Think back to the most classic of compact Jaguars, the Mark II, and you could hardly call that a baby of the genre. So the Jaguar X-Type, Coventry’s challenger to the likes of the BMW 3-Series, is a complete departure for a marque typified by the slogan ‘Grace, Space and Pace’.
In fact, one could say it owes its very existence to the 3-Series, which obviously provided an object lesson to Ford bean counters keen to increase the cat marque’s production volumes. The X-Type’s parallels with its German rivals are obvious: compact dimensions, sporty character, the cachet of a famous brand…
But the X-Type also differs hugely from the Three, and from its own siblings and forebears, in that it is transverse-engined and features four-wheel drive. (In
fact there’s now also a front-drive version at the bottom of the range, but this isn’t available in South Africa.) This departure from the norm wasn’t simply a case of Brown’s Lane trying to be different. It was born of the need to husband resources by using elements of Henry’s parts bin, the most suitable of which came from Ford’s widely acclaimed new mid-size saloon, the latest Mondeo.
So the X-Type’s platform has been seen before, in slightly longer form, on Ford’s stylish saloon.
But it’s been chopped by some 44 mm, and uses the multi-link rear suspension system from the Mondeo station wagon, tuned, naturally, to Jaguar’s requirements. Front springing is by MacPherson struts, another Mondeo borrowing, although shocks and springs have been revised to Jaguar spec.
Power from the sideways-mounted motor is spread to the four wheels through a five-speed autobox (a five-speed manual transmission is offered as an option in South Africa).
Although the X-Type is offered overseas with a selection of engines ranging from 2,0 through 2,5 to 3,0 litres in capacity, with a turbo-diesel also planned, South Africa only gets the big V6, part of a local marketing strategy that positions the X-Type at the top
of the compact sports saloon segment. Models on offer are the 3,0 SE and the 3,0 Sport, priced at R345 000 and R346 000 respectively.
The 2 968 cm3 powerplant is a member of Jaguar’s new AJ-V6 family, an engine also offered in the more expensive S-Type, but at right-angles in the X-Type engine bay to accommodate the junior Jag’s drivetrain configuration. It features a ribbed aluminium block (sand-cast by the patented Cosworth process), cast-in thin-wall iron cylinder liners, a structural cast aluminium oil pan and close cylinder bore spacing, the latter allowing the use of a short, stiff, twist-forged steel crankshaft. Isolated magnesium cam covers are employed to limit valvetrain noise. The twin overhead camshafts per bank (operating four valves per cylinder) are driven by dual Morse chains, with one hydraulic tensioner for each chain.
A four-mode variable intake manifold is claimed to enhance flexibility, the ignition system features a coil-on-plug set-up, and an electronic (drive-by-wire) throttle improves response. Peak outputs are 172 kW at a heady 6 800 r/min, and 284 N.m at 3 000.
The five-speed autobox is a Jatco FPD unit featuring a high-ratio fifth gear and a low-inertia slip-controlled lock-up torque converter for economical cruising. Shift programmes are modified electronically to suit different driving situations. Driver input is made using Jaguar’s familiar J-gate selector, with the traditional PRND sequence on the right, and a self-shift option across the gate to the left. As with most modern autos, it also offers normal (N) and sport (S) modes, selected by a switch next to the J-gate. But, somewhat annoyingly, there’s no gear indicator in the instrument binnacle, forcing the driver to look down at the shift-gate itself.
Torque is transferred to the four wheels through Traction4, an all-wheel drive system with a central viscous coupling. Front/rear split is varied automatically according to tractive needs, but basic proportioning is 40:60.
Sport and SE models have different suspension settings, the former featuring a stiffer set-up, while the latter provides a more comfort-oriented ride. The two models also have different wheels and tyres, our 3,0 SE test unit running on 6,5Jx 16 alloy wheels shod with Pirelli rubber, while Sport models have 17-inchers.
After the S-Type, some Jaguar fans might have expected the new compact model’s styling to follow a similar theme. And it does follow its mid-sized sister in the shaping of the rear sheetmetal. But the front end is more conservative, mimicking the form of the range-topping XJ range. It’s distinctively Jaguar, though – the bonnet flutes, quad lights and corporate grille leave no doubt about that. Company stylists explain the touch of conservatism by pointing out that the newcomer is aimed at recruiting new customers to the cat lair, and it was felt that a more controversial look might conceivably scare off some first-timers.
Whatever, from its XJ-style grille to its trademark twin tailpipes, the X-Type is a handsome car that got a unanimous thumbs-up from the test team for its looks. The SE’s lines are highlighted by the use of chrome grille surround, boot finisher and bumper ‘blades’, whereas on the Sport these items are body colour. The Sport also has black window surrounds.
