autoevolution Poll: The Upcoming Jaguar XE Gets the Thumbs Up!

Jaguar is an automaker with a lot to think about. First of all, the Brits need to give their current models a makeover without upsetting their loyal clientele, then create a new entry-level sedan to take on the BMW 3-Series after which fuel efficiency is a concern. Those sound a bit like models that will be designed by marketing teams, not people who love the big cats, so we’re glad that sportscars are still a big part of the change.

Last week, we brought you news of an impeding XE Roadster, which might be revealed at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show in September. The formula promises to be as classic as the E-Type of the 50s, which this car will be a spiritual successor for: big engines at the front, two seats in the middle and rear-wheel drive at the back.

As sources within the company suggested it would be a true rival to the Porsche Boxster, we asked you, our loyal readers, if you though the XE will indeed “blow the rest of the industry away” and topple the might German two-seater.

A week has passed since then, and the results are in! More than a third of you (35 percent) say the car could be amazing if Jaguar manages to keep things simple on the design front and easy on the wallet. An additional 28 percent sounded even more convinced, agreeing that German cars are designed in a lab, by people with not enough passion and too little automotive soul.

The XE Roadster will reportedly go on sale in late 2012, but 25 percent of our readers say they are willing to put up with the extra wait and cost that will bring a more powerful V8 version, presumably called the XER.

We’ve also introduced a new poll and would like to know your opinion on a different subject: With the arrival of the Maserati SUV based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee scheduled for Frankfurt, does this spell the end of the brand's spirit?