DIJON, France: There are two critical questions about the X-Type sports sedan that will be coming onto the market in a couple of months:
1) Would it be worth owning if it didn't have the famous logo on its hood?
2) Does it have enough Jaguarness to deserve the famous logo on its hood?
When it's equipped with the extremely competent 3-litre V6 and either the 5-speed manual or the 5-speed automatic shifter, there is no question that the X-Type is worth owning no matter whose name is on it. It is simply one of the most satisfying sports sedans on the market at any price, and at $49,950 (the less exciting 2.5-litre V6 model starts at $42,950) it is aggressively stickered against some of the other great beginner grade sports sedans.
That competition would include the Audi A4, the BMW 330, the Lexus IS300, the Mercedes-Benz C280 and (trust me on this one) the upcoming Cadillac CTS replacement for the Catera. X-Type takes particular aim at the all-wheel-drive versions of the Audi and the Beemer, since every single unit bearing that leaping cat on the hood will be built to send power to all corners, all the time.
All-wheel-drive is primarily understood to be a traction system useful for keeping you out of trouble when the road surface is compromised by ice or snow or rain or whatever, and it is all that. But it can also be a significant performance addition since grip is an extremely useful thing to have when a car is steaming into a corner really hard, regardless of the surface.