BREAK out the blue singlet: this is the last ever Ford Falcon Ute. From its Australian origins dating back to 1934, the Blue Oval’s half-car, half truck – arguably the world’s first crossover – has lasted 80 years, and now Ford has issued the FGX version that will hit showrooms in late this year.The final Falcon utility comes with the same 195kW 4.0-litre straight six and choice of six-speed manual gearbox or automatic transmission as the current car, but features the sedan’s blunt front-end styling ahead of the familiar sheetmetal of the rear tray, complete with its antiquated leaf spring suspension. Cab chassis models will continue, as will the option of a factory LPG version.Gone are the entry-level car’s grey bumpers and door handles: base models now come with body-coloured versions and 16-inch steel wheels, while inside the updated cabin there’s the new 8.0-inch touchscreen with SYNC2 connectivity, including emergency assist.
Unlike the six-model line-up for the sedan, the Ute range starts with the entry-level XL, then steps up to the performance variants of XR6 and 270kW XR6 Turbo. While the XR8 makes a comeback in the sedan, complete with a 335kW supercharged 5.0-litre V8, Ford hasn’t confirmed a ute version, but it would crazy not to build a tyre-frying two-door bent-eight ute especially now that the FPV models are no longer available.
Ford is yet to announce pricing for the new Ute, which us likely to arrive in showrooms in December alongside the sedan, but there should be little change from the current starting price of $27,500 for the cab chassis, and $28k for the ‘style side’ body Ute. XR variants should kick off at around $35k.
The long and profitable reign of Luca Cordero di Montezemelo, Ferrari chairman for the last 23 years, will end on 13 October. His place will be taken by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief exec Sergio Marchionne.
Montezemelo’s decision to leave follows criticism from Marchionne at the Monza Grand Prix last weekend. He described the recent performances of Ferrari’s Formula One team as “unacceptable”.
The dispute is acknowledged in the FCA press release announcing the change in leadership for Maranello. “Our mutual desire to see Ferrari achieve its true potential on the track has led to misunderstandings which became clearly visible over the last weekend,” said Marchionne in his carefully worded statement, before adding a polite expression of gratitude. “I want to thank Luca for all he has done for Fiat, for Ferrari and for me personally.”
And thanks are in order. During his time at the helm, Montezemelo presided over a 10-fold increase in revenue and a tripling of sales volumes. At the same time, he pushed Maranello’s designers, engineers, development teams and production workers to make better and better Ferraris.
Today’s Ferrari seems to have forgotten how to make a crap car. The 458, especially the Speciale, the F12 berlinetta and the La Ferrari are all wonderful expressions of the engineers art and fabulous things to drive. It wasn’t that way when Montezemelo took over as chairman in 1991. Back then, remember, the Mondial was still in production and the not-so-great 348 had just replaced the rather awful 328.
There’s little doubt Montezemelo’s time will come to be regarded as something of a golden era for Ferrari road cars, but success on the racetrack has lately proved elusive.
While the obvious friction at Monza last weekend was over the F1 team’s performance, it may not have been the most important factor behind Montezemelo’s decision to resign.
Ferrari is 90 percent owned by Fiat, and the flotation of recently Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on the New York Stock Exchange is scheduled for October. It is believed Montezemelo wanted preserve Ferrari autonomy inside the FCA, sticking with its low-volume production and high-profit strategy. Marchionne, it’s said, envisages greater involvement of Maranello into the group’s global strategy.
Marchionne has clearly won the battle, and Montezemelo now apparently fears for Ferrari’s future. “Ferrari is now American,” he is reported by leading Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera to have told associates on the weekend.
At this weekend’s World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally Australia MOTOR will wriggle into the Hyundai pits to exclusively cover Aussie ace Chris Atkinson’s rally return.
Tune in to MOTOR Live from 5pm tomorrow for regular video interviews, pics and general action from the event. And if you’re there yourself and see something awesome, hashtag #MotormagLive on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – we’ll be watching. See you then!
EXTERIOR designer Robert Lesnik runs a hand slowly from the rear glass across the hindquarters of the car he helped create, the Mercedes-AMG GT, and declares: “For me, this is the sweetest spot of the GT.”
It’s no coincidence that this would be the area that reminds so many people of the Porsche 911, the iconic sports car that’s firmly the target of AMG’s second exclusive in-house model.
The rusted-on Porsche fanatics will insist the engine’s in the wrong place, but the GT – revealed in Germany earlier today – looms as one of the more formidable competitors (in a long line of ultimately busted and dusted aspirants) hoping to dethrone the thus-far impregnable 911.
