Assembled in England at Jaguar's Halewood plant, the X-Type reaches North American markets as the third new product from Jaguar since its acquisition by Ford Motor Company in 1989. Like the S-Type, X-Type is a direct result of synergies forged between Jaguar and Ford. Two different aluminum-block V6 engines breathe life into the compact Jag. The price-leading entry -- X-Type 2.5 -- contains a 2.5-liter six producing 194 hp. A second twin-cam V6 measures to 3.0 liters and drops into X-Type 3.0, with as much as 231 hp. A manual five-speed is available with either engine. A five-speed automatic with Jaguar's J-pattern gate for automatic as well as clutch-less manual shifts is also offered for the 2.5-liter plant but becomes the standard for the 3.0 six. X-Type 3.0 gains a single slot CD player and 17-inch alloy wheels in new gear for 2003. Also, new packages are offered for both versions. The Premium pack adds wood and leather to the steering wheel, eight-way power for the passenger's seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a message center and trip computer. A Sport pack with 17-inch alloy wheels applies a body-colored grille wrapper, rear spoiler and black side window trim, plus leather-trimmed seats, bird's-eye maple veneer trim, a sport-tuned suspension and Jaguar's Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) vehicle control system.
