Level playing field for Jaguar XF?

Jaguar's XF large car is finally gaining some serious buyer interest in the local market. And we're not just talking about 'by Jaguar standards'.

In the first four months of the year to date, the XF has outsold Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans and wagons -- and the XF does so with no wagon in the local range (see separate story). With 304 cars sold for the year so far, the XF is just 19 units behind BMW's 5 Series sedan and wagon range.

The XF has always been relatively popular in Australia, but that popularity appears to be growing. Could it be because of the introduction of four-cylinder variants over the past 18 months? How much do the new 2.2-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol engines play a part in the XF's improving fortunes?

"Massively," replies Jaguar Australia brand manager, Mark Eedle.

"Over half of that segment is four-cylinder, whether it be petrol or diesel. So a year ago, or early last year, when we brought in the four-cylinder 2.2 diesel that took us into the third quarter of the segment, so to speak. Half the segment is V6 and so on, about a quarter is four-cylinder diesel, so that opened it up for us. Then earlier this year, when we brought out four-cylinder petrol, it gave us the last quarter of the segment. We're seeing well over half the volume is four-cylinder."

According to VFACTS, the XF's sales figures for 2012 grew from 550 the year before to 648 -- almost a 20 per cent improvement. It might be extrapolated that that increase would be largely due to the introduction of the four-cylinder diesel. The year to date figure of 304 in 2013 places the XF 65 units in front of its sales for the first four months of 2012 -- and further extrapolation suggests this gain is due to the roll-out of the 2.0-litre petrol engine in the XF range. That's the same engine Ford cannot give away in the EcoBoost Falcon!

Why is it that the XF appears to be succeeding where the Falcon has not? Could it be that prestige buyers are more open to new technology? Has Jaguar gone so long without its classic straight sixes that the traditional buyers have fallen off the twig and the new generation of Jaguar consumers just don't give a cuss about olde worlde technology? Perhaps too, the German brands have pioneered this move away from six-cylinder cars, and that eases the same process for Jaguar?

"I think the public are learning that the industry is heading into an era of engines where it's not about the size, it's about power output," says Eedle. "So no longer are you defined by whether it's four-cylinder, six-cylinder or eight-cylinder, but rather the power. And as we all know, the power that we're getting out of a four-cylinder turbocharged [engine] that we launched has more power, more torque, uses less fuel, has less emissions and is quicker accelerating than the 3.0-litre V6 it replaced. Engines have come a long way and I believe the motoring public are understanding that: don't look at the size, look at the outputs."

The interesting factor in all of this is the XF's sales growth points to what appears to be a lack of concern with its inherent crash safety. Rated at just four stars by Euro NCAP, the XF is behind the eight ball against the three previously mentioned German rivals -- all of which are five-star rated. Does this mean that NCAP is totally factored out of the purchasing decision by Australian consumers? How important is crash safety in settling on the car to buy?

"Very important, I think that it's becoming more and more predominant," says Eedle.

Yet it hasn't held back XF's sales, obviously.

"I think the authorities tested an '08 car just after the 2010 regulations came in, so it was almost out of cycle, but if it had been tested when it was launched it would have been [five-star rated]. So it was built to [meet a five-star NCAP standard at the time].

"The goal posts moved -- and it got tested AFTER the goal posts moved."

That's a reasonable observation, but it hints that Jaguar -- even with plenty of support from parent Tata -- is not quite ready to spend as much as the Germans on developing cars to exceed the projected safety and environmental needs for the future.

Or maybe the honchos in charge of the company just don't place that much credence in crash safety studies from the likes of Euro NCAP?

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