The 2016 Jaguar XF has been revealed during a high-wire water crossing in London and will get its official debut at the New York Motor Show in April.
JAGUAR TOOK its 2016 Jaguar XF to the Royal Dock in London’s Canary Wharf where it was driven across the river on two wires by British stuntman Jim Dowdall. The exercise was intended to showcase the new XF’s aluminium-intensive construction which sees it wight 190kg less than the outgoing model.
It will make its global motor show debut in New York on 1 April.
The XF is 75% aluminium which means it’s not only lighter than its predecessor, but torsional stiffness is up by 28%. Though 7mm shorter and 3mm lower than the car it replaces, the all-new XF’s 2960mm wheelbase is 51mm longer, enabling improved rear seat space with more legroom, kneeroom and headroom.
The efficiency gains made because of the lightweight aluminium construction are complemented, Jaguar says, by its engine range. The new 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engines are available in 120kW/380Nm and 132kW/430Nm ratings and are offered with specially-optimised six-speed manual- and eight-speed automatic transmissions. In 120kW manual form, the all-new XF delivers 104g/km CO2 and is the lightest, most efficient non-hybrid diesel model in the segment – 80kg lighter than its closest competitor, Jaguar claims.
All other engines are matched exclusively to eight-speed automatic transmissions. The 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel benefits has been tweaked to produce 220kW and 700Nm of torque. Also available is the renowned 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine with 279kW and 450Nm torque.
Jaguar says that being lighter and stiffer has allowed it to improve the XF’s ride and handling, via its double wishbone and Integral Link suspension and an almost 50:50 weight distribution. Advanced passive damper technology, Jaguar says, “delivers exceptional ride comfort as standard, but for even better control the Adaptive Dynamics system determines the optimum damper settings for the driving conditions”.
“Jaguar Configurable Dynamics, first developed for F-TYPE, provides the ultimate in control and enables the driver to individually tailor settings of the dampers, steering, engine and eight-speed automatic transmission,” Jaguar says.
The XF also features Jaguar’s All-Surface Progress Control (which debuted on the XE), developed for low-speed driving in adverse conditions, automatically manages the brakes and the throttle to deliver the best possible traction, enabling the car to pull away smoothly and without drama: the driver only has to steer.
The XF sees the debut of Jaguar’s most advanced infotainment set-up, which borrows from the Range Rover with its InControl Touch Pro system featuring a 10.2-inch touchscreen and Dual View technology which simultaneously allows the driver to see information such as navigation, while the front seat passenger watches either TV or a DVD.
Jaguar’s head of design, Ian Callum said: “In creating the all-new XF, as a design team we have been driven by discipline, the discipline of simplicity. Every exterior line on the XF has a clear purpose – nothing is superfluous. Achieving that simplicity takes time and requires great determination; it’s all too easy to add lines to a car, but much harder to add character by leaving lines out.
“Inside too, we have been driven by the desire to ensure the XF’s cabin is as comforting as it is comfortable. New technology, including our new 10.2-inch touchscreen, is combined carefully with materials that cosset and reassure. The all-new XF has a clear sense of calm and strength, both outside and inside – and I’m proud of my team for delivering that.”
The Jaguar XF will go on-sale in the UK later this year and will likely arrive Down Under early in 2016.
