Jaguar’s XE Sportbrake is nearly inevitable … and here’s what it could look like

By Andrew Hard October 14, 2014

Jaguar XE Sportbrake — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The 2016 Jaguar XE is a bit of a showcase car, as the modular platform that supports the 3 Series fighter will serve as the base for many future Jaguars. It makes sense, then, for the British company to create multiple variants of the XE to demonstrate the compact executive’s flexibility.

Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum clearly feels the same, and he confirmed those thoughts in an interview with CarAdvice last week.

“Put it this way: I know what a wagon would look like, I know what a coupe would look like … and I know what a long-wheelbase would look like,” he said.

Well, thanks to Dutch artist Remco Meulendijk, so do we, at least partially.

The crimson red XE Sportbrake rendering uses the same quarter window design as the larger XF Sportbrake, and its roof gently slopes down toward the rear door. Imagined in XE S performance trim, the digital concept also uses the same flower-shaped alloys as the XE S sedan.

Related: Can Jaguar’s 2016 XE mid-size wildcat sports sedan take down the BMW 3 Series?

If greenlit by Callum, the envisioned XE would ideally sell well in Europe and serve as excellent competition for the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and Volvo V60 wagons. Callum warns, however, that a strong “business case” would have to be made before the Sportbrake could be put into production, noting, “Until you’ve got the bravery to get to that sufficient number, it’s very difficult. You’ve got to believe you can sell 25,000 coupes.”

A sporty family-hauling wagon is always loads of fun, but we think it’s just a glimpse of the XE’s potential. With coupe, convertible, and revved-up Special Operations version of the car possible, we’ll be waiting in the wings for the fertile XE family to grow.

(Rendering via RM Design)

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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