Jaguar XF News

The XF Sportbrake is one of the models behind Jaguar's announcement of more than 1000 new jobs. The Sportbrake is initially being built only for Europe -- where the wagon versions of luxury cars are a popular body choice.  

Granted the recent resurgence in popularity of the station wagon is not always centred around the sleek and super-sexy end of the spectrum inhabited by the XF Sportbrake. But you can see there could be a business case for it. The Sportbrake is set to capitalise on the popularity of the XF sedan, the best thing to come out of Jag's Birmingham factory in a long time. Global Brand Director, Adrian Hallmark, said the XF epitomises the Jaguar sporting dynamic with its combination of innovative, seductive design and performance. "In the XF Sportbrake this is complemented by a no-compromise approach to practicality and versatility," he said. The XF Sportbrake is entirely new from the B-pillar backwards, endowing it with a very different aesthetic, exemplified by the tautly-drawn elegance of the side-window line and highlighted by its polished finish. The conjunction of flowing rear window graphic, rising waist and estate roofline lends the XF Sportbrake a dynamic, broad-shouldered stance. The design-led approach that created the XF Sportbrake's exterior has been achieved in tandem with the goal of maximising practicality. The extended roofline affords rear-seat passengers an additional 48mm of headroom and the seats offer both a 60:40 split fold function and integral ski hatch. Remote-fold levers inside the load-space opening allow the seats to be stowed flat quickly and easily, creating a cargo volume of up to 1675 litres. Befitting the XF Sportbrake's perfect balance between usability and beauty, it is powered exclusively by Jaguar's range of powerful, refined and efficient diesel engines, driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 2.2-litre engine is fitted with Jaguar's Intelligent Stop-Start system, making it the company's most efficient powertrain to date, while the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 is available in two states of tune, with 202kW in the range-topping Diesel S. Jag says the Sportbrake is under review for the Australian market. "We're looking at the business case at present and establishing a pricing structure," boss Kevin Goult said. "Potentially we could see it here Q4 2012. We're still working on the pricing as this hasn't been confirmed for Australia from head office but we are hoping we'll only have a small percentage incremental for this vehicle, possibly around 7 per cent depending on trim level but further pricing information will be announced nearer launch. "We won't hold the car in stock in Australia, it'll be a retail order only at this time," Goult said.

