Jaguar is to build an XF… No, not a dodgy late-1980s Falcon, rather XF has officially been announced as the name for the car that will replace the British marque’s S-TYPE executive saloon.
Built to take on the likes of BMW’s 5 Series and Benz’s E-Class, the S-TYPE has been moderately successful in the UK market for Jaguar. Worldwide it’s been less so and in its latest face-lifted guise it sells at a rate of around 16-20 cars a month Down Under (against 5 Series 150, E-Class 140)
Jaguar will be looking to redress the sales imbalance with the XF, which pundits say will see a return to “beautiful styling” for Jaguar’s four-doors. Some styling cues are said to be reflected in the R-D6 show car, and aspects of the S-TYPE (both pictured) are likely to be retained.
Though initially expected to be an all-alloy car like its XJ stablemate and range-topper, the XF will now use a more conventional steel structure. It will make its debut late next year.
Designed and developed at Jaguar's Product Development Centre at Whitley in Coventry (UK), the new Jaguar XF will be built at Jaguar's Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, Jaguar says.
"The Jaguar XF is a new sports saloon that will challenge people to think again about Jaguar as daring and different," commented Bibiana Boerio, managing director of Jaguar Cars.
Said Ms Boerio: "Our new XK sports car has been very well-received and is enjoying great success. We are now moving on to the next stage of Jaguar's exciting new design era - and if you like the new XK, just wait until you see the new Jaguar XF."
Customer deliveries of the new Jaguar XF will commence globally in first quarter 2008, and in Australia later that year.
Interestingly, the timing of the new car’s debut parallels that of the new Falcon. With the outgoing S-TYPE sharing architecture with US-market Lincoln models and in-turn our own AU/BF Falcon, perhaps there IS more than meets the eye to the new XF moniker…