The new Jaguar XF Sportbrake is the most practical Jaguar ever and has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the Geneva motor show.
The front of the XF Sportbrake is pretty much identical to the XF sedan. At the rear, there is an extended roofline, rounded C-pillars, a roof spoiler, and a neat rear diffuser section. Sportbrake lead designer Wayne Burgess says, “We tried to make the load space as luxurious as the rest of the car. That’s why you’ll find deep carpeting, ambient lighting and a stainless steel plate on the lip. Your dog will love it in there!”
Blacked-out B and C-pillars create a far longer and slimmer side glass area than on the four-door, while the D-pillars also get a gloss black finish (a cue borrowed from the XJ), creating the illusion that the tinted rear screen wraps right around the back of the car.
The tailgate features a soft-close electric hinge, and can be electrically powered as an option. Rear cargo space is rated at 550-litres, and 1 675-litres with the second row of seats folded down in a 60:40 split. That’s on a par with the BMW 5 Series Touring and Audi A6 Avant, but still 275-litres shy of the enormous Mercedes E-Class Estate.
Intended for the European market, Jaguar will initially only be offering diesel engines in the XF Sportbrake, with the 140 kW, 2.2-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder and the 202 kW, 3.0-litre twin turbo V6 forming the lineup. All models are equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and self-levelling air-suspension at the rear.
An ‘XFR’ sports variant is currently in the pipeline, and is set to hit the market after the initial launch of the diesel versions. The performance version is expected to use the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 as seen in the XFR sedan, wherein it produces 375 kW.
With South Africa’s preference for SUVs in favour of estates, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see the XF Sportbrake locally.
