The X-Miles

The poor relation issue. Thanks to a subtle mud-slinging campaign by a couple of competitors, the X-Type is a poster child for the pitfalls of so-called platform engineering. Based heavily on the front-drive CD132 Mondeo platform — whose predecessor was sold in the U.S. as the Ford Contour — critics argue the X-Type doesn't have the pedigree necessary to compete against Mercedes and BMW purebreds. This argument could carry weight in Europe, where consumers care about such matters. Even so, the Volks-wagen Passat-based Audi A4 has managed to do well despite its humble roots. In the U.S., heritage seems almost a moot point: sales have tanked recently, but historically Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus ES300 — a thinly disguised Toyota Camry — has been a sales leader in the U.S. entry level luxury market.

Mundane engines. It is a bit annoying to hear Jaguar officials disingenuously claim that the X-Type shares only 20% of its parts with the Mondeo, and then point to non-descript parts such as fuel pumps. I don't know how they arrive at that figure, but engines are hardly a component you can overlook. And in fact, both the 2.5L and 3L V-6 engines available on the X-Type share many of their key parts with Duratec mills found on Ford's mainstream cars. The Jaguar engines are, however, fitted with new heads and feature variable cam phasing that adjusts the timing of intake valve opening and closing depending on engine speed, load and oil temperature. The 2.5L engine produces 194 hp at 6,800 rpm and 180 lb.-ft. (244 Nm) torque at 3,000 rpm. The 3L makes 231 hp at 6,800 rpm and 209 lb.-ft. (283 Nm) of peak torque at 3,000 rpm.

Fancy touches like sound-absorbing magnesium valve covers cut noise, vibration and harshness. Jaguar also optimized the air cleaner and inlet ducts and incorporated a tuned resonator to eliminate intake boom, all of which helps give the engines a satisfying growl during hard acceleration. Will X-Type buyers care that their engines are kissin' cousins to those found on the Ford Taurus? Probably not.

Lack of a diesel engine option. This oversight definitely will hurt the car in Europe, where fuel costs twice as much as in the U.S. and nearly 40% of all new cars sold are equipped with diesel engines. “We're going to need a diesel in this car. And it needs to be refined. An I-4 2L is a possibility, but a V-6 2.5L or 3L is more likely,” says Colin

Quivey, Jaguar X-Type chief program engineer. The X-Type diesel engine is more than a year or two away, he says. Jaguar officials will not say if the engine will be developed by the Ford/PSA diesel joint venture.

Reputation. To many customers, the Jaguar brand has almost as much baggage as it has cachet. First and foremost: concerns about quality and reliability. Since Ford bought the fabled British automaker in 1990, it has logged massive improvements in quality and productivity, but whether or not news of this progress has trickled down to the rather proletarian ranks of entry level luxury car buyers remains to be seen.

Design. Even though the X-Type is smothered with every Jaguar styling cue imaginable — from the taillights of the XK8, the grille of the big XJ, and so on, it still struggles to look like a “real” Jaguar (meaning the larger, more upscale models). Designer Wayne Burgess denies his creation was limited by the hardpoints of the Mondeo and insists he wanted un-Jaguar-like characteristics such as a high tail instead of a low, sloping one. The high tail certainly makes the car more practical, allowing a big trunk and providing better aerodynamics. But it doesn't do much for the X-Type's lines. In comparison, the designs of BMW and Mercedes cars easily translate up and down the model range. The Mercedes C-Class, for instance, can easily be mistaken for the top-of-the-line S-Class.

Performance. No matter how hard Jaguar tries to position the X-Type as a “performance car,” it still can't match the benchmark BMW 3-series. The Jag's AWD viscous-coupled differential shifts 60% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels to simulate the driving dynamics of a rear-drive car, but because of the platform's transverse-mounted engine and front-drive roots, the car has 60% of its weight centered over the front wheels and 40% over the rear, vs. BMW's ballyhooed 50/50 weight distribution. Add that to the Jag's comfort-tuned suspension and you get a car that will never go through a corner at speed like a BMW.

Dealers. The move downmarket into more mainstream vehicles isn't just a big risk for Jaguar and its Ford parent. It also means the dealer network is taking a chance as well. Mike O'Driscoll, president of Jaguar's North American Operations, says the company's 145 U.S. dealers are committing almost $2 million apiece to upgrade their dealerships to accommodate the higher volume sales and service facilities the X-Type requires. Two years ago, only about 20% of Jaguar retailers had exclusive service areas and showrooms. By the end of 2002, more than 90% will have exclusive facilities, Mr. O'Driscoll says.

Manufacturing. Ford spent $450 million refurbishing its 40-year-old Halewood, U.K., plant to accommodate the X-Type, which previously built Ford Escorts until shutting down last summer for retooling. Ford and Jaguar talk effusively about the massive training programs implemented at the facility to prepare the 3,000-strong workforce to build the new cars, but the plant's ability to build products that can rival the world's best remains as yet unproven. X-Type production got underway at the Halewood plant in March and should be ramped up by August. Daily output in April was 50 units and by August should hit 450 per day, 2,200 per week. Capacity on two shifts is 130,000 annually. “We always have the option for a third shift,” says Mr. Quivey.