of late, with new models seemingly coming out monthly. What better way to showcase all of the new hardware than to bring them all under one roof?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s have some eye candy. Here is what greeted journalists at the event entrance.
This F-TYPE was wearing Jaguar’s FIA Formula E livery, and looked quite stylish doing so. With Formula E being Jaguar’s motorsport focus, this car’s attendance was a no-brainer.
Beside the race-inspired F-TYPE was something event better. The track day-ready XE SV Project 8 was also present. Yes, this is the very same car we got exclusive access to last month. This car speaks to my track day bro soul like nothing else.
SEE ALSO: Jaguar XE SV Project 8 Attacks Goodwood Hill Climb
From race-inspired, to track-ready, and now ready for your favorite back road, the 2018 F-TYPE R convertible looks as sexy as ever. This particular car was wearing some optional SVR goodies, note the carbon fiber wing and SVR wheels.
After gratuitous amounts of ogling (hard to do much else, in this company), we were ushered towards the main stage. The already dim lights went dark. Dramatic music boomed throughout the hall, and then a flash of light.
Beneath a sole bright light stood Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America. Eberhardt let loose a flurry of facts and figures about the Jaguar brand. In short, North American sales are way up, JLR is capitalizing on Americans desire for SUVs and expect a lot of cool things to come. While he was on stage, Eberhardt pulled back the veil of secrecy on this sexy XJ sedan.
After filling our heads with stats the room went dark again. A short film about Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy then played. Let me reiterate: Jaguar NEEDS to let journalists have a demonstration race behind the wheel of those. Or perhaps just let me drive one, either way, the ball is in your court, Jag.
After this, all the lights came on, the silk covers were drawn back, and there sat the entire 2018 Jaguar model line up.
Here is everything you need to know for 2018.
From left to right: the F-TYPE, F-PACE, XJR575, E-PACE, XF Sportbrake, XF sedan and XE sedan. Let’s break it down.
Up first is the Jaguar F-TYPE. This particular car was a 400 Sport, which I had never seen in person until then. The 400 Sport trim, inside and out, is gorgeous. The yellow trimmings were a sharp contrast against the metallic gray finish. Full details in the link just before this.
Beside the ever evocative F-TYPE sat a 2018 F-PACE SUV finished in Rhodium Silver. Leave it to Jaguar to make the color silver so desirable. This finish is stunning, even under the sultry lighting seen here. Want to see more? Here is the F-PACE when it’s not shrouded in darkness. Actually, that Caesium Blue color might be the best pick for an F-PACE.
We covered the breaking news of the XJR575 super saloon after its announcement. This BMW M5 fighter packs even more power from its supercharged V8 engine. If the 575 designation didn’t give it away, it’s that much. Naturally, being an XJ, the interior appointments are top notch.The cabin of this XJR575 was adorned in white, quilted leather. The big XJ certainly has menace, with its blacked out exterior trim. That it sat in partial darkness also helped its evil villain credentials.
SEE ALSO: Jaguarforums Members Talk XJR575
At the forefront of this all sat the new E-PACE compact SUV. Poised to be a volume seller for the brand, the E-PACE received the lion’s share of the attention. In fact, none other than Jaguar Design Director, Ian Callum, was on hand to talk us through E-PACE.
Callum, a modern legend of automotive design, pointed out interesting design elements of E-PACE that make it distinctly Jaguar. In particular he described the aggressive rear haunches. From the “3/4” view it wears the sporty sheet metal well. Those rear quarter panels are toned down from the sexy, all-electric I-PACE, but striking, none the less. Note also the “Chicane Line” tail lights, a design element first used on F-TYPE. These lights have slowly made their way across the entire brand line up (XJ excluded, for now).
Meet Jaguar’s cub.
The last bit of information Callum imparted on us was something I had never heard of, or seen, prior to this. While Jaguar was designing the E-PACE, they gave the design study a nickname. Within Jaguar, the E-PACE was known as “Jaguar’s cub.” Cubs are extremely cute baby Jaguars, so it was a fitting nickname for the brand’s baby SUV project. All E-PACE models are adorned with a marking of a Jaguar leading its cub on their windshields as a nod to this bit of brand trivia. Not at all necessary, but important, it shows intent and care in, and for, their products.
Beside the affable and adorable E-PACE was another enthusiast-geared option, namely the XF Sportbrake, a vehicle I once described as the sexiest Jaguar since the F-TYPE. After seeing it in person, I still stand behind that statement, long live the wagon.
Last, but certainly not least, Jaguar’s compact sedan, the XE was also present. This BMW 3-series fighter comes packing more firepower for 2018. A 380 horsepower, supercharged XE S sounds like an excellent way to sway consumers away from the turbocharged German competition. Check out the fiery red XE S in the video above. Those wheels look excellent in the flesh.
The 2018 model year sees changes across the Jaguar line up beyond just the new nameplates. Being 2018 models, the new family of Ingenium engines was present in most all of them. After the vehicles were unveiled under the stage lighting, a handful of Jags were available for road testing. Stay tuned to the front page of Jaguarforums.com for that, because we have a lot to say.
