Baby Jag really has the X factor
WHILE last week’s test car, beautiful F-Type, was a showcase for Jaguar’s design excellence – this week’s motor, another Jaguar, is more about the bread-and-butter of a car manufacturer’s business.
For the baby Jag, the XE, will be the company’s biggest volume model, fighting to win orders in the highly competitive small executive saloon category.
Jaguar will have to sell a lot of XEs to replicate the market penetration they achieved in the last decade with its predecessor, the highly successful X-Type.
Some critics slammed the X-Type for having Ford underpinnings but it was a very good car and I had two, a very fast and very thirsty 4x4 3.0litre V6S and one of the final 2WD diesel versions, which was an excellent motorway cruiser... and way better on the wallet.
Introduced in 2015, we are already seeing XEs in increasing numbers and with the range starting at £28,295 for the entry level SE diesel version, which is capable of up to 75mpg, that’s no surprise.
However, I think this week’s test car – the XE R-Sport AWD 2.0-litre diesel will be a rarer sight as they start from £35,575 and our model had a long list of extras which took the final on-the-road price up to a shade under 50 grand!
There are five trim levels – SE, Prestige, Portfolio, R-Sport and S and, as already stated, our test car is the near range-topping R-Sport with 180bhp from its 2-litre diesel engine, four-wheel drive and a very respectable 0 – 60 time of 7.5 seconds.
Now stepping out of the F-Type and dropping a whopping 200 bhp to get into the R-Sport should have been a very noticeable change performance-wise, but put in Dynamic mode the baby Jag was quite brilliant.
It’s quick, comfortable, great to drive and has that Jag X factor – in fact it was named Auto Express Compact Executive Car of the Year for the second successive time in 2016.
The XE filled a void left by the X-Type, which was axed in 2009, and is a huge leap forward with an aluminium chassis and Jaguar’s range of Ingenium four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines (or a petrol V6) plus the company’s latest tech.
Every version comes well equipped with touchscreen infotainment system, climate control, touch screen navigation, cruise control, 17-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth and DAB radio but upmarket models like our R-Sport have a real high class feel, with two colour perforated leather upholstery, heated seats and brushed aluminium in the cabin.
Across the range power comes from Jaguar’s four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel with 163PS or 180PS, while the 2.0-litre turbo petrols come with either 200PS or 240PS. The latter is only available in high-spec Portfolio or R-Sport trims. At the top of the range, the S model features a 340PS 3.0-litre supercharged V6, sourced from last week’s F-Type, giving a 5.1-second 0-62mph sprint.
The 2.0-litre diesel comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, or it can be upgraded to the eight-speed auto that’s standard across the rest of the range. All XEs are rear-wheel drive as standard, although the 180bhp 2.0-litre diesel also gets the option of Jaguar’s intelligent all-wheeldrive system (as on our car). It is rear-drive most of the time, but can send power to the front wheels whenever a loss of traction is detected by the car.
The Jag’s steering is also excellent and with that 4x4 system there’s plenty of grip as well.
Our R-Sport and range-topping S variants get bigger bumpers, larger alloy wheels, perforated leather sports seats, a body kit, lowered sports suspension and a black radiator grille.
As to that long list of extras which pushed the price to nearly 50k the highlights included special Glaciar White paintwork (£635), 19” black alloy wheels (£1,230), panoramic glass roof (£1,020), power, black and parking packs (£2,000), upgraded music and sat nav (£1,125), headsup display (£1,020) and even an electrically-deployable tow bar (£970). Which is why I say such a high-spec XE will be a rarity as lower spec versions are really good cars, good value and will make up a big slice of Jaguar’s sales.
The XE R-Sport starts from £31,045 (2WD) and a top of the range XE S will cost from £48,000.
More info at www.jaguar.co.uk. AND here’s one for all you not so shy and retiring types... the new Ford F-150 Raptor now available in the UK for you to intimidate the neighbours with.
With 444bhp available from its twinturbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, a lightweight-ish aluminium body, racing shocks and 10-speed auto box it can be yours from £78,000 from a specialist London importer, who is also offering upgraded versions with 590bhp and an active sports exhaust for an extra £14,000. THE last ever Austin Healey 3000 MK III to be made (above) will be auctioned as part of CCA’s two-day sale at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show on Sunday, April 2.
Made in December 1967, the current owner has had the car since 1972. It is expected to fetch up to £90,000 when it goes under the hammer at the NEC in Birmingham.