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NEWS
SPY PICS: Jaguar XE testing in Germany
Upcoming 3 Series rival resurfaces at the NurburgringJaguar has expanded testing of its XE sedan, now based at its German test centre at the Nurburgring.
As these Automedia images confirm, the XE will feature a fast-back roofline with a long nose to convey a sense of power and speed. That look is a hallmark of rear-wheel drive cars with in-line engines, such as the two the XE is aimed to take down – the 3 Series BMW and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
These new images, shot from much closer quarters, show a strong sculpture line that was less apparent in the long-range photos taken previously in the frozen wastes of northern Europe. And there's something odd going on with the rear window. Could Jaguar be considering a revival of the flying buttress C pillars we last saw on the XJ-S?
Presumably the cladding conceals an aerodynamic aid of some kind. Along with the twin exhausts and a relatively large-diameter wheel and tyre combo, that hints this model is a supercharged V6 variant – possibly capable of 300km/h top speed.
In addition to V6 drivetrain(s) Jaguar will also offer the XE with four-cylinder 'Ingenium' engines that are to be built at a new facility near Wolverhampton in the UK. At least one of the new engines will be return very frugal fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures, according to Jaguar – citing a CO2 figure as low as 100g/km. Given the denser carbon content of diesel, that engine sounds likely to be a petrol unit, allied with fuel-saving technology such as auto-stop/start and mild hybrid electric power generation.
Developed under the project code name X760, the successor to the company's X-TYPE, may also have Munich's 4 Series and Stuttgart's C-Class coupe in its sights if rumours of a coupe body style prove to be true.
According to the super spy snappers, the XE will be unveiled formally during the northern hemisphere summer – our guess would be at this year's Paris motor show – ahead of a global on-sale date early next year.
– with Automedia
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