Enough punch to make any cat leap.
A series of small changes is what Jaguar queued up for its bread-and-butter saloon models for the 2019 model year, but with those, the company has also arranged for the introduction of punchier, more powerful drivetrain options for the XE and XF, though they’ll be offered for just one year.
The XE and XF (saloon & Sportbrake) will now be made available in 300 Sport guise, making use of a 4-pot turbocharged petrol mill that produces 221kW and 400Nm, with power going to all-four wheels. So equipped, an XE 300 Sport will go from rest to 100km/h in just 5.7-seconds, before topping out at 250km/h. An XF 300 Sport will do the century sprint in 5.9-seconds, though you won’t feel the difference from behind the wheel.
However, the larger XF 300 Sport gains the option of a V6 turbodiesel. While power is the same at 221kW, torque gets boosted to an immense 700Nm, and all that grunt goes exclusively to the rear. The century sprint time is hampered somewhat though, with 100km/h only achieved after 6.4-seconds, though the long-distance cruising capabilities that the diesel offers will likely be the strongest selling point here.
XE and XF 300 Sport variants gain a number of notable exterior flourishes to set them apart from their more pedestrian siblings, too. All cars ride on either 19- or 20-inch alloys, gain exclusive ‘300 Sport’ badging (of course), and select exterior trim pieces are finished in satin grey.
And inside, you’ll be greeted by ‘300 Sport’ branding on the headrests, floor mats, and scuff plates, with everything hemmed in by contrast stitching around the place.
The larger XE and XF ranges have not been left out in the cold though. All cars now get a new rear-view mirror, additional chrome brightwork inside, thicker carpets, and a new 10-inch InControl Touch Pro infotainment system as standard.
Prices have not yet been finalised, and are expected to be detailed closer to the local arrival of the models in the fourth quarter of this year.
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