It's soon going to cost less than $30,000 to drive a Jaguar. Ford Motor's Jaguar brand says its much-anticipated X-Type, called by some the Baby Jag, will be priced at $29,950, complete with all-wheel drive and leather interior. That's a whopping $5,000 less than analysts and dealers thought the entry-level Jag would cost. Starting below $30,000 makes Jaguar formidable competition for BMW's 3 Series, Mercedes C Class and Audi A4 -- and it is expected send a ripple into Cadillac showrooms as a challenge to Catera. "We are making a point with the pricing," said Mike O'Driscoll, Jaguar North America president. "We have always been aspirational; now we want to be more accessible." Jaguar expects to sell 100,000 X-Types worldwide when its plant in Halewood, England, is fully ramped up, with about one-third destined for U.S. shores. But O'Driscoll says the company will be lucky to get 15,000 X-Types into the U.S. this year. The X-Type will come in two models, a 2.5-liter, 194-horsepower V-6, and 3.0-liter, 231-horsepower V-6. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, the first time since the 1980s that Jaguar has offered a stick. A five-speed automatic is available as an option. Also an option is JaguarNet, an integrated cellphone and satellite vehicle-location technology for emergency roadside service and local traffic and news information. Dealers expect standard all-wheel drive to attract safety-conscious female drivers from BMW's 3 Series and Ford's Volvo, and the manual transmission is expected attract men in equal numbers. The X-Type goes on sale in the U.K. in June, with U.S. deliveries scheduled for August.