Jaguar XF Sportbrake Heading to America; Could It Spark a Wagon War?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Call it a longshot, but two wagon revelations in one week have us wondering if a long-ignored vehicle segment is about to see a resurgence in the SUV-loving U.S.

The latest news comes by way of Motor Trend, which confirms the upcoming Jaguar XF Sportbrake — British newspeak for “wagon” — is bound for these shores.

Speaking at the Paris Auto Show, Jaguar Land Rover CEO Joe Eberhardt claimed the model is a “global vehicle,” meaning North America (or at least the U.S.) gets a cargo-happy Jag that isn’t an F-Pace.

The automaker plans to unveil the XF Sportbrake at an unnamed auto show next year. A production model should arrive as a 2018 model. While he didn’t go into too much detail, Eberhardt claims the Sportbrake adopts aluminum architecture and the Ingenium engines found in its sedan sibling. That likely means a turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine and the 2.0-liter diesel.

The Sportbrake news comes as Buick readies its next-generation Regal. TTAC confirmed yesterday the enlarged 2018 model, due for a second quarter 2017 reveal, will indeed come in a wagon variant. While Jaguar aims for a sporty offering, Buick’s wagon will likely appear as an all-wheel-drive model with crossover pretensions.

Wagons still find fans on the other side of the Atlantic, but automakers have loathed to return them to the U.S. market. And who can blame them? The buying public has increasingly shunned traditional sedans in favor of trucks, SUVs and crossovers. Wagons, once the go-to family hauler, have almost completely ceded their territory to larger utility vehicles.

Is there a chance that the passage of time, coupled with the development of modern vehicle platforms and bodies that don’t inspire narcolepsy, could compel buyers to forget the past and consider adding a wagon to their driveway? Jaguar and Buick sure hope so. When the XF Sportbrake and Regal wagon do arrive, you can bet that other automakers will keep a watchful eye on their sales.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Johnster Johnster on Oct 06, 2016

    I don't know why, but I'm not as excited about this, as I usually am about station wagons. I'm more excited about the upcoming Volvo V90 and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagons.

  • Duffman13 Duffman13 on Oct 06, 2016

    Could it Spark a Wagon War? No, no it could not.

  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
  • SCE to AUX "...the complete Mustang model lineup to peruse"Will the fake Mustang show up, too?
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