Jaguar’s much anticipated baby sedan will be named XE when it goes on sale in around twelve months time. The announcement was made at the Geneva motor show today. The car will sit underneath the XF in Jaguar's model line-up.
Images of the Jaguar XE's chassis appear to show a very short rear deck and steeply sloping rear windscreen. The result is shape that is much less of the conventional three-box saloon and something closer to a fastback.
At the front, the disguise doesn't hide the fact that the car also has a very low nose and low bonnet line, with the grille and headlamps sited a little closer to the ground than on rival compact premium saloons.
The XE will be the first car in its segment to use an aluminium monocoque and Jaguar says it is "set to be the most advanced, efficient and refined sports sedan in its class". The XE is the first product spawned from Jaguar's new architecture which was showcased in the C-X17 SUV concept.
Jaguar has also confirmed it will be powered by J-LR's new family of high-output four-cylinder engines. The engine range will be called Ingenium and built at J-LR's new engine plant in Wolverhampton. The engine family has been designed to work in transverse and longitudinal configurations and will enable the option of rear- or four-wheel drive.