by
Michelle Czarka
I
push down on the accelerator
and my vehicle responds instantly and confidently
as though it realizes the importance of having
a swift and stealthy pass through the obstacles
ahead. It hugs the corners and smoothly glides
over the rough terrain conquering each foot
with grace and strength. We soar across the
Martian landscape carving our way between
the army of soldiers. I concentrate on the
road ahead, a land beyond the reach of these
white giants, where I will be able to break
free of the restraints and express my individuality.
I take a deep breath and brace myself for
the unexpected. What I end up with is reality
but a pleasing one at that.
The Martian
terrain fades from my sight and I am traveling
along the I-10 through the Sonoran Desert.
I am carving my way through the world famous
Palm Springs Windmill Farm. And my stellar
mode of transportation is the all-new Jaguar
X-Type Sportwagon. Yes, I said Jaguar and
wagon in the same sentence. Jaguar’s
first ever production wagon – the X-TYPE
Sportwagon – puts Jaguar poised to pounce
on an new market segment where the big cat
marque has previously not been represented.
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The Sportwagon
is based on the X-TYPE sedan, but with a body
styling and structure all its own. Starting
at the B-pillars and flowing the length of
the roof to the rear tailgate – the
new X-TYPE Sportwagon offers an unrivalled
combination of luxury, refinement and versatility.
The elongated roof dips gently towards the
rear increasing the already plentiful rear
headroom. The new tailgate has a dynamic slope
to its rear glass, and a spoiler - strategically
placed on its top edge where it joins the
roof - helping to give the X-TYPE Sportwagon
a subtle, sporty side profile.
The X-TYPE Sportwagon’s
maximum volume with both rear seats folded
forward is an impressive 50 cubic feet. Even
with the rear seats in use, the X-TYPE Sportwagon
offers an impressive 15.7 cubic feet of luggage
volume to the bottom of the window level,
and 24.2 cubic feet to the roofline.
Split-folding
rear seats allow one, two or all three rear
seat spaces to be allocated to luggage-carrying,
so it is still possible to carry either one
or two rear-seat passengers even with the
seatbacks partially folded. The seats are
released by a simple latch in each seatback,
and can be folded forwards without removing
the rear-seat headrests.
The entire tailgate
can be opened like any conventional wagon,
either from a pre-programmed remote key fob
or via an electrically operated lock, controlled
by a concealed button. The separately opening
rear window can also be opened alone as it
features its own control options. Designed
with the driver in mind, the tailgate opening
and closing is assisted by a pair of gas-filled
struts and opens to a wide 88 degree angle
– perfect for easy use – and closes
to an all-new low bumper top, with very little
intrusion from the completely new rear lights,
which wrap around the new rear body sides.
The spacious
load area is fully carpeted and trimmed, and
to keep luggage securely in place and hidden
from view, there’s a retractable tonneau
cover that rolls out over the load area. The
luggage can also be secured with a standard
cargo net, which can be attached to the roof-lining,
to prevent smaller items like grocery bags
from spilling their contents. Larger items
can be anchored by tie-down straps that hook
onto the four strong, D-rings incorporated
in the luggage area floor. For added security,
a large, molded tray below the rear floor
contains two deep storage sections and is
accessed by lifting the trunk floor on its
hinges. This hidden compartment incorporates
a 12-volt output, making it perfect for charging
a laptop computer or digital camera while
being discreetly concealed.
On the outside,
fixed silver roof rails are fitted as standard
and a range of additional carrying systems
will be available, from ski clamps to roof
boxes, so buyers can select a system that
works best for their individual needs.
(CONTINUED...)
