Jaguar XE

Finally Jaguar came out with a model that can compete with the likes of BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Mercedes C Class, Infiniti Q50 and the Lexus IS. The last Jaguar X-type was nothing to shout about and it was a poor rebadge of the Ford Mondeo. It was really dull and did no justice to the brand. with the new management and new ownership under Tata, Jaguar has really gained back its lost glory. The new model line up is getting better with every new model that has been launched or soon to be launched.

The new XE will be a critical model for Jaguar since the BMW 3 series market is big and will potentially generate good profits for the company. It will also bring the age of the buyers down to a younger average age rather than the current average age of over 40. XE will definitely appeal to younger buyers and with the lower entry price it will be seen as a good alternative to the run of the mill 3 series, C Class and Audi A4. Jaguar went all out with the car design and technology by introducing several key innovations and also try to better BMW is as many areas as possible.

It is yet to be seen how well the car will sell in South East Asia since the Jaguar name has never been all that successful due to poor reliability and expensive parts. With the new sales campaign that offer free service and maintenance for 5 years, this should bring back some confidence in the brand. Die hard fans will no doubt believe in Jaguar but it is more about converting the newbies to consider buying a Jaguar.

Pricing-wise the car is definitely more expensive than the locally assembled 3 series, C Class and A4 but the slight price premium over these 3 competitors isn't big enough to deter those with the funds to buy such a car.

good job by Jaguar to inject some excitement into this segment of the market.