Wraps were finally off the 3 Series, A4 and C-Class competitor; 'exhilarating performance' and 'precise handling' are among Jaguar's promise

In Jaguar's own words, this is 'a true driver’s car'. “Jaguar’s position as the leading premium manufacturer of aluminium vehicles allowed us to develop a light, stiff body structure that is ground-breaking in its class. It enables the XE’s advanced chassis technologies to deliver an unprecedented balance of agility and levels of refinement previously found only in vehicles from the segments above”, said Kevin Stride, the Vehicle Line Director of the new Jaguar XE.

The aluminium-intensive Jaguar XE is the first model developed from Jaguar Land Rover’s new modular vehicle architecture and Jaguar is aiming to set the standard for driving dynamics in the segment. The long wheelbase and low seating position enable perfect proportions and a streamlined, coupe-like profile.

The new XE is powered by a range of four and six-cylinder all-aluminium petrol and diesel engines offering an impressive blend of performance, refinement and fuel efficiency with a breadth of capability. For drivers demanding ultimate performance and an exhilarating engine note, there is the XE S, which shares its supercharged 3.0-litre V6 with the F-Type. Spray-guided direct injection and fully variable valve timing optimise power and torque throughout the rev range. The 90° cylinder bank angle provides space for the twin-vortex Roots-type supercharger, a balancer shaft ensures smooth running. Developing 335 bhp/450Nm, the V6 provides the XE S with exceptional acceleration and performance: 0-100 km/h takes just 4.9 seconds, and top speed is electronically-limited to 250 km/h.

The S model’s large front air intakes, chrome side vents, discreet rear spoiler and optional 20-inch forged alloy wheels hint at the performance potential of Jaguar’s supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine.

The XE S will be joined by other models powered by highly efficient 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines matched to a six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions. The diesels – part of Jaguar’s all-new Ingenium engine family – provide fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures of 75mpg and 99g/km. This advanced in-house modular design is manufactured at Jaguar Land Rover’s new £500 million UK Engine Manufacturing Centre. The first Ingenium engines to come off the line are 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesels; clean combustion, variable exhaust valve timing and sophisticated exhaust gas after-treatment ensure Euro 6 compliance and take the XE’s CO2 emissions to as low as 99g/km in the case of the 161 bhp/380 Nm variant.

The XE is the lightest, stiffest and most aerodynamic Jaguar saloon ever built. It is also the first Jaguar to be equipped with electric power steering, tuned to provide exceptional responsiveness and feel but with lower energy consumption than hydraulic systems. “The introduction of electric power steering was a big step but one we were able to take confidently. The almost infinite range of possibilities it provides in fine tuning has enabled us to achieve the responsive, connected steering feel we require in a Jaguar – without compromise,” said Mike Cross, Jaguar's Chief Engineer of Vehicle Integrity.

Where most competitors use MacPherson strut front suspension, Jaguar’s vehicle dynamics team insisted on the superior double wishbone configuration. Conventional multilink rear suspension couldn’t deliver Jaguar’s dynamics targets; the solution was Integral Link, a system usually found only in larger, more expensive vehicles and which delivers the ideal lateral and longitudinal stiffness values needed for the XE’s precise handling and supple ride. Aluminium has been used extensively as well, again to minimise weight.

The XE now completes the Jaguar saloon car range sitting below the XF and XJ models. It goes on sale in 2015.