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2014 Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake

We'd consider giving up vital organs for the opportunity to drive any number of vehicles on the Nürburgring: supercars, racecars, track cars, even hot hatches... but a station wagon? That might not seem like a top choice at first blush, but this is no ordinary wagon. This is the Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake.
Now if that name leaves you scratching your head, there are several good reasons for that - not least of which is the unfortunate reality that, unlike so many performance-oriented crossovers and sport-utes, the Sportbrake is not offered in North America. But suppose it were, or that weren't a factor. You'd likely still be left wondering how the name Jaguar ended up on a station wagon in the first place, and how that machine wound up bearing the letters R-S, the suffix affixed only to Coventry's most hardcore performance models.
Our brief story goes back a little over two years to when Jaguar revealed the XF Sportbrake at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, giving its mid-level sedan an elongated roof and added cargo capacity. The Sportbrake may not be the first wagon to wear the Leaping Cat badge, but following the lamentable X-Type Sportwagon, it could be argued that the XF is the first authentic Jag estate.

Jaguar I-Pace gets discreet nip-and-tuck in global markets

Jaguar has given the I-Pace, its first series-produced electric model, a round of minor visual and packaging updates. The crossover gets a nip-and-tucked front end, additional paint options, and in some markets a restructured trim level hierarchy, among other small changes. The biggest design update is positioned front and center — literally. The new-look I-Pace receives a smooth insert that replaces the grille-like trim fitted to the outgoing model. It's finished in Atlas Gray, and this color also appears on the trim pieces positioned on either end of the lower part of the front bumper. Jaguar also fitted a black and silver emblem to the front end, and it changed the color of some exterior trim pieces from black to gray. The company explains that it made those changes to simplify the I-Pace's design while reducing visual mass. Most of the remaining design changes are subtle: Every I-Pace trim level now comes standard with diamond-turned wheels, and some variants get a Black Pack that adds gloss black exterior trim. Finally, Eiger Gray and Carpathian Gray join the palette of available colors. We're still waiting for the hot-rodded I-Pace that Jaguar alluded to in 2019. In the meantime, the global range includes three trim levels called R-Dynamic S, R-Dynamic SE, and R-Dynamic HSE, respectively. Buyers in England can also select a range-topping model called 400 Sport. It doesn't sound like Jaguar made major drivetrain changes. Power comes from a pair of electric motors (one per axle) that zap the four wheels with 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque. Jaguar quotes a 4.5-second sprint from zero to 60 mph, and the 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack holds enough electricity to deliver up to 246 miles of range with 20-inch wheels, or 217 miles with 22-inch wheels. Jaguar hasn't announced the aforementioned changes for the American market yet; as of writing, they apply exclusively to models sold on the European market. We've reached out to the company for additional details, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Frankfurt Motor Show Notes: Why Jaguar decided to build an SUV

It was inevitable. Jaguar had to make an SUV, and that notion became reality this week with the debut of the F-Pace, an all-wheel-drive five-seater that will launch in the United States next spring. Some purists may cringe. But in an era when Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and other traditional luxury brands are all building or (planning to build) SUVs, Jaguar had to evolve. While it seems like a leap for Jaguar to make an SUV, longtime design director Ian Callum said it's been in the works for years. "The first time I was asked the question was when I arrived 16 years ago," he said. So in 1999 (and probably well before that), Jaguar was already thinking SUV. What took so long? "It wasn't a priority," Callum said. Jaguar was concentrating on fixing its existing lineup, which was pockmarked with holes and poorly selling products, like the X-Type. Along the way, Jaguar and sister brand Land Rover were sold by Ford to Indian conglomerate Tata Motors. Flash forward several years, and Jaguar and Land Rover are both experiencing a resurgence in the United States and around the world. Jaguar's lineup is flush with the E-Type's modern successor, the F-Type, plus a new version of the XF. The XJ received a 2016 freshening, and the smaller XE sedan is on the way. Jaguar put its house in order as other factors conspired to make a crossover timely. Fuel prices stayed relatively low, and consumers in the US and China remained steadfast in their love for utility vehicles of all stripes. Making a Jaguar SUV became a priority. "The world was telling us in no uncertain terms this is what they wanted," Callum said. "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." Jaguar proved its intent two years ago when it revealed the C-X17 crossover concept at Frankfurt, and the final production model is close to the prototype's striking looks. "I thought we managed to maintain that spirit," Callum said. It's a true Jaguar, with cues from the F-Type, 1968 XJ, and other famous models. Who would have thought Jaguar would make an SUV? "I certainly didn't," Callum admitted. But the F-Pace is here. If Callum is okay with it, purists can be, too. Quick Hits Opel retrenches for 2016 and beyond Opel used the Frankfurt show to display its new generation of the Astra, a critical vehicle line for the German division of General Motors.