By Theodore Oparah

Time was when Mercedes-Benz was the lone player in the Nigerian luxury car market. Then came BMW and later Audi.  Now the Jaguar brand has joined the league, leaving Nigerians with wider options in this car segment.

Jaguar XE

Jaguar is renowned for making luxury and powerful sedans, though it was not strong in the Nigerian market until Coscharis Motors added the brand to its portfolio and the brand became a household name with launch of the XJ, XF and recently the all new Jaguar XE.

The XE as the latest addition to the Jaguar family in Nigeria is everything a car freak would desire in a compact luxury sedan. Loaded with modern features  and luxury amenities, the all new Jaguar XE is simply performance personified.

It is positioned to give the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series a good run in the Nigerian market. But Jaguar Land Rover believes the XE has more to offer in this segment. Yours sincerely was among selected motoring journalists from across Sub-Sahara Africa that took the all new XE to test in Cape Town, South Africa.

For two days the XE was put to litmus the test on the South African city that does not joke with traffic offences. Maybe you have not heard about traffic rule in Cape Town. It is one of the cities in the world where traffic offender risk jail term and all the journalists were cautioned to be extremely careful as they enjoy the drive.

The Jaguar XE never disappointed as it takes all the task in its stride, accelerating and negotiating all corners as a typical sport sedan. The XE is available in a powerful 3.0 petrol engine and a 2.0 litre turbo charged engine, both delivering class leading performance.

The 2.0 litre engine variant delivers 177kw @ 5500rpm and a torque of 340Nm @ 1750-4000rpm, hitting 0-100 in just 6.8 seconds. This four cylinder engine with single monoscroll turbo charger is fitted with 8-speed automatic transmission which delivers 250km/h.

The top of the range Jaguar XE is powered by the supercharged 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine from the acclaimed Jaguar F-Type and it is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 5.1 seconds. The sound of this engine is melodious to the ears as you step your feet down on the throttle of the XE.

 The Jaguar XE redefines the concept of the sports sedan and is the driver’s car in its class. Its lightweight construction, streamlined styling, luxurious interior and outstanding ride and handling are testament to the company founder, Sir William Lyons’ vision: ‘The car is the closest thing we will ever create to something that is alive.’

The rear-drive XE is the only vehicle in its class to use an aluminium-intensive monocoque. This extremely robust yet light structure, together with double wishbone front suspension and an Integral Link rear axle, is fundamental to the XE’s innovative benchmark vehicle dynamics.

“The Jaguar XE has performance and handling that match its sporty, yet elegant, design,” says Lisa Mallett, Marketing and Communications Director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa.

“Its emotional appeal is further enhanced through superb levels of luxury and use of state-of-the-art materials and technology,” he added. The aluminium-intensive Jaguar XE is the first model developed from Jaguar Land Rover’s new modular vehicle architecture. The long 2  835mm wheelbase and low seating position enable perfect proportions and a streamlined profile.

The cabin offers outstanding levels of comfort and spaciousness. Exquisite materials and finishes combined with Jaguar craftsmanship make this a class-beating interior that’s unlike anything else in the segment. Centre stage is an eight-inch touchscreen that offers drivers easy access to media and navigation features, as well information displays.

The XE has some of the most advanced driver assistance systems available. All Surface Progress Control, ASPC, developed through decades of Jaguar Land Rover experience in off-road traction systems, can electronically gain traction in seconds and is ideal for use on low-grip surfaces, such as icy roads or wet grass.

Laser projection technology enables the XE’s head-up display (HUD) to generate sharp, high-contrast colour graphics from a module smaller and almost a third lighter than existing systems, retaining clarity even in direct sunlight. The HUD can display important information to drivers at eyelevel, allowing them to keep their focus on the road.

A stereo camera is mounted behind the front windscreen to give the XE a 3D view of the road ahead: this highly accurate data is used for functions including the lane departure warning system. The XE is the stiffest, most aerodynamic Jaguar sedan car ever built.

It is also the first Jaguar to be equipped with electric power steering, tuned to provide exceptional responsiveness and feel but with lower energy consumption than hydraulic systems. The XE also boasts the lowest cost of ownership and most environmentally sustainable credentials of all Jaguar models.

Manufacturing of the aluminium-intensive Jaguar XE occurs at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant in an all-new facility.  The XE completes the Jaguar sedan range, sitting below the XF and XJ model lines.