Jaguar has revealed a new long-wheelbase version of its XE saloon, the XEL, into the Chinese market.
Making its debut at the Guangzhou motor show today, the model targets the desire for Chinese buyers to buy as big a car as they can afford in any given segment with the most rear legroom, given how space is seen as a premium feature in the market.
Guangzhou motor show 2017 report
A rival to the long wheelbase Mercedes Benz C Class, the new XEL has already gone into production in China.
Chery Jaguar Land Rover, the partnership that produces JLR products for China, builds the model, which has a wheelbase 100mm longer than the regular XE.
That extends the wheelbase to 2935mm, and the XEL provides rear passengers with additional features including an optional massage function, four-way lumbar adjustment and window blinds.
Other models built by JLR in China include the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and the Jaguar XF L.
The XE L is offered with JLR’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium turbocharged petrol engine in either 197bhp or 247bhp form.
As with the XF L, the long-wheelbase version of the XF produced for China, there are no plans to bring the XE L to Europe. China’s demand for saloons offering larger rear legroom is driven by the popularity for chauffeurs there and such is the scale of the market that Jaguar offers a third long wheelbase variant, the XJ L.
Another major brand producing long wheelbase variants in China is Volvo. The Swedish brand launched the Volvo S90 Excellence last year with additional technical features and a rear passenger section that's unique to the model.
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Kamelo
Length
Much nicer stance than the normal version. Loses its dumpiness.
rhwilton
No.
To me, it looks stretched. The original looks like a coupe. If ever a car needed more room in the back, however, it is the XE. The door openings are even smaller than they look from the outside. I have an XE and I am very pleased with it, but it is really a coupe with a couple of token back doors. My kids have flown the nest, so that isn't a problem. In China, important people ride in the back, so I can see why they'd do this. They've already done it to the XF and last time I was there, there was a slightly stretched Merc E-Class in the hotel foyer. (It was on display. It wasn't a ram raid.)
abkq
Makes visual sense to me. The
Makes visual sense to me. The standard wheelbase version suffers from an over-extended bonnet and a short cabin. The long wheelbase version restores the proportion.
artill
i thought a long wheel base
i thought a long wheel base XE was an XF? did they need this as well?
V12smig
agreed.. why dont they just
agreed.. why dont they just add a 100mm across the range and finally release themselves from the historical shackles of being considered cossy hence cramped!
Mikey C
It seems a very expensive
It seems a very expensive development for just an extra 10cm of length. New pressings for the roof and rear doors can't be cheap.
WallMeerkat
Actually looks better than
Actually looks better than the new XF which has a fussy third window, looks more like the clean sheet design of the original XF.
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