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2017 Jaguar XE: We'll miss our long-termer, but not its diesel engine

This may be automotive journalist blasphemy, but diesels aren't always a good thing. And I don't mean that from an emissions standpoint. Sometimes the diesel in question isn't a good engine, and/or is a bad fit for the cars to which they're fitted. Our long-term Jaguar XE diesel is a textbook case of both issues. The first issue becomes apparent from the moment the 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder fires up with all the clattering, tapping and ticking that can only come from a compression-ignition engine. It's far from the shaking and knocking of full-size diesel trucks of a few decades ago, but it definitely feels a generation or two behind other diesel cars. For instance, we had a diesel Chevy Cruze in the office, which was quieter and smoother than the Jaguar despite a base price roughly $10,000 less. It becomes a bit smoother and less raucous as revs increase, but the volume remains rather high, making it sound as though the engine is struggling more than it is. Though, to Jaguar's credit, the company has managed to keep virtually all engine vibrations from entering the cabin. Now, the diesel engine's voice would be less problematic if it provided some engaging performance, but, outside of the high fuel-economy numbers, there's hardly any to be found. This may seem surprising considering the Jaguar's 318 pound-feet of torque, but that torque figure lasts only briefly from 1,750 rpm to 2,500 rpm. After that, the torque rapidly falls off, and you don't see the Jag's meager 180 horsepower peak until 4,000 rpm -- not far off of the engine's roughly 5,000-rpm redline. As a result, the XE has adequate passing power and around-town shunt, but anytime you want to play with more revs, it faceplants. But at least it does nail, and even exceed, its 40-mpg highway fuel economy rating without trying. The faults of this diesel engine are then exacerbated by the fact that it's in such a smooth and fun car as the XE. It positively glides across rough city streets and highways, keeping the chassis steady and its passengers soothed. Coupled with a quiet cabin, the XE is a peaceful place to be. At least it would be if the diesel didn't rudely interrupt every time the throttle pedal is pressed. Through some sort of black magic, the XE handles about as well as it rides. The incredibly sensitive and accurate steering is superb. It feels like adjustment knobs on a high-end stereo -- weighted perfectly and fine enough to get it right where you want it.

2016 Jaguar F-Type ups warranty, adds standard equipment

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type is getting all-wheel-drive and an optional six-speed manual gearbox. That, of course, has been the big news surrounding the British brand's stylish two-seat coupe and cabrio since it was announced back in November. For 2016, though, Jag has done a lot more than just update the F-Type's powertrain – it's made life easier for the car's future owners. Jaguar has generously upped the complimentary service period for the 2016 F-Type, going from covering the first service only, to handing out five years or 60,000 miles of free maintenance to owners of the 2016 F-Type. That is, frankly, stupendous. That new plan is paired with an extended warranty, which has been expanded from five years or 50,000 miles to match the new complimentary service period. Coventry has also significantly added to the list of standard equipment for 2016, offering a 770-watt Meridian stereo, SiriusXM satellite radio, a SmartKey, 14-way power seats and on the hardtop models, a glass roof. Again, that's all standard equipment now. S models now get the standard dynamic mode, flat-bottomed wheel and active exhaust system. R models, as we said back in November, get all-wheel drive as standard. Most remarkable about all of this, though, is how little the new standard equipment has impacted the F-Type's price. The manual-trans Coupe matches last year's $65,000 starting price, while adding an eight-speed automatic kicks the price up $1,300. The S Coupe is slightly pricier than last year's $77,000 mid-grade model, starting at $77,300 for the manual and $78,800 for the automatic. The all-wheel-drive S Coupe starts at $84,800. The R, which as we said, enjoys standard all-wheel-drive, is getting the biggest price bump, with the Coupe model going from $99,000 to $103,600. The all-new Jaguar F-Type R Convertible starts at $106,450. Beyond that, if you want an F-Type with a canvas roof, add $3,100 to the prices shown above. So there we have it – a longer warranty, five years of free maintenance more standard equipment and a negligible increase in price. Um, why can't all model year updates be so nice? Check out the press release for more on the updated F-Types from Jag. Related Video: JAGUAR HITS THE GAS PEDAL ON U.S. 2016 F-TYPE LINEUP TO RAISE PRESSURE ON THE COMPETITION ? Jaguar ramps up F-TYPE value advantage by increasing standard equipment and features by $3,550 for F-TYPE to $11,850 for F-TYPE R models.

Jaguar I-Pace concept previews all-electric SUV for 2018

It seemed that Tesla would stand alone for years with a battery-electric SUV. The Germans were coming, of course, but they appeared content to time their battery push until government regulations forced them there around 2020. That's all changed. Jaguar is promising to turn its I-Pace concept SUV into a full-fledged production crossover SUV within two years. It's Jaguar's way of leaping from internal-combustion power, clean over the top of plug-in hybrids, straight to zero-emission battery-electric vehicles. It says a lot about Jaguar's focus that the second SUV in its production history will also be its first electric car. It debuts this week at the Los Angeles auto show. The Indian-owned carmaker is promising the five-seat I-Pace will look, feel, handle, and perform like a proper Jaguar, too, with a 0-60-mph time of around four seconds. With 516 pound-feet of torque being pumped out of its two electric motors, the I-Pace has as much gristle as the pure-bred F-Type SVR sports car, and it has it from zero rpm. It's also promising the two motors will combine for 400 horsepower, too. It won't need to compromise on range to get its performance, with Jaguar promising the I-Pace will stretch across to 220 miles of range from its 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. It will also take two hours to charge on a 50-kW fast-charging DC station, or achieve 80 percent charging in 90 minutes, and Jaguar insists commuters who drive about 30 miles a day would only need charging once a week. It won't be the last EV from Jaguar Land Rover, either, with its scalable modular architecture designed from scratch to spread across the corporate portfolio and to move down to smaller sedans and coupes or up to full-sized Range Rover contenders. The crossover SUV uses the alloy battery casing as an integral, stressed part of the I-Pace's chassis architecture, lowering the ride height and adding body rigidity. After entering the all-electric Formula E championship this year, Jaguar says it designed and engineered the batteries and the electric motors in-house. "This is an uncompromised electric vehicle designed from a clean sheet of paper: we've developed a new architecture and selected only the best technology available," said Jaguar Land Rover's technical development leader, Wolfgang Ziebart.