X-Type Allroad On Way

The Jaguar X-Type Estate looks set to 'rise' to a new challenge. According to industry insiders, the Coventry manufacturer plans to build an Audi Allroad-rivalling load-lugger to woo buyers across the Atlantic. If it's successful, the off-road-style X-Type could be on sale here in the UK by the end of next year.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Craig Cheetham

08th April 2004

Our sources have revealed that, due to the limited appeal of the stationwagon sector in the States, Jaguar's American bosses have taken the decision not to import the Estate in its standard form.

Instead, the X-Type will get a raised ride height and chunky wheelarch extensions to give it SUV-style appeal, making it more desirable to US buyers. Fans of the model were given a glimpse of how the newcomer could look at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, when Jag revealed an X-Type Estate mounted on hydraulic rams that lifted the body away from the drivetrain, showing off the 4WD platform. And it's the 4x4 running gear that makes the car an ideal candidate for the Allroad treatment, as it will compete directly with models such as the Audi, the Subaru Legacy Outback and Volvo XC70, all of which have enjoyed reasonable success in the US.

Cars there will come with 2.5 or 3.0-litre petrol engines, but if a European model is launched it would probably be more popular with the 2.0 V6 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel units that have become the mainstays of the rest of the range.

However, this could present a problem, as these cars are currently front-wheel drive-only, and Jaguar says it has no plans to develop the drivetrain. The firm also has concerns about how European buyers - in particular those in the UK - would accept the new model.