AMG’s fixation on making the GT a pure sports car and a 911-beater carries over to some elements of the styling, especially the rear shaping.
The long nose and grille, though, is all Mercedes, with an obvious influence from the five-year-old SLS ‘Gullwing’, AMG’s first design and the car that provides the basis of the GT.
Broader Mercedes design language is present too. The side air outlets are a Mercedes cue, lower air intakes pay homage to the E63 AMG, and there is an S-Class prompt with the LED light signature and character lines on the door panels.
Lesnik spoke lovingly at the unveiling of inspiration from past icons such as the 1950s 300SLR and 300SL for a car he insists is not remotely retro.
The GT goes on sale in mid-2015 and, while there’s no mistaking its target, it won’t be an easy conquest; the venerable rear-engined 911 has already survived more than 50 years of attacks from every quarter.
While it attempts to do some damage to the 911, the AMG GT also carries halo-car responsibility to woo younger and bolder buyers with its aggressive look and lively performance.
But AMG’s engineers have reportedly not strayed from a directive to make the GT’s daily driveability an imperative. Entry and egress is somewhat less confronting than with its SLS big brother and those bothersome gullwing doors.
“The new Mercedes-AMG GT shows that we will be positioning AMG more vehemently and aggressively than to date as a dynamic sports car brand,” Mercedes-AMG chief Tobias Moers said. “The technological substance of the Mercedes-AMG GT underscores our high aspirations with regard to driving dynamics, agility and sportiness.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we hear the Porsche people muttering…
Developed totally independently by Mercedes-AMG, the new two-seater is in a segment never previously tackled by Mercedes.
No expense was spared in presenting the new GT to the world. The premiere was attended by Mercedes and AMG heavies, dignitaries, a large slab of the AMG workforce, 350 media and motor racing heroes Bernd Schneider and Nico Rosberg.
The GT’s all-aluminium spaceframe chassis is similar to SLS, but is appreciably shorter. All panels bar the steel bootlid and many suspension components are aluminium.
Specific attention has been paid to the joins, AMG using a multiple attack – MIG welds, rivets and adhesives to ensure high stiffness levels. A magnesium front-end module reduces weight ahead of the front axle.
Both versions presented at the premiere – the GT and the sportier GT S – are powered by a newly developed 3982cc V8 engine with turbochargers mounted inside the vee, configured to two output levels. The GT is endowed with 340kW, and the GT S gets 375kW.
A paddle-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is standard in both models.
AMG says the accelerative surge is present from very low revs with a performance potential of zero-100km/h in 3.8sec and 310km/h for the GT S. The GT is hardly a tortoise, with 4.0sec and 304km/h claimed.
If those numbers are accurate, the Merc may have the wood on its Porsche rivals in the run to 100km/h.
AMG let us have a look and listen to the V8 on one of its nine test benches. The engine emitted a guttural growl when fired up, but then howled with magnificence all the way to the 7000rpm redline.
Engine and powertrain boss Christian Enderle confirmed the 4.0 V8 “will be with us a long time”. More powerful versions in the future? “Let’s see,” he smiled.
Enderle revealed that the biggest challenge in the development of the dry-sumped engine with the turbos located within the vee was the cooling system.
AMG says every attempt was made to avoid creating a computer-driven car, a PlayStation on wheels. Its electronic control systems are intended to be relied on only when necessary.
Still, the GT S has the world’s first transaxle with dynamic engine and transmission mounts – four all told – connecting to the body. Sensors recognise the driving situation and individually regulate the stiffness of the four mounts, optimising sportiness and comfort.
Speed-sensitive sports steering features a variable ratio, responding to road speed, lateral acceleration and the prevailing AMG Dynamic Select mode.
Suspension is double-wishbone front and rear, similar to the SLS and another steal from motor racing.
Brakes are simply massive, with discs of 402mm diameter in the GT S. The rotors are of a steel/aluminium composite, or carbon-ceramic.
Wheels vary in size front to rear on the GT S – 19s up front, 20s on the rear – while the GT gets 19s all round.
An electronic-mechanical rear locking diff is also standard issue with the GT S, for improved traction at the driving wheels. The GT gets a regular mechanical diff lock.
With the V8 mounted behind the front axle line, a rear-mounted transaxle and widespread aluminium construction, the 1540kg GT (30kg more for the GT S) achieves 47/53 weight distribution – yes, a rearward bias, though not as much as a 911, which has as much as 61 percent over the rear wheels.
