We all know that Jaguar and Land Rover are closely related these days, but JLR would have been hard-pressed to bring two more different cars to the New York show from each side of the business.
Yep, definitely an XF. Right?
We've already told you pretty much everything about
the new XF
, up to and including pricing and CO2 ratings. The motorshow stand gave a chance to get closer to it, and to confirm that - although it's considerably bigger than the XE - the styling is, on first impressions, very similar. So similar we watched a professional photographer taking pictures of one of the XEs sitting on the corner for five minutes before he realised he'd been taking pictures of the wrong car. He was mildly vexed.
The XF is much bigger at the back - leading to that slightly odd extra side window behind the door - and inside it feels far more spacious than the close-fitting XE. The interior quality feels good up close, and the central touchscreen has a nice, crisp resolution - making us sound like a mobile phone review site here - which is good given the number of functions that are handled by it.
Should prove rather popular in New York
So a thoroughly sensible new Jag then, making the contrast with the
Range Rover SVAutobiography
pretty much total. Land Rover has been trying to find the ceiling on what people will pay for a Rangie for years, without ever finding the limit. This could well be it; clearly the intention as LR design boss Gerry McGovern used the word "expensive" as a positive adjective no fewer than three times during his presentation of the car. The interior is spectacularly over-the-top - including motorised picnic trays - although the show car didn't have the 'event seating' that allows you to sit in the boot looking outwards. It's hard not to conclude this is the Range Rover for people who want to make it clear they are considerably richer than yow.