Spy photograph images of the facelifted version of the Jaguar XF undergoing testing on UK roads have been spotted, and there are strong indications that, the British brand’s updated mid-sized saloon will make its debut later this year.
Set to arrive later this year, the new Jaguar XF will sport fresh with a handful of styling and technology tweaks, offering fresh competition for the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series.
The heavy cladding around this mule’s nose and tail makes it difficult to pinpoint the car’s exterior revisions. However, if the XF follows the trend of the recently refreshed XE saloon, the updates should be fairly subtle, stretching to a pair of slimmer headlamps, new LED lighting graphics, a fresh radiator grille and a pair of reshaped bumpers.
Jaguar’s interior revisions should be more thorough. Each of the brand’s most recent models have benefitted from a massive technology upgrade, moving to Jaguar’s new Touch Pro Duo infotainment setup. The system will replace the XF’s aging eight-inch touchscreen and rotary knobs with a 10.2-inch central screen and a secondary display for climate control functions.
Like the XE, the XF’s analogue dials will be replaced with a customisable digital instrument panel. Jaguar’s “Clearsight” rear-view mirror should also feature, allowing the driver to switch between a conventional mirror and images relayed from a rear-facing camera, giving the driver a wider angle view, which is less affected by adverse weather and unobstructed by rear-seat passengers.
Details on powertrain updates are still scarce, but the new XF is likely to have a similar engine line-up to the current model. Buyers will be offered the same mix of four- or six-cylinder units, ranging in output between 161bhp for the entry-level diesel and 296bhp for the flagship V6-engine petrol model.
A simplified trim level, as used elsewhere in the Jaguar range, is also likely to be introduced, while buyers will be offered the choice of either a comfort-biased base model or sporty, R-Dynamic variant as a starting point.
MIKE OCHONMA
