This April will be an exciting time for car enthusiasts—and don’t let the April Fool’s fool you—in the case of the 2016 Jaguar XF, at least, it’s the real deal. This is the new take on Jaguar’s now-oldest model, and it’s a smart re-do ahead of the arrival of the more compact XE sedan.
Looking much like its former self, and much like the XE, the new XF nonetheless keeps things fresh, with a coupe-esque profile, a fresh face framed by a rectangular grille, and slim, arcing lights.
The sheets came off the new XF in London today, where the XF made what Jaguar claims to be the world’s longest high-wire water crossing with the sedan (and which you can see in the video below).
Under the hood, there’s a choice of two 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engines: one rated at 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, the other at 380 hp and 332 lb-ft. Both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive will be offered.
The real story, however, is with the structure, which brings all of Jaguar’s current offerings to aluminum-intensive status. The new XF is 75 percent aluminum, resulting in a stiffer chassis that should translate to superior ride comfort and handling, as well as substantial weight savings: Jaguar claims 132 pounds are saved on rear-drive XFs, while all-wheel-drive models save 265 pounds.
That weight savings comes despite an increase in interior space thanks to two more inches of wheelbase. Despite the longer wheelbase, the overall length of the 2016 Jaguar XF is 0.3 in shorter.
Another interesting aspect of the 2016 XF’s mechanical underpinnings: the all-wheel-drive system uses a new torque on-demand design, with a chain-drive transfer case instead of gear-drive.
Electric power steering (tuned with lessons learned during XE development), a new All-Surface Progress Control system (which delivers low-speed driving assistance in adverse conditions), and an upgraded InControl Touch infotainment system and 8-inch display (with optional upgrade to a 10.2-inch screen and InControl Touch Pro), as well as an optional 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster with reconfigurable displays prove the 2016 Jaguar XF’s high-tech mettle, too.
The new XF will be publicly presented at the 2015 New York Auto Show.
via MotorAuthority
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