A birdseye view of the 2016 Jaguar XF.
After an eight-year run, Jaguar plans to replace its mid-range XF sport sedan later this year with an all-new model. And while we’ll have to wait until the New York Auto Show to get a full look at what’s coming, the British maker is offering a couple images designed to tease the imagination.
That said, Jaguar intends to build some excitement ahead of the official public launch. British stuntman Jim Dowdall, a veteran of numerous Bond, Bourne and Indiana Jones adventure flicks, will drive a new XF across two 1.3-inch wires suspended high above water in London next week.
As with other recent additions and updates to its line-up, Jaguar confirms it will opt for an all-new, aluminum-intensive architecture for the new XF, a platform that will be shared with the upcoming Jaguar XE sedan.
That lightweight body appears – from the overhead teaser image – to adopt a coupe-like design form, with a sharply creased hood and a large panoramic glass roof. There’s also a hint of a small rear quarter-window, along the lines of the flagship Jaguar XJ sedan.
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Inside, a second teaser image reveals a cleanly elegant layout that appears more refined and well-appointed than the outgoing XF, with a large touchscreen anchoring the center console.
The new Jaguar XF maintains the rotary shifter.
“I believe the all-new Jaguar XF will be the best looking car in its class,” suggested the ever-modest Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar. “Elegant, handsome and with proportions that imbue a great sense of integrity – the all-new XF will be true to the strong tradition of sporting Jaguar sedans while being completely of its time.”
There’s no word on what will motivate the new 2016 Jaguar XF, but the maker has been expanding it powertrain range in recent months and will almost certainly start with versions of its new Ingenium 3.0-liter V-6, both in gas and diesel form. Various V-8 packages are also a near-certainty. That would likely include one or more high-performance versions.
As with other members of the Jaguar family, the next XF will be offered with optional all-wheel-drive. That is expected to be available at launch. The diesel isn’t expected to reach U.S. showrooms until early next year, however.
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The Jaguar XF was first introduced in 2008. It has struggled to gain ground in one of the more competitive niches in the luxury market, going up against the likes of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Jaguar is on a push to expand its meager line-up. It revealed the production version of the new XE sedan, targeting such stalwarts as the BMW 3-Series, at last autumn’s Paris Motor Show. It provided a sneak peek at the brand’s first-ever SUV earlier this year. Dubbed F-Space, it also will use the new aluminum-intensive architecture.
Jaguar sold a mere 5,880 copies of the XF in 2014, a 26% year-over-year decline, so it is clearly counting on the redesign to help it gain ground on its German rivals.
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