News : Jaguar XF Sportbrake revealed pre-Geneva?

Keith Adams

Jaguar Sportsbrake leaked image
Jaguar Sportsbrake leaked image

The Jaguar XF looks set to cement its position as the most desirable entrant in the executive sector with the addition of the Sportbrake – estate to you and me – sooner than we thought. The latest images of the much-anticipated five-door Jaguar XF – assuming they are genuine – have surfaced on an Italian website, and reveal a neat and clever rear-end styling scheme.

The interestingly named Sportbrake has been mooted to go on sale this summer, but a Geneva reveal had not been anticipated by many observers. However, the Coventry-based company is facing a busy year with the build-up to the launch of the production C-X16 (XT) and C-X75, and a Swiss reveal means the company has a big new launch while keeping its powder dry for the sports cars later in 2012 and into ’13.

The model line-up for the Sportbrake will mirror that of the saloon, and will boast the 2.2-litre turbodiesel from the outset. The main omission at launch will be an XF-R version, which has yet to be okay’d for launch. It’s expected that the stylish estate will boast a competitive carrying capacity, despite the swooping rear-end, and will cost a small premium over the saloon.

The full story to follow from Geneva.

Load bay looks commodious despite stylish rear-end.
Load bay looks commodious despite stylish rear-end.
Keith Adams

48 Comments

  1. I wish Jaguar would hurry up and formally announce this new addition to the XF range as it now getting to be old news.

    Why does Jaguar take so long to launch new bodystyles based on an existing design compared to Land Rover? After all, Land Rover produces six model ranges based off four platform designs, and makes up the bulk of Jaguar Land Rover’s production output. Yet, despite this hive of activity, Land Rover seems to be far more proactive in getting new models to the marketplace than Jaguar is.

  2. The reasons to buy German have just reduced again!

    As an owner of an X Type estate I wonder how much extra space the Sportbrake offers over the X Type. Having two small (but quickly growing) children the new XF model appeals greatly, but I also wonder if Jaguar have managed to fail to fit IsoFix to the estate but do to the saloon, they did it with the X Type which was interesting considering those who buy the estate are more likely to use childseats…

  3. I agree with David3500 about this, Jaguar should have put this in production ages ago. They would have been onto a winner here, as it’s a large premium estate that ISN’T German.

  4. Yes, there’s a lot of talks about future Jaguar derivatives, but it takes ages to get them into production. For example with the XF
    The 2.2d took ages to get into production
    The Estate above has been talked about for ages
    The 4wd variants (essential for many markets, BMW for example has sold 4wd 5 series for years)

  5. It looks very well integrated – Cross over 4×4 to follow? JLR is in love with the niche market after all.

  6. Frankie – sadly I think Jaguar need to make a crossover if that’s what the market demands, JLR have proven yet again that more people want 4×4/SUV models than sporting saloons from them – if that is the way Jaguar have to go then so be it.

  7. i dunno… I like the idea of an Audi All-Road and V70 AWD rival into the stable. It’d definitely help out Nordic and far north American sales. It gets snowy up there!

  8. Looks phenomenal, and will doubtless be a great thing to own. It feels a bit churlish to point out that, like the Evoque, rear visibility looks poor.

  9. please… NO… SUV or crossover from Jaguar… please don’t, put the money in racing… for example: Le Mans, where they belong

  10. In the words of Jacqueline from Benidorm – “Oh Yes”

    Lovely design that, just lovely.

    I can’t personally see them making an urban cross-over personally, I think they’d be far more likely to use the LR name and go from that side of things.

  11. @ 6 and 7. Jaguar already make a crossover. Its called the Evoque. Besides I think JLR have too good a management to start blur the lines between the two brands. Jaguar are a car maker and Landy do the muddy stuff.

    I know why its taken so long to get to market. Jag have built up an absolutely solid reputation thanks to the X-Type, XF and and XJ and they don’t want to ruin it by putting out an ‘also ran’ for their first big estate. The thing you have to remember is that this is up against the market leaders in the shape of the A6 Avant and 5-series Tourer and to beat the A6 on sales performance its going to have to be damn good. Audi BM and Merc have all brought out new cars in this segement since (and some would argue because of) the XF and because its too early for a re-styling of the XF Jag have chosen to hold back and watch what the opposition do. If it is as good as the saloon it will have ze Germans licked, plain and simple but for the average buyer it needs much more than an extended roof line and a big hole at the back for Grandfather Clocks and a Labra-doodle.

  12. something for the Weekend too methinks.. You could easily sleep in the back of that, a double bed, just like the Maxi.

    Sorry guys but a crosser is necessary and it will essentially be an estate with variable height suspension. Few believed that Audi would sell the A4 AWD. However, it did when the public actually got it. RAC couldn’t do without them now and it makes sense for Jaguar to join the party.

    Besides, technically speaking this isn’t their first crosser. The X-type estate, it could be argued, was the first.

    The crosser is most defintely needed though to allow the company to compete in the North American/Canadian markets (thing North Dakota, Alaska etc), as well as Russia and the Nordic states in the EU/EEA. With a wealth of Land Rover all-road knowledge at their disposal, I can see Jaguar’s crosser being the most competent of all those cars within this market segment… A huge opportunity.

  13. Just having 4×4 and adjustable susp would not make it a cross-over.

    It’d need styling changes etc. When I think of cross-overs I think of specifically DESIGNED cross-overs; ie the Nissan Juke etc

  14. I don’t understand why people get their knickers in a twist over whether a car is a crossover/SUV/estate car on steroids etc. Having said that, I don’t get why you would by an A4 allroad over a Q5, is it just to kid yourself that you aren’t buying a “crossover” when, in fact, you are? (mind you, is a Q5 a crossover or SUV??). When I bought my Tiguan (3.5 years ago) it was described by What Car? as an SUV, they now call it a crossover (although I don’t think the term existed then!)

