Jaguar has announced that the XF and XJ saloons will have all-wheel-drive (AWD) variants added to the line-up for 2013. They will be powered by the new supercharged 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine that makes 340 PS, and are due to start production this October.
The cars’ suspension and steering have been tweaked so as to retain the rear-wheel-drive feel and driving dynamics. The AWD system feeds torque to the front wheels to help traction from a standstill, while at speed in normal grip conditions, a majority of the drive goes to the rear wheels. Torque can be split can up to 50:50 front and rear.
However, the AWD models will not be offered in their home country – Jaguar says AWD accounts for less than 5% of the UK luxury saloon market. Instead, the new variants will be exported to the US, China, Russia and continental Europe, where the company says “consumer demand is highest (for AWD) – often driven by climate.”
More than 75% of the first AWD models that come out of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich facility will go to the US.
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