New Jaguar XE 2015

The new Jaguar XE, the British firm's answer to the BMW 3 Series, has been revealed in London

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The new Jaguar XE was revealed at a star-studded launch event at London's Earls Court last night, ahead of the car's on-sale date next spring.

The XE will be the British brand's first BMW 3 Series rival since the Jaguar X-Type was discontinued in 2009. Since then, buyers looking for a high-quality compact saloon car were forced to look at models from Mercedes, Audi and Lexus, or step-up to the larger (and more expensive) Jaguar XF.

Prices for the new Jaguar XE will start from around £27,000, with a range of super-frugal petrol and diesel engines – including a tax-exempt diesel emitting 99g/km of CO2. All models will be launched at the Paris Motor Show next month.

We’ve got all the information on Jag's small saloon, so keep reading for everything you need to know.

New Jaguar XE 2015 design

Ian Callum, designer of the new XE has clearly used existing Jaguar models as inspiration – with hints of XF, F-Type and even XJ in the sleek and stylish body.

Callum said: “We decided to stick with the Jaguar design philosophy. People have started to get used to Jaguar and what they look like. The XE is a sports saloon with a long bonnet, great wheel to dash proportions, the cabin set backwards and a coupe profile. But we’ve still got great packaging inside. [The car is] longer than a 3 Series, shorter than an A4 and with an interior comparable with the C-Class”.

At the front, the large grille and swept-back headlights will look familiar to XF and XJ owners, while the gaping air intakes are reminiscent of the top-of-the-range F-Type coupe.

In profile the car keeps the sloping roofline and swept-back windscreen of the XF, which makes it look almost like a five-door coupe rather than a boxy saloon car – something many rivals have failed to achieve.

The rear end completes the look with a subtle boot lid spoiler, twin exhaust pipes, and complex taillight patterns.

New Jaguar XE 2015 construction

To keep weight down and add strength, much of the Jaguar's body and components are made from lightweight aluminium. That means the XE is 20 per cent stiffer than the XF, allowing engineers to setup the car to feel even sportier. In fact, Jaguar is aiming to leapfrog the BMW 3 Series by shooting straight to the top of the class for driver enjoyment.

The XE comes fitted with the same front suspension as fitted to Formula 1 cars for minimal body roll, while at the back there's a sophisticated arrangement that should cut out body lean, but not at the expense of a comfortable ride.

The XE will also be available with adaptive dampers, which allow the driver to setup the car's suspension to be either comfortable or sporty depending on the given situation.

Jaguar's keen to highlight the sporty nature of the Jaguar XE's steering, which will deliver a “connected steering feel”. What's more, the system is adjustable via Jaguar Driver Control – with Dynamic, Normal, Eco and Winter modes.

New Jaguar XE 2015 engines & gearboxes

From launch, the basic Jaguar XE will be offered with a new ‘Ingenium’ 2.2-litre diesel engine. It cuts down on internal friction by 17 per cent for improved efficiency.

It is free to tax and can return fuel economy of 75mpg – better than any of its rivals from BMW, Mercedes, or Audi. Producing 161bhp, it will also be pretty quick and we can expect 0-60mph to take around 8.0 seconds. If you want more performance, Jaguar will offer a tweaked version of the same engine.

Jaguar will also offer the XE with two petrol Ingenium engines, which will offer excellent economy and emissions figures. The Jaguar XE S model sits at the top of the range, boasting 336bhp from a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine used in the Jaguar F-Type. This will be enough to get the saloon car to 60mph in just 4.9 seconds.

At launch, the Jaguar XE will only be available with rear-wheel drive, but by 2016 the car will also be available with four-wheel drive. It uses a development of Land Rover's Terrain Response system to deliver huge amounts of grip in all weathers and will rival Audi Quattro and BMW xDrive models.

The Jaguar XE will get a revised version of the eight-speed automatic gearbox that is used elsewhere in the Jaguar line-up, but will also be available with an all-new six speed manual gearbox. It should suit the new car's sporty character, and make the car slightly cheaper to buy.

The introduction of the new car and its engines has created more than 3,000 jobs in the UK, and along with new models like the Jaguar F-Type, should boost the company's profile both here in Britain and worldwide. 

New Jaguar XE 2015 interior

The Jaguar's doors open wide to give easy access to the interior and, as you slide into the driver's seat, it is clear the car feels much lower than its rivals from BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

Anyone who has spent time in a Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ or even a modern Land Rover, will recognise the gear selector that rises from the centre console.

Despite the centrally-mounted touchscreen there are still plenty of buttons located in the middle of the dashboard and around the gear selector. All things considered, it's evident Jaguar has a fight on its hands if it wants to challenge Mercedes for the most upmarket interior in this class.

It is spacious, though, and there should be room for six-footers on the back seat – even if there are passengers of a similar size sitting in the spacious front seats. Fitting the panoramic glass roof doesn’t harm headroom too much, although three people in the back may find elbowroom a little tight. 

Boot space is flexible with rear seats that split 40:20:40 and a standard capacity of 485 litres – five litres more than a BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class or Audi A4. The bootlid can also be electrically operated at extra cost.

New Jaguar XE 2015 specs and safety

The XE comes packed with safety features including traffic sign recognition, a lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring, and self-parking.

Adaptive cruise control means the car can keep a safe distance from the car in front autonomously, while the XE's fighter-jet-style head up display (HUD) uses lasers to project a clearer display of vital information such as speed and sat-nav directions onto the car's windscreen.

Connectivity is key in this sector, and the XE gets an eight-inch touchscreen, while Jaguar InControl apps are compatible with Apple and Android smartphones for access to internet radio, traffic information, news and navigation.

InControl can also be used to pre-heat or cool the car's interior and can alert the driver if the car is stolen. Optional WiFi connects to up to eight devices, while the XE gets a powerful 250W six-speaker stereo developed by Harman Kardon as standard.

An even more powerful 380W, 10-speaker premium stereo from British specialist, Meridian, is a cost option. 

Source : www.carbuyer.co.uk