Jaguar announces two new petrol engines

The duo Jaguar-Land Rover has been making quite a splash at the Beijing Motor Show, which is taking place these days. Alongside the usual higher-spec or special editions, such as the Victoria Beckham edition of the Evoque, there is a more significant new development. Jaguar will add two brand-new petrol engines to its range over the course of this year, updating the offering in its mid and entry-level segments.

The smaller one is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder inline unit. It produces 240 hp at 5,500 rpm and 340 Nm of peak torque between 1,800 and 4,000 rpm. Thanks to its compact size and the use of aluminium alloys, its 138 kg weight makes it the lightest engine Jaguar has ever built. It will come as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox from ZF.

Naturally, this sophisticated 2.0 I4 Ti engine will replace the veteran 3.0 AJV6 of Ford origin, which is currently powering the XF and XJ. The new unit offers the same power but with lower emissions and consumption from a smaller displacement. However, for those who still find it too modest, there will be another engine in the mid-range of the lineup.

This is a supercharged 3.0 V6. It will be presented in Beijing in two variants. The less powerful one, aimed at the XF and XJ, delivers 340 hp at 6,500 rpm and 450 Nm of peak torque between 1,800 and 4,000 rpm. The second produces 380 CV and 460 Nm of torque, and is reserved for the upcoming compact sports car from Jaguar, the F-Type, previewed earlier at the New York Motor Show. Both transmit their power through the same ZF automatic gearbox as the previous engine. This engine will deliver the highest specific output of any unit Jaguar has made: 127 CV per litre.

If Tata’s investments in JLR have yielded excellent, widely accepted models such as the XF or the Evoque, there is no doubt that with these new engines Ford will be needing them even more. Furthermore, the 3.0 V6 will serve the F-Type very well as it competes in a tough segment, against rivals such as the next-generation Audi TT.

Source | Jaguar