Jaguar issues first recall of XF concept

Not what you expected probably, but we have to play to our strengths. OK, maybe comedy ISN'T one of them after all. Anyway.

Hot on the heels of the slip-up that had a full-car shot of Chevy's new Malibu appearing on the NAIAS website, pics of what we believe to be the new Jaguar XF concept were somehow leaked onto the net overnight. We have learned that it's best to take a wait-and-see approach to these kinds of things and sure enough, no sooner had Jalopnik and a few others gone live with their stories, than Jaguar stepped up and pointed out that those copyrighted pics weren't cleared for release than Car and Driver, who was the first outlet to break the embargo when its February issue arrived in mailboxes and on newsstands a full ten days too soon, demand that any scans of its pages be taken down. But like trying to make a gal un-pregnant, retrieving web-unleashed photos is pretty much impossible. Motor Authority still has a couple of images up if you want to check it out for yourself. It kind of makes us think of the old Dodge Intrepid, but in a modern sexy guise.

This S-Type replacement is so important for Jaguar, so we understand their desire to keep the new model under wraps until its official debut in Detroit. This new XF is trying to go head-to-head with the likes of the Mercedes CLS, while trying to erase the memory of the S-Type from people's minds. Compared to the Benz, this cat has a similar, stylish-but-sporty look to it. Albeit with styling cues that follow the XK's lead. Definitely a huge improvement over the retro S-Type. The tail, in particular, is pretty shapely, and very reminiscent of its corporate cousin, the Aston Martin Vantage. Like our pals at MotorAuthority, we can't wait for the official press release scheduled for January 3rd.

[Source: MotorAuthority]