Jaguar Adding All-Wheel Drive on XF and XJ in Some Markets

JaguarJaguarUnited Kingdom, 1922 > present53 models
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16 videos
is adding all-wheel drive as an option to the XFJaguar XF Gen.1United Kingdom, 2007 > 201570 versions
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and XJJaguar XJ Gen.4United Kingdom, 2010 > present59 versions
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. The option will only be available in North America, Russia, China and continental Europe for now. 

The all-wheel drive system is only available with Jaguar’s 3.0-litre supercharged V6 that produces 340PS. The cars still use an eight-speed automatic transmission and stop/start.

"Our All-Wheel Drive system preserves all the dynamic qualities of our rear-wheel drive Jaguar saloons in terms of handling, steering quality and ride refinement while adding a new depth of ability in low-grip conditions," said Ian Hoban, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director.

The larger transfer case in the transmission mean that the all-wheel drive cars will have a different front sub-frame, engine mounts and exhaust.

In dry-weather driving the system sends all of the power to the rear wheels. When setting off the system sends some power to the front to prevent wheel spin. When wheels begin to split, the system can split power 50:50 between the wheels. However, during less severe slippage it can send less power to the front. The all-wheel drive system adds a Winter mode to the Jaguar Drive Control that forces the system to constantly send some power to the front.

Jaguar expects that the cars will be most popular in the United States and will allocate 3/4s of the production towards the region. The US is the leading market for all-wheel drive cars in the world. 

Jaguar will not offer all-wheel drive in the UK for 2013 because all-wheel drive cars occupy less than 5% of the market.