Jaguar XE Reims Edition brings back Racing Blue
65 years after the D-Type took its first win at Reims, Jag pays homage with... an XE?
It seems somewhat impossible, judged purely from social media, to drive through a certain part of northern France without stopping at the Reims circuit. We know the pictures, you know the pictures; from about April to September, the accounts of every single car person seem to feature at least one post at Reims. Now Jaguar is in on the act (but missing the tourists, by shooting in winter) with these pictures of a Jaguar XE in the fabled pits.
Not just any XE, though, but a new Reims Edition that marks 65 years since the D-Type won its first race; back in 1954 the car of Ken Wharton and Peter Whitehead did more than 2,000km at an average of 105mph. There will be just 200 made for the UK market, all derived from the P250 R Dynamic S model and all painted in French Racing Blue. If that colour looks familiar, it's exactly the same paint as found on the old XKR-S and XFR-S special editions. Like those racier Jags, it could easily be argued that it suits the updated XE rather nicely.
Other distinguishing features include black accents - wheels, roof, mirror caps, sill inserts and so on - as well as a Black Pack for more of the same. A Cold Climate Pack is standard fit for the Reims Edition.
The 200 cars are priced at £38,295, up from £35,505 for the standard R-Dynamic S. Interestingly, too, this XE is the first of a new range of 'Jaguar Factory Specials', so presumably there are going to be XF, E-Pace, F-Pace and I-Pace editions along soon as well. And if none of that appeals whatsoever, and French Racing Blue has reminded you of the iconic V8 hellraisers, then take solace from the fact that cars like this XKR-S being available for just over £40k. Perfect for the trip to Reims...
"the XE Reims Edition will feature, alongside the blue paint, a black roof, black mirror caps, black sill inserts and 19in gloss black alloys.
Other standard features include privacy glass, badge deletion, heated seats and Cold Climate pack that includes heated windscreen, heated steering wheel, and headlight washers."
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/limite...
Nice car, nice color, still don't get the terrible, ongoing trend called privacy glass.
What is its it with the XE, we have C63's. M3/4's, Alfa QF etc and Jaguar make a similar sized RWD car yet its all either diesels and lower powered petrols, token gesture semi fast one (relative to the aforementioned) with 375 bhp, then a big gap to the 100 odd grand mental one nobody really asked for.
Now we get a tepid version, painted like an XFR-S.
They have the V8 engine, it makes plenty of power, it fits but they only sell it for 150 grand, more than twice what it should really cost.
Like going in a pub that sells Shandy, Bitter, Lager for £3.90 or if you fancy something stronger, a pint of top shelf for £80.
Why not a sixty is grand 500 ish bhp one that is basically an XE that doesn't need bespoke carbon bodywork ?
As to this XE - great car; nice colour. I'd happily have one if they still offered a manual gearbox.
Sad, I know!
Surprised it is based on the P250 rather than the P300, though.
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