... rival the prices on the BMW options' list for things like salad and spuds.So it's no surprise that the top end of town calls the shots at the Palexpo alongside Geneva Airport as Europe's carmakers go head-to-head for the first time in 2012. Ferrari and Lamborghini battle for go-faster bragging rights as Rolls-Royce and Bentley get serious about family motoring for the ultra-rich, while Infiniti pitches an new exotic coupe and even Ssangyong of Korea goes upmarket with a new concept. There are also dozens of one-off dream machines and hotrod tuner cars in Geneva, a show that is traditionally dominated by European design stars including Pininfarina and Giugiaro. But there is plenty, too, for ordinary car buyers as the Fiesta ST brakes cover, Hyundai updates the i20 and teases with the Veloster Turbo, Jaguar confirms an XF station wagon, Audi and Mercedes-Benz previews their A3 and A-Class, and Ford even updates its box-boring Transit workhorse. Picking the best of the best is tough with so much gorgeous stuff on the stands, but Alfa Romeo is the winner for 2012 and edges out the Infiniti Emerge-E with its Disco Volante.The pretty little red coupe is dreamy without being stupid and is already confirmed for production, although the slightly-retro body will be draped over Alfa's existing 8C Competizione chassis - 4.7-litre V8, 335kW, 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds - which means it's no chance for Australia with only left-hand drive.The Ferrari F12 is exactly what you expect from the fastest car to wear the badge - 340km/h and 0-100km/h in 3.1 seconds - including a swoopy body that taps the past as well as the influences that created the California convertible, but Lamborghini goes even better with an Aventador J preview car that is snapped up for a rumoured $2.8 million ahead of genuine production of an open-topped Aventador supercar.Rolls-Royce updates the Phantom with a new nose that still demands respect, as well as tweaking its colour choices with a two-tone approach that triggers memories of cheap seventies vinyl roofs, and Jaguar gets serious for families with an XF Sportbrake that will still struggle in a world of SUVs.Further down the food chain, the Audi A3 looks good but not as edgy as an A-Class that must break away from the bus pass generation into something closer to the Y-Gen futurists, and Volkswagen previews a more car-like Tiguan crossover with its Cross Coupe.Hyundai has a preview of a new flagship coupe called the i-oniq - did it mean ironic? - Kia shows a Track'ster that will become the new Soul, Honda shows the CR-V design that's coming to Australia, and the pocket rocket Ford Fiesta ST breaks cover with a confirmation for Australia.The action and excitement at Geneva goes on and on, and that is - really - the best thing about the show. Detroit in January hinted that the word's carmakers are finally emerging from the austerity and fear of the global financial crisis and the big-spending effort in Geneva confirms it, with good news for almost everyone from Euro billionaires to ordinary Aussie families.PG PICKS:1. Bentley EXP 9 F.Only one word fits - Ugly. With a big capital U. The hulking British bulldog might tick the boxes for cashed-up families, but this SUV makes a LandCruiser look elegant, and subtle.2. Giugiaro Brivido.Exactly what you expect to see in Geneva, as designers go all-out to impress the crowds - and each other. Not for production but a great looker with huge gullwing doors.3. Range Rover Evoque Convertible. A certainty for production as Land Rover milks its most successful design - ever. This one will never go bush but is being fast tracked for Double Bay and Toorak.4. Ssangyong XIV-2. Who knew the South Koreans could trump the Euros with a design that combines SUV practicality with a coupe-convertible body? A big surprise.5. Toyota FT-Bh: Just when you thought the uglies were done, Toyota lobbed with this. If it's the future for hybrid cars then sales will be slow. Very slow.

A new, lower power version of the Jaguar XF 2.2 turbodiesel four-cylinder has just started rolling out the factory door in the UK. Rated at 120kW, 20kW lower than the existing 140kW 2.2-litre, the newcomer will target Brit budget-minded buyers with a price about equivalent to $44,000. But while Jaguar UK says it loses little in fit-out, it gains nothing at the pump. The 120kW version uses the same 5.4-litres/100km as the 140kW one -- and emits an identical 149g/km of CO2. That's unlikely to matter to bargain hunters, who it is targeting in a bid to lift the vehicle rego numbers in the UK's first quarter. But don't get too excited about slipping down to the local showroom to welcome it into the bargain basement. For a start, taxes and import duties would lift the Australian price here, but Jaguar Australia says it's not on the plan for the local line-up. "That's a purely a UK market and we won't be taking it," Jaguar general manager Kevin Goult says. "Getting the car to Australia would mean it would cost more than it does in the UK. And it has lower performance, but consumption and CO2 are exactly the same. Britain has a big registration month in March so this is to assist them (with sales figures) in the first quarter of the year." Goult says Jaguar Australia is happy with where their current XF 2.2 is sitting in the price bracket -- and with its sales performance. "Our price point of $78,900 (for the 140kW XF 2.2) is pretty aggressive and with great spec it is doing exactly what we want it to among the competition," he says. "There was about 27 per cent of that segment we knew we weren't able to reach, and the 2.2 has given us access to them. "The segment has picked up for XF and some of that on the 2.2m and we think we'll see more growth this year. We're very happy with our product line-up."

Ford has taken out three of the six categories in the CarsGuide People’s Choice award.