Though 50/50 is theoretically the ideal balance, AMG chassis development senior manager Raphael Winter concedes nothing: “We have found this is the best solution.”
Turning into corners, we were told, there is less frontal weight to move in a different direction. Then, accelerating out of a turn, there is additional weight at the rear for better traction. Not unlike a rear-engined race car.
The cockpit of the GT is a stunning combination of sportiness, function and unrepentant gorgeousness that pushes forward the evolution of the central “aviation design” theme typical of Mercedes-Benz sports cars.
The wing-design dash is supported by four central spotlight-style vents and individual vents at either ends of the dashboard.
The dominant centre console presents a correspondingly dynamic character with its choice of materials reminding us of Mercedes’ long motor sport history. A screen poking out of the centre of the dash is the only jarring visual note.
Compared with Audi’s new virtual cockpit infotainment screen, the Merc arrangement looks positively historic.
But a clever design feature comes in the controls on the AMG Drive Unit, which are arranged like eight cylinders in a V layout.
The cockpit itself is quite snug for a big driver, with the high sills – so good for rigidity – proving a literal hurdle when exiting. The driving position and seating is very good, though the gear selector is a little too far rearward on the console.
A nicely carpeted but shallow boot allegedly takes 350 litres of luggage.
Both the GT and GT S will be sold in Australia initially, the more popular surely being the more powerful and more expensive GT S. Dunno why Merc would bother with the entry car; AMG buyers rarely settle for anything but the best available.
Of course, Mercedes insists the 911 is not the only rival in the GT’s gunsights. Also on the hit list are the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Audi R8, Jaguar F-Type and Maserati GranTurismo.
Asked if the GT will be faster than the 911 around the Nurburgring Nordscheife, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche was succinct and adamant: “Yes.”
BMW has revealed its 2 Series Convertible ahead of a public launch in February 2015.
It includes a door-stopping M235i version, complete with turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine, as well as more pedestrian diesel and petrol models that will make up the bulk of sales.
The 2 Series Convertible follows the same naming formula as the 3 and 4 Series, with 2 Series being the name for the coupe and drop-top versions of the 1 Series.
With its cloth top, the 2 Series Convertible keeps the same front and rear-end styling treatment, but has a neatly integrated rear deck.
Like the 4 Series Convertible, it takes 20 seconds to operate the powered roof, but it can be operated at speeds of up to 50km/h.
The roof itself can be had in standard black, anthracite with silver effect, or a typically Germanic brown, and it sits flush with the body when it’s open.
The new baby BMW convertible is 20 percent stiffer than the 1 Series drop-top that it replaces, and is also longer (by 72mm), wider (by 26mm) and has wider front and rear tracks.
The bootspace has been increased by a whopping 150 litres, so you may actually be able to fit a set of golf clubs in the 2 Series (no promises…), with a wider opening for luggage as well.
At the wheel, there’s typical comfort features such as the BMW Air Curtain, which blows hot air on the back of your neck, as well as safety kit including roll-over bars.
The 240kW M235i has a 0-100km/h claim of 5.0sec, a substantial 0.6sec faster than the previous 135i Convertible and a mere 0.2sec down on the hardtop version – not bad considering the convertible adds about 145kg over the coupe, with the entry-level 220i carrying 1510kg against the Coupe’s 1365kg.
Every 2-Series Convertible – bar the six-cylinder M235i – will be powered by a turbocharged four-pot, led by the 135kW 220i petrol engine and 140kW 220d oiler. Then there’s the 180kW 228i to bridge the gap to the 3.0-litre turbocharged six in the M235i flagship.
The standard transmission will be a six-speed manual, with an optional eight-speed auto also on offer.
Fuel economy for the eight-speed 220d is a claimed 4.1L/100km.
The BMW 2-Series Convertible lands in Australia in mid-2015 with prices expected to kick off at about $43,000.
THIS is the car that Mercedes thinks will convince you not to buy a Porsche 911.
The 310km/h AMG GT is a lighter, faster, more obtainable Mercedes sports car than those before it, and packs a newly developed 375kW V8 designed to unashamedly knock the iconic Porsche off its pedestal.
This purpose-built rear-drive coupe, the second vehicle developed from the ground up by AMG, signals the start of a ferocious Teutonic stoush.
