So Road and Track just published a Q&A where they spoke with Joe Eberhardt, president and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, and Stuart Schorr, VP of product communications. The interview was wide ranging in topics, but the general theme was the "past and future or Jaguar Land Rover." Here I've picked out the bits that talk about the Jaguar XE, and I put a link to the full transcript at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!
In terms of volume, where will the F-Pace land? Are you expecting it to sell more than the XE?
JE: We're not sure yet. We're actually debating that internally. There's some of us that think the XE will be higher, and others feel the other way. What I know for sure is that these two will be our biggest volume in the Jaguar brand by far. The good news is we have the flexibility to react to market needs. If one is 10 percent higher than the other or vice versa, we can react to it. But both will certainly be the highest volume Jags.
Diesels are coming. Should we be excited?
JE: They are coming to Land Rover this year with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. They both get the TD6. About 32 percent [increase] in fuel economy over the V6 gas, and one interesting stat that I find really interesting: Over the prior generation Range Rover with the old engine, it's an 80 percent improvement in fuel economy.
STUART SCHORR: So in a year in a half, we have a new-generation car with all-aluminum that cut 800 lbs. and boosted fuel economy in a big chunk. It's like a transformation of that product.
JE: So we'll start with Range Rover, then it will come in every other Land Rover model. And it will come to Jaguar: Every Jaguar will get a diesel, except the F-Type. So XE, XF, F-Pace will get a diesel.
Hypothetically, would the XE platform be a suitable platform for a future sports car? Or would it have to be something different?
JE: That one I need to punt to my engineering colleagues, because I'm not sure. I know it underpins the XF and the F-Pace, but whether you would take it one for one as a donor, I honestly can't answer.
SS: What I understand is that the whole idea of the architecture is very different than the old platform. It's infinitely more changeable, and modular. And it doesn't really carry that same idea, that it's limited. There are similarities between XJ and Range Rover aluminum architectures; certain principles and practices can be done any way, with any product.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-sho...d-a-the-past-and-future-of-jaguar-land-rover/
In terms of volume, where will the F-Pace land? Are you expecting it to sell more than the XE?
JE: We're not sure yet. We're actually debating that internally. There's some of us that think the XE will be higher, and others feel the other way. What I know for sure is that these two will be our biggest volume in the Jaguar brand by far. The good news is we have the flexibility to react to market needs. If one is 10 percent higher than the other or vice versa, we can react to it. But both will certainly be the highest volume Jags.
Diesels are coming. Should we be excited?
JE: They are coming to Land Rover this year with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. They both get the TD6. About 32 percent [increase] in fuel economy over the V6 gas, and one interesting stat that I find really interesting: Over the prior generation Range Rover with the old engine, it's an 80 percent improvement in fuel economy.
STUART SCHORR: So in a year in a half, we have a new-generation car with all-aluminum that cut 800 lbs. and boosted fuel economy in a big chunk. It's like a transformation of that product.
JE: So we'll start with Range Rover, then it will come in every other Land Rover model. And it will come to Jaguar: Every Jaguar will get a diesel, except the F-Type. So XE, XF, F-Pace will get a diesel.
Hypothetically, would the XE platform be a suitable platform for a future sports car? Or would it have to be something different?
JE: That one I need to punt to my engineering colleagues, because I'm not sure. I know it underpins the XF and the F-Pace, but whether you would take it one for one as a donor, I honestly can't answer.
SS: What I understand is that the whole idea of the architecture is very different than the old platform. It's infinitely more changeable, and modular. And it doesn't really carry that same idea, that it's limited. There are similarities between XJ and Range Rover aluminum architectures; certain principles and practices can be done any way, with any product.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-sho...d-a-the-past-and-future-of-jaguar-land-rover/
