MoneywebDRIVE: Feature
All the petrol models utilise the excellent, quick-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic transmission...
The pricing is on the high side, Jaguar having suffered under the recent strength of the
British pound against the rand. It’s a pity, but
we believe many people will feel that the
exclusivity of a Jaguar badge in this market
will warrant the price premium over its German competitors.
Getting to grips with XE
There is a huge choice of options available
on all models, and prospective customers will
have to study the prices of these and then
make their comparisons with the equivalent
offerings from other makers.
Jaguar believes that in some cases they
achieve parity with the major players in the
segment, depending on the model chosen.
On the launch drive we started off with the
2,0 litre petrol model. Sliding into the seats
shows the cabin to be of the snug variety
rather than likely to cause any symptoms
10
of agoraphobia, and the rear passenger
section provides adequate leg room for
1,83 metre tall occupants, but taller people
in the back will see their hair-styles being
brushed by the lining of that sloping, almost
coupe-like line to the roof.
Inside perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the so-called Riva Hoop, a rim that
runs the length of the dashboard curvature against the screen and gives the Jag
a distinct old-school appeal which at the
same time manages to be extremely modern. A similar styling feature is used on the
XF sports car.
The two-litre petrol model has plenty of getup-and-go off the line. All the petrol models utilise the excellent, quick-shifting eightspeed ZF automatic transmission, and we
found throughout our two-day experience
of the ZF ‘box that this is one of the best
features of the car. It is less fussy than a
dual clutch transmission at crawl-speed or
parking velocity, and it is very reactive to
throttle inputs.
The two-litre petrol model is rated with a
6,8-second time for the 0-100 km/h sprint and
that is quick for a car weighing in at just over
1 500 kg. The engine is, however, to my tastes
a little vocal when under hard-throttle applications, with a four-cylinder note that doesn’t
do much to excite the senses, efficient though
it is. Top speed on this model is 250 km/h.
It was in the two-litre diesel model that we
spent the most time on the launch drive,
which totalled some 450 km/h over a huge
variety of road types and surfaces. The
best part of the launch route was on the
R318, a road that peels off from Ashton
en-route to (or from) Montague, and then
plunges through a rich, rolling countryside
known as the Koo valley, because this is
where the produce is grown that ends up
in all those Koo cans of fruit you see in supermarket shelves.
The XE's beautiful exterior is matched by it's stylish interior with an American
feel to the instrumentation and steering wheel