Jaguar Land Rover Ireland has launched its all-new Jaguar XE across the country, with prices commencing from €37,995 or €399 per month with Jaguar PCP. The XE is the first model developed from Jaguar Land Rover’s new modular vehicle architecture. Powering it is a range of petrol and diesel engines, the all-new i4 Ingenium diesel engine will more than likely contribute to the vast majority of sales in Ireland. This 2.0-litre unit offers an impressive 75 miles per gallon and has low emissions with 99g/km of CO2 produced. There are two power outputs with this engine on offer, a 163hp model and a 180hp variant. The former has 380Nm of torque with the later producing 430Nm. For those that demand more power there is a 3.0-litre V6 petrol offering 340hp and 450Nm of torque which enable it to accelerate to 100km/h from a standstill in just 4.9 seconds. The engine’s power is fed to the XE’s rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Jaguar XE is available across five trim levels, SE, Prestige, Portfolio, R-Sport and S. Standard equipment on the entry-level SE model includes satellite navigation, cruise control, 17” alloy wheels, digital radio and a multi-function leather steering wheel. The R-Sport model we tested benefits from some additional equipment, this includes heated leather sports seats, sports steering wheel, a rear spoiler, chrome vents, sports suspension, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, 18” alloy wheels and gloss black window surrounds. The interior is cockpit-like with an eight-inch screen taking prominent position in the centre console. The driving positing is very central with large clear instrument dials in easy view at all times. The sports steering wheel is chunky and a delight to hold. There is a quality feel to the interior and it’s certainly more luxurious then some of its competitors.
On our short test drive it was immediately apparent that this Jaguar handles and performs with an abundance of grip and feedback provided to the driver. Keen drivers will fall in love with the XE’s driving experience. The body of the car uses over 75 percent aluminium content which aids its light weight and improves handling. Below the body sits a double wishbone front suspension and integral link rear suspension. This is also the first Jaguar to utilise electromechanical power steering.
The new Jaguar XE has impressed us on a number of levels, from its sleek sporty design through its luxurious interior to its rewarding drive this Jaguar has all the ability to challenge sales of Audi A4s and BMW 3-Series.