The GT is armed with the fire-breathing SLS ‘Gullwing’ aluminium spaceframe as its starting point, but this is more than a cut-down, cheaper version of Affalterbach’s hot rod.
“We wanted to do something different,” Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener told us. “This isn’t an SLS replacement, it’s a new car at a different price point and we wanted to separate the two.”
The GT sits on a 50mm-shorter wheelbase, and is narrower than the lane-swallowing SLS.
Its body, apart from the bootlid, is also made from weight-saving aluminium for a kerb weight of just 1540kg in base trim, lighter than the chest-beating SLS Black Series and enough for the all-new 4.0-litre V8 to punch a 100km/h hole in the air after a mere 4.0sec.
Option the S model, which sees power jump from 340kW to 375kW, and this front-engined rear-wheel-drive monster will reel off 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.8sec.
The new engine is just the beginning.
Outside, the GT exhibits Gorden Wagener’s latest Mercedes design language, seen on everything from the A-Class to the latest S- and C-Class models.
In evolving the sharp lines of its hatches and sedans into coupe form, Wagoner has given the GT aggressive rear haunches, with larger rear wheels to help give the GT a bold set of hips below that domed roof.
Up front, it’s led by the latest Benz grille and smooth, solid surfaces, with the classic proportions of a long nose and short rear deck.
That tail, with its rounded, softened edges, looks similar to the S-Class coupe’s, but also echoes the Porsche 928’s rounded rump and even (if you squint) the 911’s tail. There’s a black diffuser to offset it, while attention to detail is amazing, including the removal off all external antennas and protrusions to give the GT a melted, fluid look.
AMG revealed the interior of the GT back in April, including its ‘aviation’ design theme, with a dash design that emphasises width, as well as crisp round dials and the same three-spoke steering wheel as in the new C-Class.
But it’s the V8 that will provide the theatre for driver, passenger and onlookers alike.
Codenamed M178, it replaces the 6208cc V8 that’s in the C63 and SLS, and comes with two turbochargers and a 3982cc capacity – ladies and gentlemen, this is what AMG calls downsizing…
With 650Nm, it matches the SLS V8’s torque figure, but the 4.0-litre serves it up from 1750rpm through to 4750rpm, the very point where the old engine peaks.
The new dry-sump V8 is hand-built, as per AMG tradition, but is packed with technology: aluminium block, zirconium-alloy heads and direct fuel injection. It’s closely related to the 2.0-litre turbo in the A45 AMG, with the same bore/stroke and ability to rev its heart out.
The two turbos are positioned inside the 90-degree vee, saving space and improving thermal efficiency for sharper throttle response when feeding power through the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The new engine should have the bark to back up the bite, too, with a bi-model exhaust system as standard – though the snarl of the old atmo V8 will be difficult to match…
Cornering is taken care of by adaptive dampers, with double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear.
Mercedes claims weight distribution of 47/53 front to rear, and the GT sticks with hydraulic steering, unlike the 911, which switched to electric steering when the current 991 model was introduced in 2011.
The GT gets a mechanical locking diff as standard, while the S model scores an electronically controlled diff to go with its power hike and 320km/h speedo.
On the options list are ceramic brakes, lighter forged alloy wheels and an AMG Dynamic Plus drivetrain damping system, which uses active engine and transmission mounts.
Prices are expected to kick off at about $270K when the AMG GT hits Australian shores in late 2015, with the S model arriving ahead of the entry-level model.
HEADS of government attending the G20 summit in Brisbane on November 15-16 cannot be expected to walk from their well-guarded digs to the hosting venue, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. And mere luxury car transport is deficient in one key and obvious area – safekeeping in the event of a rocket, grenade or heavy gunfire attack.
Instead, the leaders at the G20 summit will be cossetted and protected inside an armada of armoured limousines.
In the world’s driest announcement, the federal government has revealed it has accepted a proposal for the leasing of 16 Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard limos to support the G20 chat-fest.
The toughened-up S600s will play a big role in the complex security operation.
Merc obviously hopes the high-profile role in the G20 will lead to an outbreak not of war, but of orders from its target markets (pun intended).
It already supplies the bullet- and bomb-proof cars to about 100 countries, but has never sold a car to Australia.
The cost of renting the 16 specially constructed S600 Guard versions is believed to be in the vicinity of $1.8 million. The cars are valued at around $1 million apiece, or twice the cost of a regular V12-engined S600.
