Speculation surrounding the possible addition of a new roadster model to the Jaguar stable has been doing the rounds for some time, but it now seems that the new model, possibly dubbed the XE, has been given the green light for production.
Last year, head of Jaguar’s parent company Tata Motors, Ratan Tata, revealed that the company was in the process of readying an all-new roadster model. Now, a more recent interview with Jag CEO Carl-Peter Forster in British motoring publication Auto Express has confirmed that the new model is definitely on the cards and will be going on sale in 2012.
Although Forster has remained tight-lipped regarding the XE’s packaging, it has been suggested that the new car will be offered in both soft-top roadster and coupé body styles. This would enable the newcomer to take on the likes of the Lotus Evora and Porsche’s Cayman/Boxster models.
Underpinning the new car will be a brand new aluminium platform that will eventually see service across the marque’s range (XK, XF, XJ) with model-specific configurations in each case. There were rumours that the XE would feature a mid-engined layout, but the considerable costs involved in this model’s development have meant that a more conventional front-engined, rear-wheel drive setup is more likely.
A trio of engines have been earmarked for the newcomer, including a supercharged V6 entry-level model developing 260 kW, a 287 kW incarnation of the company’s 5,0-litre V8 and a supercharged version with around 380 kW on tap.
The XE is expected to make its production debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show – an even that coincides with the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the E-Type.