Spy photos: 2009 Jaguar XF uncovered
After months of seeing the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan covered in camouflage, we can finally bring you the first shots of an almost completely uncovered production model. The rear end looks much like the C-XF concept and features "Jaguar" script on the trunklid, a "leaper" above the lettering and a pair of nicely integrated tail pipes. As we expected, vents in the front quarter panels mimic the current XJ sedan and XK coupe. The wheel design is new -- and not particularly very attractive. Let's hope there are some additional wheels on the options list for the U.S.
Final Testing Under Way for the 2009 Jaguar XF
By Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Edmunds
Spotted first in England, then Germany and now the United States, the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan is getting close to its official debut.
Our latest spy video from Death Valley shows several XF prototypes undergoing a final round of hot-weather testing. There's still heavy camouflage over most of the styling details, but there's no doubt that the production sedan will look very close to the C-XF concept.
Up front, the oval grille seen on the concept carries over almost unchanged, while the headlights have switched to a dual-lens design that's more functional and less stylized than before. Previous prototypes have also revealed quarter-panel vents similar to those used for the current XJ sedan and XK coupes.
Sizable buttresses conceal the true shape of the C-pillars out back, but it's safe to assume that the XF will have a slightly taller greenhouse than the low-slung concept. Huge wheels and tires fill out the wheelwells, so the production sedan should have a strong stance even with its boxier shape.
All this style will be backed up by V8 power, too. Although the debut of a new 5.0-liter V8 has been rumored for the XF, we think the car is more likely to offer the same engines as its XJ and XK siblings. Figure a little over 300 horsepower for the base 4.2-liter V8 and 420 hp for the supercharged version. If a 5.0-liter version shows up later, it's likely to be used in a top-of-the-line performance model.
A six-speed automatic will be the standard transmission across the board, but instead of a traditional console stick shift, the XF will introduce a new push-button controller. It was first shown in the C-XF concept and subsequent spy photos revealed a similar setup for the production model. If it's well received, expect to see the rest of the Jaguar lineup incorporate the same system.
With a debut scheduled for the Frankfurt auto show in September, the 2009 Jaguar XF isn't far from showrooms. Expect to see the new sedan on sale in the U.S. by the fall of 2008.
Print | posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 3:36 PM