Jaguar dusts X-Type off with diesel

THE reverse-Colonialism move by India's Tata Motors to buy one of Britain's most famous automotive icons may have saved Jaguar, but it is unlikely to save the brand's X-Type which, instead of being replaced after almost seven years of patchy service, has been given a facelift via "nearly 500 new components".

Due on sale here mid-year, the MY09 X-Type will be headlined by the availability of diesel power for the first time in Australia, mated to the X-Type 2.2D's first automtic transmission, plus a number of cosmetic, trim and equipment upgrades.

Pricing has already been revealed by Jaguar Australia for the latest iteration of its compact X-Type, which first arrived in Australia in September 2001. A front-drive 2.1-litre version provided a low-$50,000s entry price from May 2002, when local sales spiked to 1017 vehicles.

However, the addition of more equipment across the range from October 2004 failed to stem a sales slide that saw Jaguar sell just 500 X-Types last year.

In the premium mid-sized vehicle segment, Jaguar's smallest model, developed by Ford from the previous Mondeo platform, was comprehensively out-classed by BMW's 3 Series (5750 sales), the Mercedes-Benz C-class (4500), Lexus IS250 (4000) and Audi's A4 (2500).

In what appears to be a final attempt to make it pay, for 2008 the X-Type receives a new XJ-style mesh grill featuring the Jaguar 'growler' badge, plus new front and rear bumpers, new side skirts, new door mirrors with integrated indicators, new badging, new wheel designs (including the 17-inch Barbados and 18-inch Abacos) and new paint colour choices.

The latter range from Porcelain White to the new Ultimate Black, with Pearl Grey, Glacier Blue, Chilli, Winter Gold, Liquid Silver and Emerald Fire in between.

New equipment comprises enhanced 'Phase 2' Bluetooth phone connectivity, a roof-mounted antenna pod and revised parking aid systems.

Interior design updates include new instruments, three new seat designs with horizontal and diamond twin-needle stitch patterns, each with matching door trims, a new interior colour palette with extra trim options including Soft Grain leather, a new Rosewoon veneer option, chromed air-vent thumb wheels and steering wheel controls, and a 'Tungsten' metallic finish for the centre concsole, air-vents and steering wheel spokes.

X-Type buyers get the option of an automatic-diesel version for the first time. Jaguar last year revealed full details of the new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, which comes mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission with Jaguar Sequential Shift.

The four-cylinder diesel delivers 107kW of power at 3500rpm and 366Nm of torque at 1800rpm. This compares with 172kW at 6800rpm and 284Nm at 3000prm for the 3.0-litre V6 petrol-engined X-Type, which has a five-speed auto and is considerably faster to 100km/h at just 7.5 seconds despite being 63kg heavier. The front-drive X-Type 2.1 offers 117kW, but both V6s use more fuel.

The oil-burning X-Type will also be competitive with diesel rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi - at least on paper, where Jaguar claims the 2.2D sprints to 100km/h in 9.9 seconds on its way to 208km/h top speed, returns average CO2 emissions of 184g/km and combined fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km.

"The new X-Type stands for accessibility, versatility, luxury and choice more strongly than ever for what the X-Type has always represented within the Jaguar range," said Jaguar Cars global marketing director CJ O'Donnell.

"The package of revisions – particularly the automatic transmission in the 2.2 diesel – presents our established dealers and the key emerging markets with an excellent opportunity to reach new customers and retain existing owners." The MY09 X-Type Estate will not be available in Australia and the sedan's base pricing remains unchanged at $53,990 - for the X-Type 2.1 LE.

The X-Type 2.2D LE costs $55,490, while Sport variants of the 2.1 and 2.2D cost $58,190 and $59,690 respectively.

X-Type 3.0-litre pricing opens at the same $69,990 (for the LE), rising to $74,190 for the Sport and $76,990 for the Luxury.

Read more:

First look: X-Type gets a makeover