Jaguar XE: a refined connected car
Jaguar XE: Facing the challenge of connectivity
A new car from the British brand will be purring smoothly on the roads in 2015. It will be released after its debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show in October. The first deliveries will take place in May 2015, at the price of about £27,000 for the entry-level model.
The new model competes with other connected cars in this class, such as the stunning BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C-Class, not to mention Tesla Model S.
Jaguar XE has taken the challenge of the connected car technology. The car is the result of one great investment: £2bn worth in a new factory on Land Rover’s home turf in Solihull, W Mids. A new engine plant in Wolverhampton is also set to produce the car’s efficient new Ingenium engines.
And the in-car technology: Absolutely stunning!
Jaguar InControl: a stunning in-car system
“In-car technologies in this ever-more connected and fast-paced world are an integral part of your driving experience.” In the words of Dr Mike Bell’s, Jaguar’s Global Connected Car Director. The system facilitates easy and smooth connection on the road between vehicle and smartphone.
The all-new infotainment system was revealed this September. It’s the most challenging take on the vehicle-to-smartphone connectivity and infotainment.
It’s based on an 8-inch Touch-Screen. So, it grants an easy, clear, quick and smooth access to any in-car apps. It uses voice control plain speech. This is indeed a refined car, which keeps the looks of Jaguar, as people have gotten accustomed to its features, but it’s also a smart car. It allows users of iOS and Android smartphones to connect to the car. You can do this no matter of your location and you can control a great range of vehicle functions: climate control, locking/unlocking doors, starting the engine.
You can access smartphone apps through Jaguar XE’s touchscreen, so you can give a call, find a parking space, do shopping and so.
What’s also great is that the XE operates as a roaming Wi-Fi hotspot. So, you can connect multiple devices to it. Actually, up to 8.
Jaguar InControl Apps are also a great tool for cooling or warming up the interior and locating the car in a parking lot via GPS. A stolen XE can be tracked by the apps for law enforcement agencies, so your safety and your car’s safety is in good hands.
The laser Head-Up Display is an example of state-of-the-art technology. Not to mention, how useful it is. It’s part of the advanced driver assistance systems, and it projects sharp, high-contrast color images on the windscreen. It provides the driver with data about speed, navigation instructions and so on. This is a clear way to do it and it ensures minimum distraction.
When it comes to entertainment Jaguar XE comes equipped with the standard 250W six-speaker stereo, developed by Harman Kardon. There’s also a 380W, 10-speaker premium option from British Hi-Fi specialist Meridian. So, you get the pick.
Is Jaguar XE worth the spin?
The car designed by a team led by Ian Callum has kept the aspect of Jaguar’s conservative looking saloon, because the team opted for a refined, sleek, sporty car, while not investing in re-inventing its exterior, but giving all to the interior. Let’s just hope Jaguar XE’s in-car technology and smart connectivity is worth giving the car a spin, and why not, your money. What do you think about Jaguar’s InControl system? Did it convince you to buy it?