Jaguar engineers focused on the ride and handling of the new XE sedan in a bid to outclass rivals such as the BMW 3 series. Jaguar claims the XE is the “best driver’s car” in its class and auto journalists taking part in a test drive in Spain were overwhelmed by the sedan’s driving dynamics.
The XE is the stiffest, most aerodynamic sedan built by Jaguar to date. It is the first Jaguar equipped with electric power steering, which offers greater tuning potential and improved energy efficiency. Switching from a traditional hydraulic power steering system to electric helps reduce the car’s CO2 emissions by up to 3 percent.
The XE’s body is 75 percent aluminum, which contributed to the body-in-white’s low weight of 251kg. Jaguar expects 90 percent of XE buyers to be new to the brand, said Peter Modelhardt, managing director of Jaguar Germany. The XE is Jaguar’s smallest and most affordable car, which the automaker believes will help it attract younger customers and more women to the brand. Industry watchers forecast global annual XE sales of 60,000 to 80,000, which would nearly double Jaguar’s annual global volume. The XE has attracted strong customer interest from private and fleet buyers. “We counted nearly half a million car configurations on our website,” Modelhardt said.
