Jaguar XF cut down to single model grade

Jaguar says it remains committed to the Jaguar XF in Australia, despite announcing that it has cut the large luxury sedan range down from 17 variants to just one with the facelifted model due for release early next year.

No longer attempting to match rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6 across a broad array of powertrains and trim levels, the British brand will now concentrate its efforts entirely on the Jaguar XF R-Dynamic HSE P300 AWD variant, priced from $100,200 plus on-road costs.

As carsales has flagged in earlier report, the 280kW 3.0-litre supercharged V6 has gone, as have all diesels and lower-tier 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines (147kW and 184kW).

All that is left is the high-output (221kW/400Nm) version of the 2.0-litre Ingenium turbo-petrol four as found in the current Jaguar XF 3.0t R-Sport and Chequered Flag, both priced around the $100K mark.

The 2021 Jaguar XF benefits from many of the upgrades made to its SUV cousin, the F-PACE, such as a refreshed exterior design, noise-cancelling cabin tech and a powerful new infotainment system with a curved 11.4-inch touch-screen.

The strategy to consolidate the range is part of a wider push from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Australia to condense the number of variants within each model series.

“We’ve simplified the [XF] line-up and have one offering, which delivers less complexity and is easier to understand,” said JLR Australia spokesperson James Scrimshaw.

“That market segment is declining year-on-year, and to have a complex range [can be challenging for stocking all variants]. But there’s no discussion about it being removed.

“If we didn’t want it we would’ve removed it, and right now it’s just a case of pick your colour and options.”

The 2021 Jaguar XF heralds a comprehensive mid-life update for the luxury sedan, which takes on a more muscular look with larger lateral air dams in the front apron, a bigger power bulge on the bonnet and new double ‘j-blade’ pixel LED headlights.

The headlight clusters are 10mm slimmer and the LED indicators are now dynamic, strobing along their length when activated.

Jaguar ‘leaper’ logos have been added to the side of the car, chasing the front wheels, while the rear end has sculpted and darkened 3D tail-lights and revised tailpipes.

Jaguar says the interior is all-new, featuring a redesigned dashboard, wider and more comfortable seats with new massage, heating and cooling areas, plus an all-new infotainment system headlined by an 11.4-inch curved-glass face and magnesium alloy frame.

The new screen even comes with dual-surface coatings to reduce reflection and improve fingerprint removal.

This elegant curved touch-screen runs Jaguar’s Pivi Pro infotainment unit which employs a new menu system claimed to be more intuitive.

A new processing ‘brain’ speeds up click and loading response times and a separate power source boots up the infotainment system before the driver has even entered the car.

The beefed-up infotainment system is always online and features future-proofing over-the-air system updates and allows simultaneous twin-phone connections. There’s also a 15W wireless phone charger and 4G signal booster.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also built in.

Jaguar has fully embraced the digital era with a customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a head-up display and active road noise cancellation for the cabin. The latter is claimed to be a first for this segment.

The cabin layout has been revised to improve ease of use, with Jaguar pointing to a reduction of controls, buttons and dials, for example.

The car-maker also says it paid more attention to material quality, improving tactility for major touchpoints with higher-quality leather and open-pore timbers.

While the gear shifter is now a conventional (if compact) lever, it adopts a unique cricket-ball leather finish and stitching, while a concealed pop-up dial has been retained for the drive mode selector.

The multifunction steering wheel is also new and the electric window controls have moved from the top of the door roll to a more traditional position inside the door.

The 2021 Jaguar XF also comes with a high-fidelity air filtration system that uses air ionisation to help trap superfine particles (PM2.5) and remove allergens and even unpleasant odours. Occupants simply hit the ‘purify’ button and the process begins to clean the cabin air.

The XF also features more advanced driver assist systems, including a 3D surround-view parking camera and clear exit monitor.

A new driver condition monitor detects when the driver gets drowsy and suggests taking a break, while adaptive cruise control is also part of the package.

Sales of the Jaguar XF have dropped by 39.5 per cent this year (to the end of September), from 43 units to just 26, which gives it a tiny 1.6 per cent share of the segment.

This also puts into perspective JLR Australia’s decision to cull the XF range with the incoming facelift, which is expected to land around February.

By comparison, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class have also dropped by a similar percentage year-on-year, but attract many more sales and command a much larger slice of the category.

The E-Class has dropped 38.4 per cent to 575 sales (for a 36.3 per cent segment share), while the 5 Series is down by 39.6 per cent to 507 sales (for a 32 per cent share).

Stay tuned for more details and our first drive of the updated 2021 Jaguar XF soon.