2013 Jaguar XF with Instinctive All Wheel Drive – Image: Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar seems to be doing all the right things as of late to grow the brand, which was all but dormant under Ford’s ownership. Despite major revisions to the XF in 2012, Jaguar has introduced two new engines and a new all-wheel-drive system to the XF product line. Even the flagship XJ gets changes, in the form of the same available AWD system (which Jaguar is calling “Instinctive All Wheel Drive) and a new supercharged V-6 engine.
For 2013, the XF product range will now start with a new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, good for 240 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. Its primary mission is two-fold: make the XF more affordable to attract more buyers, and improve fuel economy across the XF range. The next XF engine, a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 that replaces last year’s 5.0-liter V-8, hopes to do the same. Rated at 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, the engine powers the rear-drive XF from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.
Jaguar XF models with the supercharged V-6 can also be ordered with Instinctive All Wheel Drive, which sends the bulk of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. When the system predicts a loss of traction (hence the “Instinctive” name) it sends up to 50-percent of the available torque to the front wheels.
Performance-oriented XF models, like XF Supercharged and the XFR, return for 2013 with the same supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 as last year. As anyone who’s driven one of these cars will tell you, that’s a very good thing indeed.
2013 Jaguar XJ with Instinctive All Wheel Drive – Image: Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar’s XJ lineup sees some changes for 2013 as well. The base engine is now the supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, and Instinctive All Wheel Drive is an available option on V-6-equipped XJ models. Topping the range for 2013 is the limited production, $155,875 XJL Ultimate, which packs a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 510 horsepower under its hood. Billed as a “High Performance Bespoke Limousine,” the XJL Ultimate is all about rear seat passenger comfort with features like massaging rear seats, rear seat infotainment system, a beverage chiller and a custom, machined aluminum table. Only 30 will be imported into the United States, making the XJL Ultimate a rare sight at yacht clubs nationwide.
