2004 Jaguar X-type Base Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Ian Callum wanted to call Jaguar's crossover X-Type [w/poll]

Jaguar raised some eyebrows when it announced that it would call its upcoming crossover F-Pace. But the British automaker didn't just pick the name out of a hat. Speaking with Auto Express, Jaguar's design director Ian Callum said the company entertained several possible nameplates for its first crossover, and that he personally advocated for resurrecting the name X-Type. The nameplate was, of course, previously used on the marque's entry-level sedan – the predecessor to the upcoming XE that was based on the front-drive platform of the Ford Mondeo and which was also offered with all-wheel drive. The connection with that much-maligned model is reportedly ultimately what dissuaded the company's marketing gurus from using the nameplate again, even if it might have been more suitable. Another nameplate Coventry reportedly considered was XQ, but the latter letter's use by rival Audi for its crossovers and by former sister company Aston Martin for its personalization range ruled the prospect out for the Leaping Cat marque. Auto Express notes a connection between the name F-Pace and Jaguar's 1960s ad campaign hailing its products as offering a combination of "Grace, Space and Pace." For his part, Callum didn't dismiss the possibility the slogan could could lead to additional models wearing similar nameplates like F-Grace or F-Space. What do you think – did Jaguar pick the right name for its first foray into the crossover market? Share your thoughts in Comments and cast your vote in our poll below.

This Jaguar XK120 costs $20,000, but there's a catch

You read that correctly. This Jaguar XK120 costs $20,000. Sounds like a steal, right? There's a catch. It's 1:5 scale. But if you're looking for perhaps the most bespoke riff on a Power Wheels ever, this could be your new toy. Offered by gift-specialist Hammacher Schlemmer, this diminutive Jag is faithful to the original with its swoopy appearance fronted by a narrow, vertical grille. There's a bit of a power drop, as this XK comes with a 110-cc four-stroke engine that can top out at 38 miles per hour. The 1949 model came with a 3,442-cc six-cylinder that made as much as 180 hp from the factory. This toy car has an aluminum hull, steel box chassis, wishbone suspension, and gas shocks, according to the listing. It rolls on 10-inch aluminum wheels and has hydraulic brakes with Brembo, yes Brembo, discs. The inside has padded leather and a wood-rimmed steering wheel. The car shown is silver – but Hammacher Schlemmer notes that it's available in British Racing Green – or any color you like. Obviously you're not hurting for cash if you have 20 grand to drop on a toy, but it is economical compared to real-life 1949 XK120. The car collecting and insurance gurus at Hagerty say an original is worth $475,000 in concours condition. Hagerty notes this Jag is significant for its design that channels the prewar BMW 328. The starting price was $3,940 in the United States when it was new. Related Video:

2017 Jaguar XE 20d Quick Spin

Base models rarely get their due in the press. Big-engine, high-horsepower variants get all the headlines, but the junior version is what sells in volume. We're just as guilty here at Autoblog, with both a first and second drive of the Jaguar XE in supercharged V6 guise, and barely a mention of the entry-level, 2.0-liter diesel. So, in Perd Hapley style, the Jaguar XE diesel is the model of the Jaguar XE we're going to discuss. Yes, the volume model of the Jaguar XE is a diesel, at least for now. A turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine, wearing the 25t badge, will arrive after the XE's early 2016 on-sale date. Oil-burners and volume are not a thing in the United States, except for heavy-duty pickup trucks. Despite that apparent contradiction, the XE 20d could find some converts. Driving Notes The biggest clue to the engine's fuel source is the tachometer, which only counts to 6,000. But you wouldn't know from the fast throttle response or the way revs climb when you mash the accelerator. All 180 peak horsepower come at 4,000 rpm, and the 317 pound-feet of torque are available from 1750 to 2500 rpm. Really, this engine is smooth. Credit the low 15.1:1 compression ratio, which also helps make the engine's aluminum construction possible. The surge of power from the turbo builds steadily instead of kicking in all at once. Jaguar's engineers focused on friction reduction with a fanatical devotion, all in the name of efficiency. One key feature is the offset crankshaft. That is, the crankshaft is located to the side of the cylinder centerline. This reduces the side load forces during the firing cycle. In the manual transmission the gears are cupped to reduce mass. A pump sprays oil directly on the cogs, which cuts back on the total amount of fluid and cuts back on friction loss due to windage. No, the manual transmission isn't coming to the US. And yes, it's really good. Not just in the cliche journalist love for the diesel-manual combo, but objectively good. That smooth responsive nature of the engine is amplified when you get to choose your own gears. So we make due with the eight-speed automatic, the 8HP45 version of the ubiquious ZF box. The coolest trick here is a pendulum-style damper in the torque converter instead of a typical spring damper. When the torque converter is locked up this cuts down on torsional vibration between the engine and transmission. And that enables low-rpm cruising and higher mpg.