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Auditioning The New 2017 Jaguar XE by Larry Nutson +VIDEO


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Auditioning the new 2017 Jaguar XE

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel


The Jaguar Art of Performance Tour rolled in to Chicago this week and I was invited to join this test drive and digital engagement experience that introduces the Jaguar XE compact luxury sedan.

Jaguar is looking to bring new buyers to the brand and is targeting millennial consumers across the United States.  The Art of Performance Tour enabled consumers to be the first in the U.S. to drive the all-new XE, months before its on-sale date, and star in a first-of-its-kind sharable short action film.  


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The tour kicked off in Los Angles last November and has made stops in San Francisco, Dallas, Miami, New York, Washington, D.C., and now finally in Chicago. The multi-city tour invited consumers to get up close and personal with the new, modern lineup of 2016 & 2017 model year Jaguar vehicles. On display was the entire Jaguar model range including the Jaguar XE, Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ, F-PACE and F-TYPE lines.

Jaguar has a long-standing relationship with movies. I got to star in my own two-minute, action-packed film sequence called The Audition, featuring actor Graham McTavish. In The Audition I play a rookie spy racing through a deadly gauntlet, armed only with the Jaguar XE. The Audition was filmed in seven scenes that were recorded and compiled into a short video that was delivered to my mobile device in real time. Jaguar did this through a new state-of-the-art, patent-pending technology, called VideoBridge, customized for the Tour. Have a look at my driving skills!




After filming The Audition, I proceed to the main event: a high performance test drive of the new XE, both on the street and on a closed autocross course.

On a brief drive around the streets I got a little feel for the XE’s road manners. I did three laps around the autocross course and can say the XE provides quick acceleration and is quite capable at hard braking and tight cornering.


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PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Jaguar anticipated a minimum of 10,000 consumers would experience the all-new XE first-hand over six months through The Art of Performance Tour and share personalized versions of The Audition with, on average, 360 friends and followers per attendee.

Beginning in late spring 2016, the all-new Jaguar XE be in the market with a lineup (find specs and data for every 2017 Jaguar XE below my review) that includes Jaguar XE 20d and 35t models each in Premium, Prestige and R-Sport trim levels and available in RWD or AWD. With a starting MSRP of $34,900, the XE aiming at the heart of the compact luxury sedan market.




© 2016 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy

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