Just in case you ever wondered why automotive spy photographers rarely take pictures from the air, here is an explanation from Hans G. Lehmann, the godfather of the profession: Seen from above, cars all look the same. For proof of this statement, look no further than the teaser shot of the new Jaguar XF that the company just released. Even without camo, everything remains a mystery
Well, almost everything. What we can see from above is an evolutionary treatment of the XF. It keeps the creased front hood, the fast roofline, and the short rear deck. It also appears that the new version adds a rear quarter window in the C-pillar, a la the current XJ. A photo of the interior shows that Jaguar is retaining the XF’s knob-style gear selector but that its touch screen appears much larger.
We also know that the new XF will share its architecture with the recently launched XE, which means that it will use a steel and aluminum materials mix. Jaguar is boasting that the new car will achieve 70 mpg in the U.K. test cycle (U.S. equivalent: 58 mpg) with a super-efficient version of the new Ingenium Diesel engine. We won’t get that variant, but our 2.0-liter Ingenium Diesel should be good for highway ratings in the high 30s or low 40s. The diesel, however, won’t come to the States until six months or so after the launch this fall. The U.S. car will debut with the 3.0-liter V-6, and Jaguar will offer AWD from the get-go.
- Instrumented Test 2015 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD: Stand Out from the Herd
- Lightning Lap 2014: Jaguar XFR-S Video
- Jaguar XF Photos, Reviews, News, Specs, Pricing, and More
The XF debuted in 2008, and last year it sold 5880 units in the United States. That was a 26% decline from the prior year, and represents less than one-tenth the volume of the segment’s best seller, the Mercedes-Benz E-class—so the new XF can’t get here soon enough. The car will have its international debut in a high-wire act, driving on two 1.3-inch-diameter wires high above London on March 24th. We’ll get our first in-person—and ground-level—look at the new Jag at the New York auto show.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/19zOkgJ
via Agya
