Oh and I do hope you don't now refer to Jaguars as "Tatas"

 

Well, if the shoe fits....

Seriously, Tata just funds Jaguar. VWAG actually builds the Lamborghini and Bugatti from VWAG parts.

Aston Martin is now owned mainly by middle eastern money and is essentially managed by car guys. They still use Ford engines.

Now there's nothing wrong with Jaguar/Ford engines, as it happens. The Duratec and the V12 version had input from Porsche engineering and I think Cosworth was owned by Ford during the development of the V12 and Cosworth had big input to that engine. Excellent engines both the V8 and the V12, and actually that Duratec V6 is one of the World's best engines, very powerful and reliable.

The AJ6 was a better engine than the legendary XK powerplant,the latter was very,very long in the tooth by the time the AJ6 came out. Jaguar would have designed its V8 much sooner if it had not been owned by British Leyland as Jaguar was afraid it's cars would be demoted with the Buick derived Rover V8 last used in the Range Rover and Morgan before BMW power, nice engine but pushrod, small capacity and low specific power output. Built for nearly 50 years though.

 

Jaguar volumes will increase with lower priced smaller engined models but personally I don't like the thought of seeing more XF's on the road, I like the exclusivity. I like powerful motors, they are a source of pleasure for me, I have driven several new turbo 4 vehicles including the 328i and an Eco boost Ford, they just don't provide the satisfaction a V8 does. I'm willing to accept the mileage penalty to drive my V8's.

 

The XF has been for sale with a 2.2L 4-cylinder diesel for a while now, not in North America obviously.

There's a few ways to look at the 4-cyclinders....

1. It will make the 5.0L's more attractive to the Petrolheads, which should help hold back depreciation.
2. It'll water down the prestige & exclusivity of the XF
3. It'll help Jag sell more cars. Cause frankly they need to!

Sales figures don't lie...

Best year Jag ever had was 2002 when they sold 130'000 units world-wide, which included 73'600 X-Types (only V6's at that stage).

Fast forward to 2011...Jag sales global were 52'993 units source

Sales in North America 2011 were 12'276 units source

Of the North American sales, the breakdown in 2011 was 5'303 XF's, 5'235 XJ's, 1'738 XK's, source

UK sales for 2011; 10'373 XF's source, 2'011 XJ's source, and 1'336 XK's source

They are still selling fewer XJ's, XK's & XF's than the peak year of 2002 (S-Type for XF).

Somethings gotta drum up sales, so looks like this is the way to go.

I would have bought a 4-cylinder diesel X-Type if it had been AWD or at least RWD.

But i'll need some serious convincing for a 4-banger XF...

 

So there is about a 12k pound difference for the Jags in the XF line-up in England. Using the UK pricing I'd expect to see the turbo 4's come in about $12 lower than a base V-8.

Anyone else have any good intel on pricing for the 13's? Cambo, I agree with you that our V8's may be depreciate a little slower if the 4's and 6's really start selling here.

Pricing from the UK Top Gear site (on a US server):

23 Jaguar XF car specifications - BBC Top Gear

P.S. Anyone else a bit miffed at Simon Cowell for giving us "Top Gear, the lost season"?
5.0 V8 SC XFR Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £63,980 20E Petrol 292/G 4.70 15 Add to Car Bar 5.0V8 (503bhp) Supercharged XFR Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £63,780
Petrol 292/G

Add to Car Bar 5.0 V8 Portfolio Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £51,380 19E Petrol 264/G 5.50 39 Add to Car Bar 5.0V8 (380bhp) Portfolio Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £51,380 E Petrol 292/G

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (271bhp) S Portfolio Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £49,115 E Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 5.0V8 (380bhp) Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £48,380 E Petrol 292/G

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (271bhp) S Premium Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £46,115
Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 S Portfolio Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £46,030 18E Diesel 179/E 5.90 30 Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (237bhp) Portfolio Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £45,215 E Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 Portfolio Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £43,630 18E Diesel 179/E 6.70 30 Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 S Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £42,730 18E Diesel 179/E 5.90 30 Add to Car Bar 2.2TD Portfolio Saloon 4d 2179cc auto £42,350 E Diesel 149/C

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (271bhp) S Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £42,115
Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 5.0 V8 S Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 5000cc auto £42,080 E Petrol 264/G 5.50 16 Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (237bhp) Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £40,115 E Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £39,030 17E Diesel 179/E 6.70 30 Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 S Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £39,030 18E Diesel 179/E 5.90 30 Add to Car Bar 2.2TD Premium Luxury Saloon 4d 2179cc auto £37,250 E Diesel 149/C

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 (237bhp) Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £36,115 E Diesel 169/E

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 Luxury Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £35,030 17E Diesel 179/E 6.70 30 Add to Car Bar 2.2TD Luxury Saloon 4d 2179cc auto £33,250 E Diesel 149/C

Add to Car Bar 3.0TD V6 Executive Edition Saloon 4d 2993cc auto £31,030 E Diesel 179/E 7.60 30 Add to Car Bar 2.2TD SE Saloon 4d 2179cc auto £30,250 E Diesel 149/C

Add to Car Bar