Jaguar Land Rover could move to hybrid steel and aluminium construction for a new generation of smaller models.
The firm’s new owner, Tata, is likely to expand the line-ups of both brands, including a new entry-level saloon and a roadster for Jaguar.
See Autocar's pis of the new Jaguar hatch, XF estate and XE roadster
But Mark White, that brand’s body structure boss, recently told a trade magazine that if he designed a mixed-material bodyshell, he would use “steel for the box sections” and aluminium sheets for “floorpans, roof panels, door inners and outers” to achieve maximum weight saving for “minimum cost”.
Jaguar has given the green light to a replacement for the X-Type and the long-awaited ‘F-Type’ roadster. Both the new X-Type and F-Type, expected to be called XE for production, need to come in “several variations” according to Tata Motors Group boss Carl-Peter Forster.
Read more about JLR’s plans to expand
The long-rumoured XE baby roadster would slot in below the XK, while the new entry-level model would give Jaguar a replacement to the now discontinued X-Type to rival the BMW 3-series. The XF estate is tipped to launch in 2012 to coincide with the XF’s facelift.
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Re: JLR ponders new hybrid bodyshell
I was thinking about that too. It would be a shame to burden it with the name X-Type, given how little respect the last one got. XD sounds like it would always be a diesel. XC could be interpreted as cross country. XB just sounds wrong. Would the lettering have to be in alphabetical order according to the range? Could it be XS or XV or something?
Re: JLR ponders new hybrid bodyshell
The new small sports car will be called XE but what will they call the X-Type replacement? XE & XF go together as do XJ & XK. But with many of the ?-X badges used up where can they go? Also wouldn't be nice if they could use 'Eventer' instead of 'Estate'?