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(Amsterdam, the Netherlands) – April 19, 2018 – The new 2019 Jaguar XE 300 SPORT has made its global debut by setting a unique lap record. The special edition sports sedan became the first car to complete a lap of the world’s longest artificial outdoor ice circuit, at Flevonice in the Netherlands – but it had to beat a Winter Olympic gold medalist skater to set the fastest time. Watch the unique head-to-head race here.

After anchoring the Hungarian team to gold in the 5,000-meter relay at the 2018 Winter Olympics, speed skater Shaolin Sándor Liu set a tough benchmark to surpass; negotiating the track at Flevonice Sports and Funpark in just 4 minutes 4 seconds.

To give the icy time trial an extra edge, Shaolin’s girlfriend – Team Great Britain skater Elise Christie – was part of team Jaguar. With Elise in the passenger seat, the XE 300 SPORT took full advantage of the optional advanced all-wheel drive and sophisticated traction technologies fitted to the vehicle to help maintain composure on the slippery surface.3 With Jaguar Stability Development Leader Sean Haughey at the wheel, the XE 300 SPORT bested Liu’s time and lapped the track in 3 minutes 3 seconds at an average speed of 59km/h (36.7 mph).1

Mike Cross, Chief Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Ice is one of the most demanding surfaces for any vehicle to contend with and this race demonstrated the vehicle’s capability and unrivalled handling in adverse conditions.”

Staying true to the brand’s sports car DNA, the new 2019 Jaguar XE 300 SPORT will be equipped with an advanced 296 hp 2.0-liter Ingenium gas engine, powering the car from 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds).2 With 295 lb.-ft. of torque available and optioned with AWD, its effortless acceleration around the 3 km (1.86 mi.) ice circuit was no match for the Olympic Champion.

Shaolin Sándor Liu said: “I thought I would have a big advantage over the car on the ice and was pretty happy with my time considering the conditions, but when I saw the XE 300 SPORT take off from the start line, I had a feeling it would be faster.”

Elise Christie said: “I was desperate to pit myself against the XE 300 SPORT but sitting in the passenger seat gave me an experience I’ll never forget. I didn’t think it would be able to lap the track as quickly as an Olympic Champion, but the car’s all-wheel-drive traction was really impressive.”

The new 300 SPORT special edition will feature unique exterior and interior design elements inspired by the Jaguar F-TYPE 400 SPORT, and will be available for both the 2019 model year XE and XF vehicles; powered by the same 296 hp 2.0-liter Ingenium gas engine which first debuted in 2018.

All 300 SPORT XE and XF models feature unique Dark Satin Grey details including the door mirror caps, rear spoiler and grille surrounds, along with special 300 SPORT badging on the front grille and trunk lid. Distinctive 19- or 20-inch Dark Satin Grey finish wheels are exclusive to the XE and XF special editions, along with 300 SPORT-branded brake calipers. Customers can choose from three exterior colors: Yulong White, Indus Silver and Santorini Black, while the XE will also be available in Caldera Red.

Special design accents continue inside with yellow contrast stitching on the steering wheel, seats, door casings and armrest. Other modifications include 300 SPORT branded treadplates (with an illumination option in the XF), sport carpet mats, badged steering wheel and embossed headrests.

The XE and XF also enable customers to be more connected, with the advanced Jaguar InControl® Touch Pro™ 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard. When equipped with Navigation Pro and Connect Pro Package, Touch Pro further allows owners to effortlessly connect their favorite apps and receive real-time updates to traffic and weather conditions.