Jaguar might be readying a long wheelbase version of the XF

The 2016 Jaguar XF recently made its maiden public appearance at the 2015 New York Auto Show, where the car was unveiled in its sedan avatar. And though the company has confirmed that they will be launching a shooting brake version of the new XF later this year, rumours suggest that the British manufacturer will also be introducing a long wheelbase version of the luxury sedan.

The new XF will be available with the manufacturer’s new Ingenium series of petrol and diesel engines as well as the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 diesel and the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engines. The current XF is available in only two body styles – sedan and estate. However, the demand for long wheelbase sedan in some specific markets like China is especially high, high enough to justify the extra development costs that go into the development of a long wheelbase version of cars. In these markets, most businessmen’s cars are chauffeur-driven and the space and comfort for rear-seat passengers are a top priority in such cases.

The XF’s rivals - Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series are already available in long-wheelbase variants. With the new XF L, Jaguar will attempt to eat into the three German luxury saloons’ share in this lucrative segment.