Will Jaguar's New Sport Wagon and European Diesel Be Enough to Rejuvenate the Brand?
With the cancellation of its F1 team, shelved concept cars, closure of plants, and issues with striking employees, plus no profits
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| The future is gray for Jaguar's controversial junior executive sedan, the X-Type. (Photo: Andrew McCredie, Canadian Auto Press) |
Despite a solid albeit small portfolio of vehicles, the traditionalist British luxury brand just can't seem to escape the grip of poor sales not only affecting the sleek and stylish XK grand tourers and XJ sedan, but also its controversial junior executive sedan, the X-Type. According to industry reports, the future is gray for this last one, otherwise known as the baby Jag.
But why is it controversial? Although it's true that Jaguar has shared architectures with other Ford Motor owned nameplates, namely the S-Type with the Lincoln LS, the X-Type used the underpinnings of Ford's European midsize family sedan, the Mondeo, which was previously available in North America as the
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| Traditionalists immediately lashed out at the idea of the posh and prestigious Jaguar name being diluted by association to a bread and butter mass volume car. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
To disguise its humble front-wheel drive roots, Jaguar equipped all models with permanent all-wheel drive, as rear-drive was not a viable configuration for the shared drivetrains. In any sense, the move for four-wheel traction was a first for the brand, but an acceptable decision to most. Beyond the powertrain, suspension and chassis, the X-Type was typical Jaguar, trimmed with wood, leather and featuring styling which aped the traditional XJ luxury sedan, although some complained its interior quality was below others in its class and what was expected in a car wearing the Jaguar badge.