Jaguar to Unveil XE Sedan in September

Tata Motors Ltd.'s Jaguar unit will debut its XE small sport sedan in London on Sept. 8 and put the car on sale in Europe next year. The model is expected to reach the U.S. in 2016.

The XE will compete in the small luxury sedan market against such models as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Jaguar exited that segment five years ago when it dropped the X-Type sedan.

Jaguar boasts that the XE's dynamic performance will outshine its rivals, thanks in part to its sophisticated rear integral-link suspension. The front suspension uses a double wishbone architecture derived from the company's F-Type sports car.

The XE will be fitted with electric power steering, which Jaguar notes will enable it to add various active safety and driver aid features.

The car also will debut a new feature called all-surface progress control. The system performs like a low-speed cruise control to maximize acceleration on very slippery surfaces without skidding or requiring the driver to use the accelerator.

The rear-drive XE will be the company's first to ride on Jaguar Land Rover's new aluminum-intensive chassis. The model also will debut the first engine in JLR's new Ingenium family of 4-cylinder gasoline and diesel powerplants.