What's this about?
Jaguar has updated the XF range; some variants have been discontinued, there is more equipment and a new model - the R-Sport Black. The SE, SE Business and Premium Luxury trim levels have been dropped, along with the petrol V6 and 240hp TDV6 engines. Prices now start at £33,445 for the XF Luxury.
What about the R-Sport Black?
Based on the existing XF R-Sport the R-Sport Black is available only with the 200hp, four-cylinder diesel engine. The new model can be identified by its 20-inch wheels, finished in black to match the exterior trim. On offer are five standard colour options with one, Kyanite Blue, limited to 100 units. Inside it gets a 770-watt Meridian Sound System, full bond-grain leather upholstery and 18-way power adjustable sport seats. Jaguar values the extra equipment at over £8,000 but the price premium is just £2,100 over the equivalent R-Sport at £38,350 for the saloon and £40,850 in estate form.
What other changes are there?
The rest of the range comprises Luxury, R-Sport, Portfolio, Diesel S Portfolio with the 275hp diesel V6, XFR and XFR-S. All the XF models benefit from the Winter Comfort Pack and Parking Pack including heated seats, a heated windscreen, front parking sensors and a rear parking camera. New designs of alloy wheels are available on most non-XFR models, except the 163hp Luxury versions, which retain 16-inch wheels for the sake of CO2 emissions (129g/km). Luxury and R-Sport models now come with Gloss Dark Oak veneer interior trim. To improve safety there is Jaguar's Blind Spot Monitor as standard on the Portfolio, XFR and XFR-S and optional on the other grades.
How are prices affected?
There are small price increases for the Luxury and R-Sport versions, between £500 and £800, depending on trim and engine. Top of the range models don't cost any more than they did before and the Portfolio now costs £3,500 less; with the new equipment levels Jaguar is keen to stress that the XF is better value for money than before.
John Lambert - 22 Jan 2015