By Ralph Morton

I RECEIVED a hurried email earlier this month from Jaguar. Sorry for the short notice, it said, but could I attend a special briefing of the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake at the Whitley engineering centre?

The answer was never going to be no.

So I snuck my black Audi A6 under the gates of the Whitley Engineering Centre in Coventry and parked up. Actually, it drew a fair bit of attention as Jaguar types sniffed around it – a vital competitor to the company’s Jaguar XF saloon in the business car sector.

But it was the new Sportback that I was interested in..oops, Freudian slip, Sportbrake of course. Ushered into a white studio there was the new car. We were given a brief presentation by studio design director Wayne Burgess, the chief programme engineer Andrew Whyman and product marketing director Damian Lawton.

Afterwards I caught up with them. “The brief for us was to offer an estate car that was fully usable and a viable alternative to the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Series Touring,” Wayne explained to me. Something of a car aficionado, I asked Wayne which was the key rival for the XF Sportbrake.

Discounting the Mercedes E-Class in terms of size, Waye said: “It used to be the A6 Avant. But that’s gone too safe in my opinion. In terms of design the 5 Series Touring is much more exciting. BMW seems to be re-establishing its design language in the post-Bangle era.”

Wayne and engineering man Andy have been working hand in hand on the project for the last six years. Designed at the same time – or at least with the estate in mind – as the saloon, I asked what gave Andy the biggest buzz about the new XF Sportbrake? “I think it’s relatively easy to design and engineer a practical estate car that doesn’t look good; it’s also relatively easy to design and engineer a good looking estate car that isn’t practical,” came Andy’s considered reply.

“But I think to look good and have practicality is impressive. I take personal pride in making sure we got that right.”

Away from the two men at the sharp end of the design and production of the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, Damian Lawton is responsible for getting the car to market. In particular, to the attention of business car managers and company car drivers: “In 2010 model year we got the 3.0 diesel engine for the XF range, which helped the XF’s business appeal. Then in Model Year 2012 we launched the four-cylinder turbo diesel giving us greater access to the business and corporate company car sector, which doubled our footprint in this market. The new Sportback gives us an additional 30% of the premium executive car market. So it’s a vital range extension for us – and I hope one that business users will appreciate, too.”

Damian is something of an evangelist for the brand: “Quality, reliability and luxury are standard in this sector of the market. When you get in one of our cars there’s a coolness about it. And the moment you step out of one of our cars…you want to step back inside. We want to generate the same emotions with the estate. I’m sure we have.”

Is it as good to drive as an Audi or a BMW? We shall have to wait. But a Jaguar competitor is always welcome in a club dominated by the Germans.

Even if my rather excellent Audi A6 was waiting outside for me.

Read the news story on the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Go to Brand new Jaguar Sportbrake extends XF’s business appeal.