Today, Jaguar has announced its paying homage to the famous Reims-Geux race circuit which is situated in Northern France. Why? Well, it’s the location where the famous D-Type took its maiden victory whilst competing in the 12-hours of Reims under the skilled stewardship Ken Wharton and Peter Whitehead in 1954.
Not quite what you may have expected…
So, you may think that the XE Reims Edition is to be the ultimate, fastest version of the XE; a fire-breathing monster that’s more at home on the track than it is the public road. Erm, well I’m afraid not. Yes, it’s painted in French Racing Blue, which in recent times has only been reserved for Jaguar’s hardcore models such as the XKR-S and XFR-S, but this model is a bit more pussycat than big cat.
That’s because it’s powered by a 2.0 litre petrol engine which offers just 250hp, with 365Nm of torque. Mind you, it is able to crack 62mph in 6.2 seconds, and the top speed is 155mph, so it’s not as if it’s completely pedestrian.
So, it’s just some fancy paint then?
No. Well, yes, the paint work is part of the trim level, but that’s not all. The XE Reims Edition is able to boast features that are normally reserved for the options lists such as 19″ alloys, privacy glass, exterior Black Pack, badge deletion, heated front seats, and heated steering wheel. Other features include LED headlights, Apple CarPlay, reversing camera, and front parking sensors to name but a few.
Only 200 will be made – all of which will be for the UK only – with an asking price of £38,295, which makes it around £3,000 more than the R-Dynamic S model on which the Reims Edition is based upon. Do you think it’s worth the extra premium in price?