There is a specialist (but growing) market of building selling armoured transport for everyone from heads of state, presidents, prime ministers, royalty, the rich and powerful, the paranoid, and your regulation despots and tyrants. In other words, people who don’t always feel love and affection from their constituencies.
Mercedes says it does not sell to mobsters and gangsters, though one executive cutely suggested to Wheels that sometimes the difference between a politician and a gangster can be just a week or two.
Mercedes boasts the world’s widest range of special-protection vehicles available from its factory – tougher variants of the S, E, M and G-Class.
The company closely guards its sales numbers, but they could run into the thousands annually, with Mexico, Latin America, Russia and parts of the old Soviet Union prominent.
Delivery time is usually about nine months, although some cars are kept in stock for emergencies.
Though burdened by an elaborate protective occupant cell, reinforced chassis, thick bulletproof glass, self-sealing fuel tank and all of its other numerous measures to shield valuable human cargo, the S600 Guard is virtually indistinguishable visually from the standard S600.
All panels are standard, so the higher-profile Michelin PAX run-flat tyres and thick, reinforced glass are the only obvious giveaways.
Obviously the Guard variant of the S600 has piled on some kilos, the arch-enemy of acceleration, handling and stopping.
However, the tech-heads have taken careful measures to ensure the 4.2 tonnes of S600 Guard behaves like the regular production version dynamically; the suspension has been beefed-up and the brakes upgraded. Importantly, the S600 Guard stops from 100km/h in 39 metres, only one metre more than the standard car.
While the V12 remains standard, the diff ratio has been lowered to help acceleration, which is a handy 6.2sec from rest to 100km/h. Top speed, limited by the run-flat tyres, is 210km/h.
If the tyres are shot out, the car can still proceed away from danger for 30-40km at a speed of around 80km/h.
The complex and exacting (mainly labour-intensive) work on the armouring starts at the bodyshell stage when protective components of special steel are integrated into the cavities between the body structure and the outer skin.
Special components provide additional splinter protection, and overlapping systems at particularly critical points ensure comprehensive ballistic protection.
The glass areas are coated with polycarbonate on the inside for splinter protection.
The flat underbody is a blend of steel, Aromide fibre and carbon-fibre.
The new S600 Guard and other armoured limos are certified by the German government after a lengthy validation process that involves shooting high-calibre bullets from any distance and any angle into any part of the car.
Of course, a regulation swish S-Class interior replete with fine timbers and high-quality leather, and state-of-the-art communication and entertainment systems will keep occupants contented.
No-one has died in a Mercedes armoured car for many years, though there have been some notable attempts.
In 1998, attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades at a motorcade headed by Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze’s armoured Mercedes.
One bodyguard was killed and another two were wounded, but the president’s car managed to drive on and out of the crossfire.
In 2003, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf narrowly survived two assassination bids in less than two weeks. The second was more serious when suicide car-bombers attacked his motorcade, killing at least 14 people.
Shevardnadze later thanked God for saving his life. Musharraf lauded Allah.
Maybe both owed more to Mercedes.
AT THE Geneva Motor Show back in March we looked from every angle at the freshly unveiled third-gen TT Coupe – due here early next year – and poured over its vital statistics.
It was certainly visually true to its two predecessors, though broader, squarer and less armadillo-like. Less androgynous; more appealing to those blokes out there who ran away from any cars remotely associated with the hairdressing industry. But maybe a bit too cautious…
The 2.0-litre turbo fours were carried over from the last TT and its punchier TTS sibling, but seriously reworked.
The big change was building it on the clever and versatile modular MQB platform used for a brace of new models from VW Group.
The TT continues to be aimed squarely at early adopters and progressives, as the marketing people like to call them.
“This is exactly the right vehicle for this customer group,” Audi’s Florian Schwab said, a hint of the evangelist in his Teutonic tones.
Talk is empty, though. Finally, after months of anticipation, Wheels got to try the new TT on roads around the Spanish squillionaires’ playground of Marbella on the Mediterranean.
Because we’re not remotely elitist, Wheels opted for the 2.0-litre front-drive entry car for a blast through the mountains above Marbella. It was no great hardship.
At about $77,000 or so, the manual and the optional S tronic will be priced identically when the new TT launches in Australia in February. A quattro variant of the same 2.0-litre TFSI will also be offered, for about $3000 more.
Initial impressions of the revised 169kW/370Nm in-line turbo four are of lively throttle response with admirable torque and driveability.
When the road ahead calls for an expression session, the driver gets to appreciate the extra herbs and spices from under the bonnet – up from 155kW/350Nm in the outgoing TT.
