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Jaguar XE Is Here: F the Germans

The teasing game is more fashionable than ever and while Jaguar is no stranger to cool marketing campaigns (remember "F the meeting?"), the Brits have exaggerated with the XE. They teased and teased and teased until our eyes got sore. Nonetheless, we can forgive them for all that, since the first official pics of the XE are here and the thing is gorgeous.
Jaguar XE 14 photos
Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar XE dashboardJaguar XE door entry sillJaguar XEJaguar XE infotainmentJaguar XE tailpipeJaguar XEJaguar XE SJaguar XEJaguar XEJaguar XE S grilleJaguar XE S seatsJaguar XEJaguar XE
Heck, this premium mid-size cat looks so sleek we'll even forgive Jaguar for the X-Type Ford Mondeo clone - there you have it, there was no X-Type, so the XE has no direct predecessor.

The hunt

What the XE does have though, is a set of fierce competitors. The 2015 Mercedes C-Class is waiting for the feline in an all-new state, while the Cadillac ATS won't cut the Brit any slack either. The BMW 3 Series may have aged, but its traditional sporty values and the bouquet of models in its range are more than a threat. Audi's A4 may be aging, but we should get a new generation for 2016, so not even the future looks easy for the mid Jag. We mustn't forget the Lexus IS, while some even mention the Alfa Romeo Giulia on this list...

The grunt

An all-new car deserves all-new engines, doesn't it? This is what Jaguar engineers though, so they started working on a new family of four-cylinder engines called Ingenium. They're probably ready at the moment, but their colleagues from the marketing department are willing to let us in on the deal just yet. So far, we know we'll get a diesel that can achieve 3.7 liters per 100 km/h (75 mpg UK or 62.4 mpg US). And yes, the all-important 99 g/km CO2 emissions are here.

A not-no-new-yet-not-old engine will be topping the range, at least until Jaguar starts going mad with its "R" and "RS" and "God knows what letters" editions. We are talking about the Jaguar XE S, which will borrow the F-Type's supercharged V6. We're expecting 340 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm). You can see this, with its 20-inch wheels and its boot lid lip spoiler in the adjacent images.

Jaguar has a sweet implementation for ZF's 8HP automatic, so the XE S will complete the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in 4.9 seconds and hit an electronically limited top speed - reports claim the speedo will stop at 155 mph, but the Jag is not exactly German, so we could get a surprise in this department.

Body Building

The XE will play the aluminum song, with the structure of the car, as well as a part of the suspension using RC 5754 aluminum. The significance of that code is not relevant, but the idea here is that the British carmaker is aiming to use 75 percent recycled aluminum by 2020.

In the past, we've learned that German aluminum is the lightest, but the 3,250 lbs (1,475 kg) of the XE come to show Jaguar isn't doing too bad either. We still have to find out if this value is for the V6 or for the L4 engine. We're pretty sure you won't be interested in calculating the density of this Jaguar, but hey, it's good to know the dimensions of a car, so here they are - the XE measures 183.9 inches (4,670 mm) in length, of which 111.6 inches (2,835 mm) belong to the wheelbase, 72.8 inches ( 1,850 mm) in width and stands 55.7 inches (1,415 mm) tall.

You should know that this is the stiffest Jaguar in history. And while we're throwing superlatives at you, we'll also mention the XE is the most aerodynamic car in the company's history. Thanks to elements such as a flat belly and a diffuser, its Cd sits at 0.26.

On the inside

Jaguar hasn't exactly been known for delivering top-class infotainment systems, but they are willing to change that. The Brits have gone back to the drawing board and the XE will treat us with an all-new system dubbed Jaguar InControl.

An 8-inch touchscreen allows us to control goodies such as an optional navigation system (SD card). Voice control, Wi-Fi and a ton of apps are also on the menu.

Whether you're using iOS or Android, you will be able to use your smartphone to control various features of the Jaguar XE, from locking/unlocking the doors to starting the engine and pre-setting the climate control system for a whole week. If you happen to use BlackBerry, tough luck.

In the audio department, Jaguar will treat us with the expected Meridian top tier optional hardware.

The timetable

Those who look at the images below and feel an urge to get up close and personal with this feline (yep, we're on the list) will be happy to know the XE is set for a Paris world debut early next month.

Alas, while Jaguar will launch the XE in the UK in 2015, the sedan won't arrive in the US untill 2016, so we'll be dealing with a 2017 model.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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