The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel sedan was driven the 4615km from New York to Los Angeles - the equivalent of travelling from London to the Sahara - taking in 11 states, three time zones and eight days. The British team only stopped to fill up the car four times. Jaguar, which now claims the car as the company's most fuel efficient ever, says the test was "a graphic demonstration of the strength, engineering integrity and efficiency of the car". Paul Alcock, XF Project Manager, Jaguar Cars - who was in a following vehicle for the trip - says the project was designed primarily to test the potential economy of the XF 2.2. "The incredible figures achieved by the car were accomplished through making every element of the new XF as efficient as possible - from its aerodynamics to its four-cylinder 2.2-litre diesel engine linked to an eight-speed gearbox," he says. Driven by independent testers, David and Alexander Madgwick, the XF 2.2 was a stock-standard, UK-registered, right-hand drive vehicle. In the coast to coast journey the car maintained an average speed of 85km/h and incorporated a range of real-life scenarios - including the busy roads exiting New York and, towards the end of the trip, entering Los Angeles, road works, high winds and a climb to 2240m above sea level.

… complete with a baby diesel engine that could mean an $80,000 starting price in Australia. The updated mid-sized XF got simultaneous unveilings at the Shanghai and New York motor shows, with the American event focussed on design and the China reveal concentrating on the latest 2.2-litre diesel. In both cases, Jaguar design boss Ian Callum describes the XF update as the best facelift he has done in a 35-year history as a car stylist. "I'm very happy with it," Callum says, referring to predictable but classy changes to the lamps, grille, bumpers and bonnet that give the XF more style to compete with the latest 5 Series BMW and Mercedes E- Class. The update comes four years into the XF's life as Jaguar's top seller and money machine, and brings the diesel that could eventually account for more than half of sales. It's a 2.2-litre four also used in the Land Rover Freelander 2 and has 140 kiloWatts with a rousing 450 Newton-metres of torque. More good news is an eight-speed automatic gearbox for the XF diesels, complete with a stop-start system to improve economy and cut emissions. The updated XF goes into production in Britain in July and that points to an early 2012 introduction in Australia. The car also comes with slight tweaks to the cabin, including better- shaped seats and a punchier sound system. Not su rprisingly, new-age safety systems are also added to the XF and the car will be available with adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, adaptive lighting and hazard lights that trigger automatically during emergency braking. The body work on the car includes lamps with a much lower profile, but there is more to Callum's work than good looks. Engineers also drove changes around the mirrors and below the body to improve airflow and cut noise. Full details of the XF for Australia should be public around the middle of this year.

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.

BORROWING from your neighbours is keeping Jaguar in good stead as it this week announced it was lifting one of Land Rover's engines for its new sedan. The Land Rover 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, seen in Australia in the new Freelander, will become the fifth engine option for the XF range. More importantly, it is seen as being the primary engine for the rumoured XS sedan that appears in 2013 as the delayed replacement for the X-Type. Announced this week in the UK but not for sale there until later this year - and yet to be confirmed for Australia - is the heavily revised four cylinder diesel. Unlike the Freelander, Jaguar places the engine in the north-south position to drive the XF's rear wheels through ZF's new eight-speed automatic that includes an advanced stop-start system. The engine has 140kW/450Nm and Jaguar claims 5.4 litres/100km and 149 grams/km of CO2. Aside from the inclusion of the small-bore oiler, the XF will also get a new face - with more resemblance to the XK range - and tail in its updated specification across all models. Further details of the engine and the new-look XF will be announced at its debut at the New York motor show next month.

The cat car with the 380 kiloWatt supercharged V8 has been on sale since 2008 and Carparazzi has caught a camouflaged update on trial.The big change is inside the cabin, which is completely disguised with curtains over the dashboard and centre console. The secrecy points to   a major update, perhaps to bring the XF more into line with Jaguar's latest XJ flagship.Externally, BMW-style swirling camouflage paint covers the nose and tail of the upcoming XFR to deflect close examination of the grille, lamps and panels. Carparazzi believes changes for the 2012 model year, on sale in 2011, will bring the XFR more into line with the XJ with sleeker headlamps, changes to the grille and bumper, and daytime LED running lamps in the nose and LED tail lights in the tail.It also hints at some updating of the engine and transmission in the Jaguar. The XFR prototypes were caught on trial in the USA, possibly because of Jaguar's ongoing links to Ford for its engine and component supply despite its sale to Tata Motors of India.