Spies blow XF’s cover

These are the pictures the world has been waiting for – almost! Auto Express has got its hands on the first scoop images that finally reveal a tan­talising glimpse of the thrilling new Jaguar XF undisguised.

Caught on camera, this production-ready prototype was spied as it was driven on to a covered trailer. Only the car’s new-look face and its roof were hidden from view.

But although our pictures show the rear three-quarter alone, they reveal exactly what drivers have to look forward to when the wraps come off the newcomer next week!

The importance of this model can not be overestimated. Success in this sector of the market would effectively guarantee the future of Jaguar, which has endured a number of lean years financially, and is currently up for sale.
While the sumptuous bodywork certainly offers a taste of what’s to come, it’s the finely crafted detailing that is perhaps most interesting.

Central to the bold new look at the rear is the large leaping cat emblem mounted on the bootlid. Trapezoidal exhaust pipes, plus the bold chromed grille on the car’s flank, only serve to enhance its performance promise.
The tail-light clusters are virtually identical to those originally seen on the C-XF concept, which debuted at the Detroit Motor Show in January.

Beneath the stylish bodywork lies a rear-wheel-drive chassis, which is reported to be a heavily reworked ver­sion of that underpinning the S-Type this car replaces. Low sills and huge alloys give the XF great road presence, and add to the sporty appearance.

Jag bosses are keeping their cards close to their chest with regard to what’s under the bonnet. But a really close look at our pictures reveals the car is wearing an SV8 badge.

That means this model will come with the innovative automatic gearbox selector that rises up out of the centre console when the ignition is turned. And it also confirms power is taken from a 4.2-litre V8.

The engine is tuned to offer more than 320bhp, enabling the XF to outperform the S-Type. What’s more, it provides a taste of what is expected from the 5.0-litre R version of the XF, which is tipped to deliver 500bhp thanks to a large superchar­ger and carefully tuned internals.

Prices for the new range have still to be confirmed, but Auto Express understands that potential customers can expect to pay a small premium over the S-Type – meaning the XF is likely to cost from £30,000.