1989 Jaguar Xj6 Base Sedan 4-door 3.6l on 2040-cars

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2013 Jaguar XF 2.0T

Jaguar is moving to modernize its XF engine lineup - once the exclusive territory of V8 mills - with a range including a turbo four, a supercharged six and supercharged V8s of various potencies. Personally, I'll miss the combination of this smooth looking and driving XF sedan, and the lazy power of the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine, even if the super six has earned some praise in other applications.
The truth is that the four, six, eight lineup for the XF makes a lot of sense, and this 2.0T version of the sedan is far better than I expected it to be. In fact, there's a legitimate argument to be made for it as the XF that works the best for the largest group of customers. Here's why:
Driving Notes

Jaguar design boss admits X-Type was a mistake

History has a way of repeating itself, especially in the auto industry. When Jaguar was owned by Ford, the British brand attempted to field a competitor for the BMW 3 Series, called the X-Type. Based on the bones of a Ford Mondeo, it aped the styling of Jaguar's flagship model, the XJ, while borrowing liberally from the Ford parts bin. That was 2001.
Now, in 2013, Jaguar is planning a new 3 Series challenger based on the platform previewed by the C-X17 Concept, while Ford is attempting to take the latest Mondeo upmarket. The moves have both brands recognizing where, why, and how the X-Type failed. "It didn't look mature or powerful or anything. It was just a car," Jaguar's current head of advanced design, Julian Thomson, told PistonHeads. Basing the X-Type on a front-drive car while giving it styling that was meant for a rear-driver lead to proportions that "were plainly wrong," Thomson told PH. Ford's European head of quality, Gunnar Herrmann, added that the X-Type was "a fake Jaguar, because every piece I touch is Ford."
For what it's worth, the X-Type's successor in the segment will sport rear-drive, with plenty of input from Ian Callum. Thomson described the new model, which would challenge the 3 Series as having, "Big wheels right to the ends of the car, low bonnet, short overhangs, very low cabins." Sounds good to us.

Jaguar to reveal small sedan at Paris show

Small sedans are big business for luxury automakers. The C-Class is the top seller for Mercedes-Benz, much as the 3 Series is for BMW, but Jaguar has historically missed out on that market. Its last attempt, the X-Type, proved woefully inadequate, and Jaguar hasn't attempted to take on that market again since. But that's all about to change.
Coventry has been working on a new small Jaguar for some time now (using test mules like the one above wearing modified XF body panels), and according to the latest reports coming in from the UK, it will showcase the result of those efforts at the Paris Motor Show next October. The show car will take the form of a pre-production concept that is expected to preview the production version very closely before the final item is unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.
Tipped to be called XS (somewhat appropriately for the brand's smallest model), the new sedan is expected to be the first to use the company's new aluminum platform previewed by the C-X17. Expect styling to follow along similar lines to said crossover concept and the F-Type sportscar, with eventual sedan, wagon and coupe versions to round out the family.