Inside, there’s more traditional Jaguar, with wood veneer and leather the dominant materials. Facia and door coverings feature a bird’s eye maple finish, produced using an aluminium and wood laminate substrate bonded together with adhesive film.
As in the S-Type, it’s so perfectly finished that some observers initially speculated that it could be plastic!
The facia is neatly styled, with a flat hang-down section featuring controls for the sound and ventilation systems. Surprisingly for a car in this price range, the sound system features an excellent radio/tape, but no CD player. A boot-mounted shuttle or single-slot facia CD player can be specified at extra cost. Various telephone set-ups are also offered as options.
Instrumentation is clear, with traditional round dials. But their style is no match for those of, say, the Rover 75, which so beautifully captures the balance between functionality and class that typified British sporty cars
of the past. The steering-column stalks have a plasticky feel, and the action of the J-gate gearshift also feels a tad flimsy. In fact, though the interior does follow Jaguar practice, there’s a disappointingly ‘low-rent’ feel to many of the materials.
That doesn’t apply to the leather-covered seats, which look and feel inviting. The front chairs have eight-way electrical adjustment, and catered well for the individual quirks of our test team, though the tallest member commented that he could have done with a touch more rearward travel. Legroom and headroom are limited at the rear.
Among the SE’s standard convenience features are cruise control (along with wheel-mounted audio and telephone controls), air-conditioning (with pollen and odour filters but without individual temperature settings), electric windows (with one-touch action), powered exterior mirrors, a trip computer with message centre, a manually adjusted tilting/telescoping steering column, a leather steering wheel rim, a sliding centre armrest, illuminating vanity mirrors on both sunvisors, and a full security system with remote action and two-stage unlock function. But items such as a rear sunblind, cup-holders, an automatically dipping rear-view mirror, rain-sensing wipers, powered foldback exterior mirrors, floor mats and 30:70-split fold-down rear seats are extra-cost options. Even without the folding seatbacks, the boot is large, with a flat floor, and the test car accommodated 336 dm3 of our ISO luggage blocks.
As on all modern luxury cars, the X-Type has a full range of passive safety equipment. Seatbelt pretensioners, as well as intelligent front and side airbags, are provided for driver and front passenger, and curtain side airbags deploy to protect front and rear occupants in the event of side impact. ABS-modulated disc brakes (ventilated in front) are standard, and stability control is optional on the four-wheel drive models (but, we believe, standard on the entry-level front-driver).
Insert the familiar Ford/Chubb key into the slot, twist the grip, and the V6 churns into life with a typical Jaguar purr. Heading into the traffic, the X-Type is as effortless, smooth and civilised as its German rivals. Swing out of the city grid-lock on to your favourite back road, and you’re immediately aware that you’re peddling a driver’s car. It doesn’t simply continue a Jaguar tradition: it sets new standards for roadholding and steering response, thanks to a combination of four-wheel drive and the kind of driver involvement that only the Coventry engineers can achieve.
In the SE, ride is controlled but absorbent, making both boulevard cruising and enthusiastic twisty progress a pleasure. Sound levels are muted, too, the only jarring note being two sets of whines, one on smooth tar that we blamed on the test car’s Pirellis, and another emanating from the four-wheel drive transmission. Another quirk was a ‘clunk’ during sudden deceleration, probably also emanating from the drivetrain.
The gearbox is fun to use, hanging on to the gears right up to the limiter in manual mode, unlike many other kill-joy autoboxes that insist on changing up earlier than one might like. We achieved our best acceleration times with the lever slotted across to the left of the J-gate so that we could do the changing ourselves. The only restriction was the engine rev-limiter itself, which cut in a tad before the 7 000 r/min ‘full red’ zone. Our recorded zero to 100 km/h times of just on nine seconds were some way off the factory’s claimed 7,5 – but we reckon one would have to rev the motor a bit into the red, holding on ‘til 100 km/h in second, to achieve that. One of the limiting factors is the AJ-V6’s relatively low torque figure (well down on outputs quoted for slightly bigger-
engined rivals such as the BMW 330i and Mercedes C320), which meant that time was lost in the lower speed range. The test car covered the kilometre in 30,31 seconds, and topped out at 225 km/h. Stopping ability was a match for most, our standard 10-stop 100-to-standstill emergency braking programme yielding an average time of 3,16 seconds, with no sign of distress.
Hooked up to our Pierburg flowmeter, our SE recorded good fuel figures. As is often the case with V6s, the Jaguar X-Type was more economical at 80 km/h than at 60. Recorded steady-speed consumption at 100 km/h was 7,62 litres per 100 km, equating to a CAR fuel index (expected overall consumption with enthusiastic driving) of 10,67 litres per 100 km. That would give a range of 572 km on a 61-litre tank of unleaded.
