Second-time lucky for prestigious Jag

There can be no understating the importance of the new Jaguar XE for the historic English-made, Indian-owned brand.

Its arrival in the compact premium segment - pitting it against such as the BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-Class - means that Jaguar now has a full suite of models with which to compete.

Of course Jaguar has - albeit under different ownership - tried to crack this particular nut previously with the ill-fated X-Type, a car based on the Ford Mondeo platform and utilising many of that car’s components. It was a tentative and ill-considered venture which, from the get-go, was doomed to a level of mediocrity which was not what Jaguar either needed or desired.