Every future Jaguar will be developed with all-wheel drive capability engineered into the architecture, global brand director Adrian Hallmark has revealed.
"I can't think of any model that wouldn't benefit from not having the option of it," said Hallmark at the launch of the XF and XJ 3.0 V6 all-wheel drive models, Jaguar's first.
The XF and XJ had only ever been engineered as rear-wheel drive cars, but Jaguar took the decision to respond to market demands from the likes of the US snow belt states and Canada for all-wheel drive cars when developing its new 3.0-litre V6 engine.
No other Jaguar engine will be mated to all-wheel drive technology due to the engineering costs versus return on investment. It is for this reason the all-wheel drive technology will not be engineered for right-hand drive and sold in the UK, a market where demand for V6 petrol saloon cars with all-wheel drive is tiny.
But in developing future models, Jaguar will be able to plan and engineer in its all-wheel drive technology right from the outset.
"At the moment, we can't take the full grid of engines, models and drivetrains and tick every box and offer them all. We have to prioritise. In the future, we know what it takes to get all-wheel drive," said Hallmark.
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Snowbelt
That should please many in the Snowbelt regions.
4wd diesel in the UK
So anyone needing a diesel with 4wd capability in the UK will have to buy a Land Rover ?
Seems a strange marketing policy to me - even a statement of future intent would be better than the current "ostrich" policy.