The engine is an easy one to love, with a real Jekyll and Hyde nature. Love the crackling sounds from the dual pipes on up-changes when the pace is on the swift side. Still, when required, the TT lopes along in sixth at just above 1000rpm and easily conquers steepish inclines at 1500 in fifth.
It’s not hard to see why this petrol-engined TT returns 6.3 L/100km combined.
The electro-mechanical steering is on the light side, but dial up the edgier Dynamic setting for some appropriately quicker motoring and the weighting instantly moves to a pleasing level with communication levels not felt in the previous model.
The front-drive TT uncorks a little understeer when you charge at a tight corner, but the composure never relents, and even without the adhesion of all-wheel-drive, the driver can get back on the throttle surprisingly early.
Fifty kilos lighter than its predecessor, it attacks a series of S bends without an excess of body roll on changes of direction.
The manual box is a sweetie; so smooth and positive, if an endangered species.
Dual-clutch transmissions keep winning over even the diehards. Audi’s dual-clutch S tronic with paddle shifting is faster, safer and more efficient than the manual, though perhaps not as satisfying.
Brakes, and you need them to be right on their game on those demanding roads with surprises around many corners, give excellent, progressive feel.
Wheels did not expect to fall under the spell of the FWD TT 2.0-litre TFSI, but it’s a model destined to win plenty of new friends.
Model: Audi TT Coupe 2.0 TFSI FWD Engine: 1984cc in-line 4cyl, dohc, 24v, turbo Max power: 169kW @ 4500-6200rpm Max torque: 370Nm @ 1600-4300rpm Transmission: 6-speed manual Kerb weight: 1230kg 0-100km/h: 5.9sec (claimed) Price: $77,000-plus (estimated) On sale: February 2015
In the lead-up to the reveal of the new XE sedan, Jaguar gathered a trio of experts to judge the 10 best cars the British marque have ever built. The models were then presented as part of the XE’s unveiling at Earls Court, London.
The expert trio in question were creator of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lord March, Jaguar’s Director of Design, Ian Callum, and AC/DC lead singer and car fanatic Brian Johnson.
Their ‘Perfect 10’ from Jaguar’s back catalogue were as follows:
1. 1936 SS100 2. 1948 XK120 3. 1951 C-Type 4. 1955 D-Type 5. 1959 Jaguar Mark II 6. 1961 E-Type 3.8 7. 1966 XJ13 8. 1967 XJ6 9. 1984 XJS TWR 10. 1988 XJR9
Watch the trio discuss their selections in the video here.
Jaguar has lifted the covers off its all new XE at a star-studded gala at Earls Court, London. Intended to take on the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, it’s Jaguar’s first foray into the mid-size sedan segment since the ill-fated X-Type.
While a range of petrol and diesels will be available, the Earls Court reveal featured our first look at the model of most interest to MOTOR readers, the range-topping (for now) XE S. Powered by a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 250kW/450Nm, Jaguar claims 0-100km/h takes 5.1sec, while top speed is limited to 250km/h.
The first model to be built off Jaguar’s new modular vehicle architecture, the XE is claimed to be the lightest and stiffest sedan the British firm has ever produced thanks to the extensive use of high-strength aluminium, though starting from 1474kg, it’s heavier than all its rivals.
A claimed Cd of just 0.26 (for the base model, at least) makes it extremely slippery through the air, aiding performance and efficiency.
With a reputation of dynamic excellence to uphold, Jaguar has gone to great lengths to ensure the XE handles properly. The front suspension is a double wishbone arrangement rather than the traditional MacPherson strut, while its ‘Integral Link’ multi-link rear suspension is claimed of offer improvements in longitudinal and lateral stiffness. The XE is the first Jaguar to be fitted with electronically-assisted power steering.
Its downsized-XF styling is handsome and well-proportioned, at least on the optional 20-inch wheels of the S. The interior design is recognisably Jaguar, including retaining the trademark rotary gear selector that rises out of the centre console on start-up.
Where the XE takes a step forward is in its technology. A laser head-up display provides speed and sat-nav information, while stereo camera technology allows for active safety systems like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and auto-park.
The good news for performance fans is that the S is unlikely to remain the performance flagship for long. Expect an XE R, likely to be powered by Jag’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8, before too long to take on the M3 and C63 AMG, with the potential for an ‘SVR’ version which will be more extreme again.
Expect the XE to land in Australian showrooms in the third quarter of 2015.
