While the smaller XE sedan might be gathering the headlines, Jaguar’s XF has been completely updated and now comes with a heavily revised engine range.
We spoke exclusively with John Pepperell, senior manager of engine planning and strategy at Jaguar Land Rover, about the XF’s four new powertrains.
2.0 Ingenium diesel
“This is a world-class package of performance, refinement and economy. We get the performance out of the engine by using technologies such as the latest Bosch common-rail fuel injection system and an electronically controlled variable nozzle turbocharger.
“We get refinement from a super-stiff aluminum structure cylinder block and head, and efficiency from the use of friction-reducing technologies, so we’re using things like oil and coolant pumps that are fully electronically controlled, so they’re fully variable for flow-rate and pressure. In addition, cylinder bore is offset by 12mm from the crankshaft to reduce piston ring friction in the bore. These friction-reducing technologies in the new XF give us segment-leading efficiency for a non-hybrid powertrain.
“The 163ps version of this engine that generates 380Nm torque is powerful and responsive and when we combine it with a 6-speed manual transmission, it allows us to achieve just 104g/km CO2. This is class-leading and 24% less than the car we’re replacing the 2.2 diesel. This new engine is also the lightest powertrain in the new XF and the overall package is 190kg lighter than the 2.2.”
3.0 TDV6
“For this engine, we’re now developing 300ps and 700Nm torque that’s 25ps and 100Nm more than the current TDV6. To get this extra performance we fitted a Bosch common-rail 200 bar system. It means the new XF can do 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds. We’re using low-pressure EGR to reduce emissions, combined with an SCR exhaust system to reduce NOx.
“We’re also using our first application of ceramic ball-bearing technology in the turbochargers, which improves inertia and our ability to rotate the turbocharger when the engine is cold. So, when combining that technology with a two-stage oil pump and variable oil pump, we’ve significantly reduced the overall friction of the engine. CO2 is down to 144g/km that’s a 9% reduction.”
2.0 four-cylinder turbo petrol
“This engine has been a proven success in the current XF and we consider it still at the cutting-edge of petrol technology, which is why we carried it across.
“It’s a direct injection gasoline engine with dual variable valve timing combined with twin balancer shafts for refinement. But because the new car is that much lighter, we’re achieving a 7% improvement on fuel economy compared with the outgoing vehicle.”
3.0 V6 supercharged engine
“This engine comes from the F-Type, but for the new XF it comes in 340ps and 380ps tunes. We continue with the twin-vortex supercharger arrangement and that gives us instant throttle response and optimum driveability.
“Couple that with an 8-speed ZF transmission, and you can do 0-60mph in just 5 seconds. Combined with the overall weight reduction on the car, we get a 14% CO2 improvement, so we’re now under 200g/km with this car.”
August 26, 2015