Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
There have been reports of a long-wheelbase version for the new Jaguar XF even before the car was launched at this year’s New York Auto Show, but now we have solid proof of its existence in this set of spy photos.
Previously, Jaguar only offered an extended wheelbase option for the larger XJ, and since that was a luxury limousine people bought primarily for comfort, it makes perfect sense that the more spacious option was also the best-seller of the range.
With the new model, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class rival will also receive the enlargement treatment, with the main benefits to be felt by those sitting in the rear seats. But if you feel there’s a small risk of overlap with the standard XJ and can’t really understand why Jaguar would do this, there’s a good explanation.
You see, like pretty much every other carmaker these days, Jaguar is paying special attention to the Chinese market, and people who buy these cars there like to be driven in them. Over there, cars like the Audi A6 L get a lot of attention, and that’s precisely why Jaguar used it to benchmark their new LWB model.
Stylistically speaking, the LWB model won’t differ from the normal version other than the added length and an elongated rear door, which is probably why nobody even bothered to put some camouflage on the test car. While the XF still is a good-looking vehicle, the extra inches do mess around with the car’s proportions a little, particularly by making the wheels seem a little small and too far apart.
In terms of engines, the new Ingenium range of cleaner four-cylinder diesels should make their way on the long wheelbase version as well, but only as a budget option. At the other end of the scale will eventually sit the new XFR (the old one used a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine good for 510 hp), but for now we have to make do with the XF S sporting a 3.0-liter turbo V6 with 380 hp. Which, let’s face it, sounds pretty damn good - both figuratively and literally.
With the new model, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class rival will also receive the enlargement treatment, with the main benefits to be felt by those sitting in the rear seats. But if you feel there’s a small risk of overlap with the standard XJ and can’t really understand why Jaguar would do this, there’s a good explanation.
You see, like pretty much every other carmaker these days, Jaguar is paying special attention to the Chinese market, and people who buy these cars there like to be driven in them. Over there, cars like the Audi A6 L get a lot of attention, and that’s precisely why Jaguar used it to benchmark their new LWB model.
Stylistically speaking, the LWB model won’t differ from the normal version other than the added length and an elongated rear door, which is probably why nobody even bothered to put some camouflage on the test car. While the XF still is a good-looking vehicle, the extra inches do mess around with the car’s proportions a little, particularly by making the wheels seem a little small and too far apart.
In terms of engines, the new Ingenium range of cleaner four-cylinder diesels should make their way on the long wheelbase version as well, but only as a budget option. At the other end of the scale will eventually sit the new XFR (the old one used a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine good for 510 hp), but for now we have to make do with the XF S sporting a 3.0-liter turbo V6 with 380 hp. Which, let’s face it, sounds pretty damn good - both figuratively and literally.
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