New Jaguar XE goes on show at Geneva Motor Show

Jaguar has offered the world a brief glimpse of its new sub £30,000 small saloon at the Geneva Motor Show.

The XE as it will officially be known is expected to be on the market in 2015 and JLR claim it will be lighter and stiffer than its rivals for ‘unbeatable handling, performance, refinement and efficiency’.

The XE will be powered by the brand-new family of engines, dubbed the Ingenium, which will shortly go into production at the company’s new facility in Wolverhampton.

Power for this new sedan will come from a turbocharged two-litre petrol or diesel unit with which is hoped will boast sub-100 g/km CO2 emissions.

Other, more powerful engines look certain to be offered, as Jaguar point to the fact that the car is designed to achieve speeds in excess of 300 km/h (186 mph).

The XE is seen as a direct competitor to the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Speaking at the Geneva Auto Show, Jaguar-Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth, explained: "We announced just a few weeks ago that our new Engine Manufacturing Centre would produce a new family of premium, lightweight, low-friction, low emission four-cylinder petrol and diesel units.

“The first of our Ingenium engine range will be used in our all-new mid-sized Jaguar sports sedan.

That car will be called the Jaguar XE, and it will be unveiled in production form later this year."