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More information has come to light about the new Jaguar XE sports car, scheduled for launch in 2011/2012. The new Jag is likely to be based on a cut-down XK platform. In its most powerful form, the new Jaguar XE will feature a 450bhp V6.

The Jaguar XE (Jaguar has recently registered these letters as a trademark,) will be smaller than the Jaguar XK. As it’s easier to shorten the Jaguar XK’s extruded and cast aluminium frame than to adapt the XJ’s riveted and bonded chassis, it’s likely tha...Read the full article

Heck of a lot of speculation going on in this article!

If Jaguar is launching a 2 seater sports car to rival the Bosxter why would it put a 450 bhp engine in it? if its going to have that much power its bigger and more expensive than a boxster, so they wouldn't need to cut the platform down to anywhere near SLK proportions, plus if its to be made from Aluminium its likely to be much more expensive than cars of this size. A boxster class car might be based on a cut down XF platform in steel, but unlikely to be on the XK platform, plus it has to fit around the XK in the range.so it either in the £35-50k bracket or above it at £75-100k.

A 450 bhp V6 all aluminium Jaguar 2 seat convertible for £40k styled by Ian Callum to compete head on with the Boxster S would be fantastic but those figures don't sound commercially viable.

Lets face it, no one but the engineers working on the project know what sort of size it will be - it's a 2 seater but where its going to be pitched no-one has any idea. Too many beers after the XKR press launch shared with jaguar engineers possibly?

So we'll be getting a four/six cylinder Jag sports car just as we start to come out of the recession. Do you enter a timewarp when you walk into JLR product planning?

It seems like jaguar is beginning to catch up, with the compact sports car revolution but the competition is high, new Z4, new boxter and a recent SLK.. she should have done it when they first released the concept......its been a long time i cant even remember when!!!!! its a good start but they should not fall into that same mistakes......i dont think they should develop the V6 on their own.......they should use a down size ans upgrade the one available in the XF, or they should develop it with one of the mass producers....so they can spare some cash for quality control for the XE. also if they are thinking of using the chassis for a smaller jaguar.......please please please do not go into compition with the 3 series/c-class crowd...they are too far ahead and you simply cannot compete......i suggest a more niche model such as a 4 door coupe or a baby 'cls' if you like, this could be profitable if they designed it right and did not have a manual or a estate version..... like all jaguars should be !!!!! jaguar should use Porche as business model, niche models, high profit margin component sharing......they SHOULD do not try to compete with with BMW and Mercedes ....they tried to do that and we all know what happened, we ended up with an estate, front wheel drive Diesel jaguar with a 30 year old design on a Mondeo chassis. absolutely disgusting!!!!

I'm going to sound a bit old here, but I think 450bhp is a bit much. The current XKR only has 400, and this is supposed to be a smaller, lighter, boxster class car. I'd much rather that Jaguar came out with a target weight of 1200kg than come up with a target power output of 450bhp. If it's 150kg lighter than a boxster S then 350bhp should be ample.

Jaguar make the XK out of an advanced aluminium platform for £59000 when a 997 carrera costs £62000, so a price in line with the boxster S at £40000 seems entirely realistic. At that price it could be a very desirable prospect - especially for those of us that think an SLK and Z4 don't really compete with the boxster as "proper" sports cars.

I will be honest, I think JLR have it wrong......the cars styling is not good enough......I hope they change it (I really do)......its no E Type.....not even close.

VW have shown there car and its good, Mazda is well known and then the Lotus....etc.....for me they need this car to start in the early £twenties......they need some proper styling......for instance....with Merc, take the badge off and its still a Merc, with Porsche again the same.......with this.....it could be anything.

If they are going for the same market as the VW car, a lot of people will pick VW becuase it's VW........if they go up higher, I think against Porsche they will pick up some sales as its different......but why not offer a car that looks the part......look at the 8C....a master piece.....and the styling will be seen across the Alfa range, look at the Mito; JLR need to move the markers on styling from the images here, they then need to offer a good range that is accessible but can work and cater to the high end as well......do that and I think they are on a winner.......anything else I think will see JLR waste resource....but that is there decision......

I hope if nothing else they make this an elegant statement of intent...at the moment it just looks boring......people attack the Z4 styling (I think with good reason!!) but at least it has something......JLR please move it on style gear (or three!!)...with the styling it has, I just do not think this car will really do it.....and that is a big invest for not much return, play it safe.......make the styling good (yes, good engine and chassis etc...that is a given)......make the styling good otherwise it will under achieve....showcase UK Plc design talent.....you proved technical ability with the XF sports (in the current climate I think a mis guided direction....but that is by the by....showcase you certainly did!!)....now showcase your flair for product design/styling......if you do and offer the right range (start at early £twenties) these will fly off the shelf.....and you coudl now hook up with GM and produce an ECO version with there Voltec (or whatever its called) platform..."JLR use your heads!!"

 

North:

I will be honest, I think JLR have it wrong......the cars styling is not good enough......I hope they change it (I really do)......its no E Type.....not even close.

Sorry, how do we know anything about the styling of this car? As far as I understand it, the car is still on the drawing board, and the image above is just a "guess" that an Autocar artist has come up with for what it could look like. The styling has probably not even been decided upon yet...

240ac; well thank someone for that.....I was under the impression that this was a picture they had got hold of from JLR....that is what I understand......CAN AUTOCAR clarify? is this picture actually what it looks like.......they have used this picture twice.....??

Thus I hope its better looking as this car is rubbish, its dull and looks terrible........it could be anything.....and as said, if this was the car that were releasing on the E Type ann. then someone should asking serious questions of the design team.

240ac......I hope you are right and this is not the actual car.......I really hope that it is not for JLRs sake......if it is....they have wasted their time and money......