#R-sport

Jaguar is offering a new appearance package for the XE, although it’s marketing it as a wholly unique trim. The new “Landmark Edition” retains all of the features you’d expect to see on the sport sedan, while adding a handful of visual upgrades that provide a sportier look without crossing into teenage-tuner territory.

The exterior features a unique sport front bumper and body-colored side sills. Jaguar also mentioned a trunk-mounted spoiler but it’s extremely difficult to distinguish any differences from the standard R-Sport. Meanwhile, side window surrounds, door mirror caps, and grille surrounds have been given the ever-popular black treatment. Although Jaguar appears to have done a more tasteful job with its de-chroming than some other European carmakers.

It smells like a proper Jaguar.

That’s what came to mind after climbing into the XE’s driver’s seat for the first time. Jaguars tend to play on the senses – and consequently the heart – more than other cars, which has surely helped many owners look past some of the brand’s idiosyncrasies (and, let’s face it, quality woes) in the past. This one seems to have its sensory appeal in check.

Several years ago I drove a then-new XJ, a supercharged V8 model that somehow dazzled me despite a clunky transmission and sagging suede headliner. It was a car that’d be hard to recommend a friend or loved one spend a hundred large on, but somehow still appealed to the irrational side of me. The sound of the exhaust note, the sensual styling and yes, the smell of those cattle hides swathing the interior all conspire to blur one’s vision toward the (ahem) occasional quality lapse.

Since then I’ve logged seat time in several other Jaguars, including a 2,200-mile journey in a flawless XF a few years ago. The modern-day Jaguar – now ruled by Tata Motors – seems to be wringing out the English from the electrics and producing competitive and wholly contemporary luxury cars, for better or worse.

The new compact XE sedan has generated positive buzz in the automotive media for being an engaging drive, and as a past owner of three different BMW 3 Series sedans, I was keen to see how the Jaguar’s first compact since the lamentable X-Type stacks up.