1996 Jaguar Xjs 2+2 on 2040-cars

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Jaguar XE teased in new video, will debut September 8

Outside of a major auto show, this might be one of the best times of the year for new car debuts, and we couldn't be more excited. Just this week, the low-slung face of the next-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata showed itself to the world, and Land Rover debuted its new Discovery Sport. Plus, there's a double-whammy of launches on the imminent horizon with the unveilings of the Jaguar XE on September 8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT on September 9.
Jag is teasing the launch of its latest midsize luxury sedan with a few glimpses on video. It's strangely secretive, given the fact that Jaguar showed the XE's face completely un-camouflaged a few weeks ago. Regardless, it's quite a looker up front with a sleeker take on the shape of the larger XF.
Because of the way Jaguar is slowly leaking details about the XE, there are a few other things we already know about this new cat, too. It rides on a monocoque chassis made from over 75 percent aluminum, and the automaker is promising 75 miles per gallon fuel economy on the more lenient European cycle for at least one engine in the lineup.

2018 Jaguar F-Pace long-term test introduction

We just spent six months driving around Jaguar's XE in diesel trim, a fun, frugal sports sedan that impressed all of us. But we know that diesel sedans are a pretty slim part of the market, so we decided to check out the other side of Jaguar's coin. For the next six months, we'll be driving a 2018 Jaguar F-Pace. In today's SUV and crossover obsessed world, the F-Pace is already the brand's best seller, and if history and the Porsche Cayenne is any indication, it'll hopefully help finance the sort of lust-worthy but low-volume cars we all love so much. In the meantime, we'll be finding out what all those new Jag owners are getting themselves into. What we got Our particular F-Pace is very close to fully loaded. Outside, it's coated in deep, vibrant Caesium Blue, a hue that was originally intended only for the F-Pace First Edition but popular demand made it more widely available. It's accented with the "Black Package," a $360 option, which swaps out shiny chrome trim on the grille, window surround and fender vents for gloss black pieces. We also added gloss black 20-inch wheels to match, a $1,020 option. For $410, we added a fifth one of those wheels in the trunk, too, since we opted for a full-size spare. Our F-Pace's sporty appearance is complemented by an athletic engine. The F-Pace S (starting price $60,770) comes with the most powerful engine currently available, a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 good for 380 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Like all F-Pace models, all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission are standard. Also, because this is the S model, our F-Pace has the ability to store a custom configuration for the steering and suspension. Most of the options on our F-Pace are convenience items such as the $1,840 "Comfort and Convenience Package" that adds heated and cooled front seats, heated and power-reclining rear seats, remote levers for folding those seats, and a powered, hands-free-opening hatch. The $2,350 "Luxury Interior Package" adds configurable ambient lighting, four-zone climate control, a lockable and cooled glovebox, an air quality sensor, a pair of 12V power sockets in the rear, illuminated door sill plates, a suedecloth headliner and fancier floor mats. The "Driver Assistance Package" and "Technology Package" each cost $3,250 and provided us with Jaguar's top-of-the-line Touch Pro infotainment system, Wi-Fi, a Meridian sound system, navigation, parking sensors, 360-degree cameras, and adaptive cruise control.

Jaguar design boss admits X-Type was a mistake

History has a way of repeating itself, especially in the auto industry. When Jaguar was owned by Ford, the British brand attempted to field a competitor for the BMW 3 Series, called the X-Type. Based on the bones of a Ford Mondeo, it aped the styling of Jaguar's flagship model, the XJ, while borrowing liberally from the Ford parts bin. That was 2001.
Now, in 2013, Jaguar is planning a new 3 Series challenger based on the platform previewed by the C-X17 Concept, while Ford is attempting to take the latest Mondeo upmarket. The moves have both brands recognizing where, why, and how the X-Type failed. "It didn't look mature or powerful or anything. It was just a car," Jaguar's current head of advanced design, Julian Thomson, told PistonHeads. Basing the X-Type on a front-drive car while giving it styling that was meant for a rear-driver lead to proportions that "were plainly wrong," Thomson told PH. Ford's European head of quality, Gunnar Herrmann, added that the X-Type was "a fake Jaguar, because every piece I touch is Ford."
For what it's worth, the X-Type's successor in the segment will sport rear-drive, with plenty of input from Ian Callum. Thomson described the new model, which would challenge the 3 Series as having, "Big wheels right to the ends of the car, low bonnet, short overhangs, very low cabins." Sounds good to us.