Jaguar XE sedan spotted testing in India ahead of Auto Expo launch

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar luxury brand is gearing up for the launch of its entry level sedan, the XE at the Auto Expo 2016. Ahead of the launch, the vehicle was caught testing on Indian road sans camouflage.

The pictures by AutocarIndia seem to be taken near the plant of Jagaur and Land Rover in Pune. The Jagaur XE will go up against the likes of Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Serie in India.

The XE will be the most affordable Jaguar product in India, with an estimated price of around Rs 40 lakh. Like the new XF sedan, the XE will feature the new design language of Jaguar cars. The XE will also boast of many features, such as an all-new infotainment system that comes with an eight-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, audio streaming and USB connectivity. Jaguar's InControl Remote functionality will allow smartphones users to connect to the car to pre-set the climate control system, lock or unlock the doors, or to start the engine.

The Jaguar XE is based on a first-in-class all-aluminium chassis that makes it lighter. The rear suspension has an "Integral Link" setup that provides more lateral and longitudinal stiffness compared to conventional multi-link designs. The front suspension is based on the Jaguar F-type and borrows components from the XFR such as the double wishbones.

The car will be available in four-cylinder Ingenium engines, both petrol and diesel. The 2.0-litre diesel engine, producing 161bhp and 380Nm of peak torque claims an impressive fuel efficiency of 27.61kmpl. The petrol unit is expected to be a V6 that develops 355bhp and 450Nm of torque. The power will be sent to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox.