2011 Jaguar Xf Premium Sedan 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Jaguar previews XF sedan ahead of New York debut

Jaguar is in the midst of an aggressive product expansion, with the new F-Type taking it back into sports-car territory, the upcoming F-Pace putting it in the crossover market for the first time and the XE renewing Jag's assault on the entry-level luxury-sedan segment. But it hasn't forgotten about its core models. The British automaker has a new flagship XJ under development, and Jag will showcase a brand-new XF at the New York Auto Show next month. But before it does, Jaguar has given us something to chew on with these teaser images: one showing the new sedan from above, and one showing the new cockpit. Now it may be hard discern much from that overhead view – which is not a typical teaser – but it's clear the new XF will feature more sharply creased body lines and a large panoramic sunroof. Meanwhile the interior looks like a modern update of the current model, borrowing some elements from the smaller XE. There's a wider infotainment display, the rotary knob for the transmission has moved toward the center, some (but not all) of the air vents appear to hide away when not in use, and there's a sportier steering wheel – though we do appear to be looking at the more performance-oriented S model. The XF, for those having trouble keeping track, is Jaguar's challenger to the likes of the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Maserati Ghibli. It was introduced in 2007, and has been available (in certain markets anyway) in sedan and wagon forms, with engines ranging from a 2.0-liter turbo four with 240 horsepower all the way up to a 5.0-liter supercharged V8. With the New York show fast approaching, we won't have to wait much longer for a complete view of the new XF. But even before then, Jaguar promises to reveal the new XF in dramatic fashion in London: on March 24, it will drive the new sedan on two wires barely more than an inch thick suspended high above the river.

Jaguar XJ could move to all-electric platform late this year

The Jaguar XJ is getting a little long in the tooth. The current generation of Jaguar's flagship sedan debuted back in 2009, making it one of the oldest vehicles still on the market. This week, Autocar reported that a new XJ could debut late this year and would move to an all-electric platform. That would place the XJ straight against cars like the Tesla Model S and upcoming Porsche Mission E, presumably sharing parts with the upcoming I-Pace electric crossover. While a couple of refreshes have kept the Jaguar competitive, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 have gone through full redesigns since the XJ debuted. (Two for the Audi). Compared to the Germans, the Jaguar looks and feels dated, especially when it comes to technology, active safety and alternative powertrains. In the U.S., the XJ is only available with either a supercharged gasoline V6 or V8. The competition from Germany, Japan and the U.S. all offer some form of electrification. Moving to an all-electric powertrain would be a huge shift for Jaguar and is sure to spark some debate among enthusiasts. The British automaker has previously stated it plans to electrify all new vehicles after 2020. Look for electrified variants of current models to be available, too. The new XJ is rumored to be co-developed with a new model called the Road Rover, a sort of high-riding sedan or wagon in the vein of the Audi allroad or Volvo V90 Cross Country. Like the XJ, the Road Rover would use a battery electric powertrain. Look for more news on both models later this year. Related Video:

Jaguar releases C-X75 concept build story

If you want to know what was going through the minds of decisionmakers at Jaguar when the company decided to build the batty C-X75 Concept, look no further than the quick video after the jump. Jaguar set about building a car with the performance of a Bugatti Veyron, the electric range of a Chevrolet Volt and the emissions of a Toyota Prius, and they turned to a legendary engineering firm to help make it happen. Williams, the same crew behind Williams F1, helped Jaguar stitch the concept car together, and the result is unlike anything we've seen before.
The twin-charged 1.6-liter four-cylinder mounted amidship is paired with an electric motor at each wheel for a combined output of over 850 horsepower. And, since the whole chassis is hewn from carbon fiber, a production version would've been light enough to give machines like the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari a run for their money. Shame they apparently couldn't make the business case work. Watch the concept build story in the video below for yourself.