  15. “They would have been onto a winner here, as it’s a large premium estate that ISN’T German.”

    Or Swedish.

    “Sportbrake?!?!? WTF?”

    Brake comes from the English term “Shooting Brake”, it’s what was used before term ‘Estate’ car became popular. Actually i think it was used to describe a horse drawn carriage before that.

  16. Perhaps the people at Jaguar were kept busy producing enough XFs and making a tourer would have slowed things down. This may be why the tourer took so long to arrive.

  17. “The French seem to use the term brake for an estate, at least until the 1970′s.”

    Agreed, they also started using SW for “Station Wagon” in the late 90’s.

    It’s not unusual for us to use French terms for mundane objects to make them sound more exciting though. Fois Gras for example, sounds better than Fat Liver.

    We used to see Berline appear on some saloon cars here.

  18. @TwoR8s:

    An interesting point. Although it does beg the obvious question of: how, when the current XF is already selling even better than before, thanks largely to the introduction of the 2.2-litre diesel engine, will they cope with this additional bodystyle offered in a similar array of trim levels and engine options?

    Four years old the XF might be, but sales are still on the up. Will Jaguar be able to cope with this likely increase in demand?

  19. Oof Ken! Now that is one fine looking car. Hints of Alfa 156 Sportwagon about it……..gorgeous! I can see me lusting over 2nd hand ones in approximately 5 years time (sorry, I can’t afford a new Jag!!)

  20. Sorry, hard to get fired up over an estate. Useful for the odd trip to the Household Waste Recycling Centre, but that’s about it for me.

  21. Nice looking version of the XF. They seem to be following the trend of defining estate cars as Tourers/Touring eg the Astra, Insignia, BMW’s, Audi’s etc SportBrake sounds apt too.

    In the 70s I had a colleague who referred to our Cortina Estate company cars as “Cortina Shooting Brakes” This XF is far removed from one of those!

  22. Someone mentioned XF police cars.

    They are in Birmingham – got overtaken by one (10 plate) at spaghetti junction.

    Round my way the big police cars are very late last generation 5 series and A6s – shame they are not british but shrewd bit of procurement there.

  23. Out of interest when do we expect to see a replacement XF? Jaguar’s model cycle has usually been pretty long. The XF is a great car to build on but I’d hate to see it still around at 8 years old as it will start to look increasingly dated no matter how nice a car it is. The german competition seems to operate on a 6 year cycle.

  24. “Round my way the big police cars are very late last generation 5 series and A6s – shame they are not british but shrewd bit of procurement there.”

    Exactly, police cars are all knackered when they get shot of them, despite what sellers might tell you about being “maintained at no expense” (frankly you’d probably be better off with an ex minicab). Having a BMW badge on them means they get shifted a lot easier when it comes to de-fleeting.

  25. Another name for estates could be ‘overeasy’ – over sized and easy to live with [more space]. Perhaps ‘highback’.

  26. It’s got UK numbers on it! Hooray!

    I know what a shooting brake is, it’s an estate car for posh people. But a Sportbrake?!, well.

    I always thought a high performance estate, e.g. BMW M5 Touring was a daft combination – do you want the kids vomiting down the back of the seats? But if it sells, which I hope it does, then that’s what is required.

    Chris.

  27. @dolomitefan

    Probably around 2014 or 2015. The XF only entered production in 2007/2008, around the same time as the F01 BMW 7-Series. It should have a decent 7 year life cycle before being replaced.

    However, due to the continuous improvements to the current car, the new XF (X251?) should carry over a lot from it. Not only will there be an estate version of the current car, but there are supposedly going to be AWD versions and (VERY important for the American and Asian markets) a new V6 petrol engine.

    By no means are Jag standing still. They’re bent on taking the fight to the Germans with whatever they’ve got. 🙂

  28. The only problem with buying one of these in three years time is that by then the XF will be an 8 year old design, positively pre-historic in automotive terms.

  29. Not doing i for me at all. It’s full of lines, joins and creases. I know looks are subjective but if someone had said this was an Astra or Insignia estate I would have readily believed them.

  30. This i believe is NOT the new XFSW, there are too many “things” that are not right about it, like design changes made on the facelifted car not evident on this, i cant imagine that Jaguar would go backward in the changes when the silver bar a the back is the same.

    Jaguar Supplied the XF to the Police for evaluation purposes, it has been seen on the TV numerous times, in one of those police shows, it looks good and goes well.

    As for the timing, the XF saloon was the only car developed by Ford, no other derivative, once Tata got hold of the company, it was a case of getting the XJ out and face-lifting the XK, derivatives were then developed, I am sure that no one can complain that such a small company in the scheme of car makers, have managed to develop so many new cars and face-lifts, turned around the finances, increased profitability.

    ALL THIS and they are developing a new supercar, a new two seater sports car, and a new XT, as well as new RR, RRS, DC100 Freelander/Disco facelifts, build new factories and generally push as hard as it has to become a real force, this is something to be well proud of.

  31. That looks amazing, even better than the saloon, I love the XJ style D pillars. Another classic from Ian and the team at Jaguar

  32. If the very official looking pictures circling through the motoring press right now can be believed, then this is the real thing…

    It looks like the theme of the black panels next to the rear window is set to become a Jaguar design feature. I have to say it sort of works on the estate compared to the XJ.

  33. Those back door openings look a lot easier to get your head into than those on the saloon. Same comparison applies on X-type: one of the smaller reasons why we bought an estate, rather than a saloon.

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