Can an SVR-tuned Jaguar XF superwagon give the Audi RS6 a run for its money?

By Ronan Glon May 5, 2016

jaguar xf sportbrake news specs rumors performance xfr s 1

The station wagon segment is shrinking all around the world, but Jaguar isn’t ready to throw in the towel. The British car maker is in the early stages of designing a long-roof version of the second-generation XF, a new report finds.

Like its predecessor (pictured), the wagon will adopt the XF Sportbrake nameplate. It will look much sleeker than the average station wagon thanks to a rakish D-pillar and a roof-mounted spoiler. Inside, it will boast about 21 cubic feet of trunk space with a full load of passengers on board, and about 60 cubes with the rear seats folded flat.

Mechanically, the Sportbrake will be identical to the XF sedan. That means power will be provided by four- and six-cylinder engines borrowed from the Jaguar parts bin, including the long-awaited straight-six units that insiders say the company is secretly developing. Rear-wheel drive will come standard, and select models will be offered with a winter-beating all-wheel drive system.

Take note, enthusiasts. British magazine Auto Express believes an ultra-quick range-topping model tuned by SVR will join the lineup a little later in the production run. It’s too early to give technical details, but the wagon will allegedly pack enough grunt to take on Audi’s RS6, which boasts 605 horsepower in its most potent configuration, and the next generation of the Mercedes-AMG E63, which is also expected to break the 600-pony barrier.

The second-gen Jaguar XF Sportbrake will make its public debut at next year’s edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show, a venue that clearly signals Jaguar’s intent to give its German rivals a run for their money. Its main market will be Europe, but Jaguar has hinted it’s open to selling the Sportbrake in other global markets. Only time will tell if that means we’ll see it in the U.S.

Read more: Jaguar’s head-turning answer to the Tesla Model X might be just two years away

The XF Sportbrake will be the only wagon in the Jaguar lineup. Executives seriously considered building a long-roof version of the 3 Series-fighting XE sedan, but the body style has been canceled for cost and demand reasons.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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