Well what do we have here? Just a few days after Jaguar->ke39 officially announced its upcoming 3 Series competitor, the Jaguar XE, we have photos of its blasting around in the snow. With an aluminum-intensive construction, we expect the XE to be very quick and agile.

There are very few confirmed details, but we do know that the car will debut as a sedan->ke142 with a wagon->ke143 version coming later. There are also rumors of coupe->ke141 and convertible versions in the works. If Jaguar hopes to truly compete with BMW->ke178, Audi->ke14 and Mercedes->ke187, it makes sense it would expand the XE's body styles.

Engine choices will start with four-cylinder mills, but it should expand to include high-performance models later. The supercharged V-6 from the F-Type->ke1224 is a likely choice for a performance model that will have about 380 horsepower. That is not quite enough power to really compete with the M3 or C63 AMG, so it’s not a stretch to imagine Jaguar would try to stuff its 5.0-liter V-8 under the hood as well.

Styling is also a bit of a mystery, but considering Ian Callum's past, we expect the XE to be the prettiest car in the segment. Don't worry about the odd hunchback shape in these photos, its a disguise. If you look carefully at the head-on shot, you can see a small shelf on the roof. This would be where the huge rear buttress pieces are mounted to the car. This is used to hide the true shape of the rear end. Expect a low, swooping rear window that is closer to the larger XF's->ke1236 design.

Spy Shots

The Jaguar XE is the most important car in the pipe for Jaguar. As a competitor to the BMW 3 Series, the XE is expected to greatly increase Jaguar's market share. Expect sales numbers of the XE to be much greater than every other Jaguar model combined.

As an affordable midsize sports sedan, the Jaguar XE is designed to get more Jaguars on the road and bring new buyers to the brand. The old X-Type marks the last time Jaguar competed in this segment, and its failure nearly bankrupt the brand.

The new XE is the car Jaguar needs to survive.