Jaguar’s new XE S will be powered by the 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre supercharged V6 from the F-Type sports car and aim to take the fight to the forthcoming BMW 340i and Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG.

Landing at $104,200, Jaguar’s range-topping (for now) small sedan is the first of a wave of new models arriving at a similar price and performance point.

BMW’s facelifted 3-Series is expected to arrive before year’s end, the 240kW/450Nm twin-turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder 335i rebadged as a 340i.

Jaguar XE S 3

All three will present stiff competition to Jaguar’s important new model, as well as the Volvo S60 Polestar, which currently occupies this strange no man’s land between your cooking models and the hi-po stuff like the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63 and Audi RS4.

Like the F-Type it steals its engine from, the XE S will receive an eight-speed automatic gearbox and claims 0-100km/h takes 5.1sec.

Jaguar XE S 4

Just how successful it’s been we’ll discover when we get behind the wheel in the very near future.

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