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Jaguar planning two bodystyles for next XJ

As we alluded to in today's F-Type first drive, Jaguar hasn't been selling its wares in China for very long, and as a result, buyers there usually don't have the same appreciation for the brand's history. So you might reasonably think that the company's recent radical styling shift (kicked off by the 2008 XF) wouldn't be as jarring to the nation's buying populace since they really didn't have the automaker's more traditionally styled models from years past to compare them against.
Yet while Jaguar and its sister marque, Land Rover, continue to pick up steam in China's developing market, that apparently isn't necessarily the case. Local buyers there tend to have more conservative tastes when it comes to styling, preferring more upright dimensions, big back seats and larger quantities of traditional luxury materials (think: chrome and wood) than other markets currently find desirable. Thus, the very bold current-generation XJ sedan may be leaving some sales on the table.
According to Edmunds, Jag doesn't want to risk that, and as such, it is preparing two bodystyles for the next-generation XJ - one with the rakish coupe-like styling of the current model, and a more "old-school" three-box sedan designed to appeal to a wider swath of Chinese buyers.

Jaguar's XFR-S Sportbrake looks to be one hot kinschlepper

This is the Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake, which is too cool for North American sale (the Sportbrake, not the XFR-S sedan, which we're getting soon). Like the XFR-S four-door, it has a 5.0-liter, supercharged V8 pumping out around 550 horsepower.
Our spy photographer's x-ray vision is saying that a ZF eight-speed automatic will be the gearbox of choice for the XFR-S wagon, which fits with the sedan, as well. The Sportbrake also has the usual high-performance touches, with huge air intakes in the front fascia, big wheels wrapped in low-profile tires, a dropped suspension and a rear end that's wearing a diffuser and a pair of meaty, quad exhausts. We're happy to see that the XFR-S Sedan's rear spoiler - or some iteration thereof - isn't here to mangle the Sportbrake's beautiful shape.
Where the this super-fast hauler will debut remains a question. There's virtually zero chance of it arriving at an American auto show (although we do endorse that, and any other decision that brings this wagon to our shores), which likely means it'll be in Europe. The Frankfurt Motor Show and Geneva Motor Show seem like the leading contenders, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Audi, Jag, Kia and Tesla top Strategic Vision 2014 Total Quality Index

A couple weeks ago, J.D. Power released its latest Initial Quality Study, which gave high marks to Porsche, Hyundai and General Motors, with the latter earning more individual IQS awards than any other manufacturer. Now, it's Strategic Vision's turn, and it's doling out its praise not to Porsche, but to Tesla, which wasn't even included in the JD Power IQS.
The Model S was named the best vehicle overall in total quality, while Porsche's corporate brother and endurance-racing rival, Audi, was named the best premium brand, alongside Jaguar. Strategic Vision cited the Q5 and the ancient Q7 for individual segment awards, as well as the A5, which was a mere point off the top of its segment. SV also handed out compliments for the Audi's interior work. The win for the German brand is a nice improvement over its IQS score, with which it landed above the industry average, but solidly mid-pack.
Jaguar was without a segment winner, although SV did say that the Indian-owned English brand had a number of vehicles very near the top of their segments. This is the second significant win for Jag in two weeks, after it finished second overall on the JD Power IQS a few weeks ago.