Finally! The British marque has launched its baby cat, the 2016 Jaguar XE at Rs. 39.9 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo. The XE was one of the most eagerly awaited launches of the Auto Expo, along with that of the BMW 7 series. The Jaguar XE is an entry-level luxury sedan (which Jaguar calls it a “Sports Saloon”) and is Britain’s answer to this extremely successful segment in India, which houses the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series and the Volvo S60. The British manufacturer knew that it had to come up with something special to make us go “Whoa!” and not just go past it. It certainly has! It will surely take a big mouthful from the market pie, and will leave the Germans at the bay for sometime.
The XE adopts Jaguar’s new modular platform and becomes the only car in its segment with an aluminium-intensive monocoque design with specific Jaguar F-Type inspired design cues. This design comprises of 75 percent aluminium, and the remainder is high-strength steel and double-wishbone front suspension. A new in-house diesel engine (with the petrol ones to come) dubbed the Ingenium Engine, and a new infotainment system are the key features that have been introduced in the all-new international variant of XE. With this one, Jaguar clearly aims to re-enter the hearts of the youth, a demographic that has been alienated from its client base over the years under the Ford rule.
The design is something that we can expect from a car that is set to rival a BMW 3-series. Overall, the sedan’s lines are deeply sculpted, although the profile lines are rather soft. The front end is highlighted by narrow headlamps and the large grille, while the prominent air damps occupy most of the bumper. Long hood, short rear-end and a couple-like roofline inspired by the XF, make up the key outer features of the XE. Various wheel designs are available, and so is an option to choose between the standard 17-inch or the customizable 18-20 inch wheels.
For the Indian market, the XE is offered in 2 variants and both are 2.0-litre engines. One pumps out 197 Horses and 279 Nm of torque and can go from 0-100 kmph in 7.35 seconds with a top speed of 237 kmph. The more powerful variant churns out 237 HP and 339 Nm of torque and boasts a top speed of 250 kmph, while 0-100 kmph is achieved in 6.8 seconds. Some pretty sweet numbers!
The-all new XE boasts features such as Torque Vectoring by Braking, All Surface Progress Control (ASPC), Intelligent Start-stop, Jaguar Drive Control, Electronic Powered Assisted Steering (EPAS), Panoramic Sunroof, Meridian Audi Sound System and Surround Camera System. Once you set foot inside, the very first thing that grabs your eyeballs is the race car style driving position – you sit low in the well-made leather seats, your legs stretched out in front of you. Brilliant. The quality of the soft-grain leather on the dash and doors is exquisite. An 8-inch touch-screen that comprises of eight buttons that shortcut to various menus is present.
Plush interiors, naturally aggressive driver position and most importantly, a beast on the road, the 2016 Jaguar XE ticks all the boxes. Impressed? Get in line, and join the waitlist. This one will be at the very top of the list for every soul who wishes to buy a kickass car. To be locally manufactured in pune, the all-new XE will go on sale by the end of February, 2016.
Jaguar, you wanted the world’s attention… You got it!
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