New small Jaguar (Jaguar XS) caught on video at Nurburgring

We have the first video of the new small Jaguar – perhaps the Jaguar XS – at the Nurburgring as Jaguar aims for a release of their BMW 3 Series competitor by 2015.

A replacement for the un-loved Jaguar X-type has been on Jaguar’s ‘To Do’ sheet for some time, but a new small Jaguar is now finally on the way, although it is still probably more than a year away from hitting Jaguar showrooms.

But a year or so is no time in terms of new car development, so Jaguar are already out playing with prototypes of the new small Jaguar – perhaps the Jaguar XS – although they’re wearing slightly unconvincing XF clothes.

Under the XF clothes lurks a new chassis which is a shortened version of Jaguar’s PLA platform that underpins the XJ and will probably see the new XS arriving as a car that’s a bit bigger than the 3-Series and not a lot smaller than the current XF.

But  by the time the XS arrives, the XF will have been reborn with new underpinnings, also based on the PLA, and grown in size so the XS doesn’t tread on its toes too much.

Under the bonnet we’re likely to see a focus on 4-cylinder engines with the 2.0 litre Si and 2.2 litre TDI on offer (at least until Jaguar start to get their new engines) with the 3.0 litre V6 Supercharged a distinct possibility too.

But despite the arrival in Jaguar showrooms of the XS unlikely to happen before 2015, there are growing rumours that an XS concept may arrive as early as the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, together with Jaguar’s first Crossover / SUV based on the same underpinnings as the XS.