New car sales price Jaguar XF

The Indian-owned British marque Jaguar has new model variants on the way with naturally-aspirated V6 and V8 petrol engines falling by the wayside.

The model-year 2013 XF has been given satnav and eight-speed autos range-wide and a new entry-level petrol model - a $68,900 two-litre turbo petrol four that's been seen in Ford Falcon and Range Rover Evoque - that Jaguar Australia brand manager Mark Eedle unlocks serious sales potential for the XF.

"About a quarter of the XF segment is four-cylinder petrol and we haven't had one previously so it's a big moment for us. "We've been talking about a 25 per cent increase in XF sales as a result - a year ago we only played in half the segment, a quarter of the segment is four-cylinder diesel and a quarter is four-cylinder petrol," he says.

The XF range will also get the supercharged V6 to replace the naturally-aspirated V8, the same engine (albeit in a less frenetic tune) to be seen in the F-Type when it arrives here mid-2014. While the Big Cat brand doesn't expect sales to return to the volumes of a decade ago - when the X-Type sedan bolstered numbers - Mr Eedle says they are encouraged by the current trends.

"This is a brand that has shown how well it can stand with three models, when you get the engines and positioning right as we have done now - we won't get back to those 2002 volumes with our range now, but we'll be into four figures with the F-Type," he says.

The 2.0 Petrol Premium Luxury model will be priced from $75,500 and the 2.2 diesel models have been re-priced - the diesel XF has fallen from $78,900 to $69,900 and the Premium Luxury model has been cut to $76,500 (it was $86,100). 

The new supercharged V6 petrol XF models start from $96,650 for the Luxury and the Portfolio starts from $112,650; the existing V6 turbodiesel range has been cut in price by around $10,000. The supercharged V8 XFR performance sedan has dropped from $210,400 to $189,900.

Jaguar's XJ has also been subject to the scalpel, which has brought four of the models beneath the $200,000 mark and put the same pricetag on short and long-wheelbase models in both petrol and diesel guises. The rear seat comfort pack - with heated and cooled seats, winged headrests, massage function and footrests - has also been included as standard on all models.

The XJ range starts at $198,800 for the 3.0 Diesel Premium Luxury, the long-wheelbase equivalent, the new supercharged 3.0 V6 petrol Premium Luxury standard and long-wheelbase models. The supercharged Portfolio models are priced from $222,600 for the V6 and $298,000 for the existing forced-induction V8 model, a little over $15,000 cheaper.

The XJ 5.0 V8 Supercharged Petrol Supersport flagship is now priced from $320,000 for both wheelbase models, a $42,000 reduction for the standard wheelbase model and a $55,000 drop for the long-wheelbase. Drivetrains in the XK sports coupe have gone unchanged but the pricetags have been reduced by around $30,000.

An XK coupe has been sliced from $218,500 to $189,000, the convertible is now priced from $213,000 (a $29,500 cut). The supercharged R models have fallen a similar amount, to start from $209,000 for the coupe and $233,000 for the ragtop. The XKR-S coupe and convertible models are both priced at $299,000, which represents a $40,500 drop for the coupe and a massive $64,500 price-cut on the convertible.

Mr Eedle says the brand is conscious of customers having bought cars in the lead-up to the pricing changes and has tried to soften the blow, but there are no plans for any guaranteed buy-back leasing programs. "No matter when you adjust prices, there is always going to be some recent customers, I know our dealers have been in a position to do some strong deals in recent times. "So I would suggest that the difference has been shaded slightly in recent times - I think the dealers have been able to help some of the way," he says.

The introduction of the F-Type mid-next year will be a significant step back into sportscars for Jaguar, bringing new younger customers to the brand thanks to a price somewhere between the Porsche Boxster and the 911. "It's a car that will do great work for our brand, yes, it will sell well and be good for the business, but it shows what we can do and where we're heading and I can't wait to see it here," Mr Eedle says.