Forget AWD: Jaguar is Sticking With RWD Performance

Apr. 07, 2014 3:45 PM ET by Jay Traugott Industry News / 74 Comments

High-performance driving is always best with power going directly to the rear.

Jaguar is a performance car company, and therefore rear-wheel-drive is a part of that ethos. Fortunately, that's exactly how things will remain for the UK automaker's current and upcoming performance models. In a recent interview, an executive from Jaguar's powertrain team stated that all-wheel-drive is not on the agenda for its high-performance models. In other words, don't expect for there to be an AWD F-Type now or ever.

Competitors such as Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche offer high-performance AWD models, but Jaguar views RWD as the best for the driver and engine to remain properly connected. To counter the effects of traction while avoiding AWD, Jaguar instead incorporates systems like an electronic differential as well as a torque vectoring. Yes, there'll still be some oversteer but it'll be solely up to the driver to balance that out. Jaguar does offer AWD on the XF and XJ sedans in the US, and will likely do the same for the upcoming XE and production-spec C-X17 crossover. But when it comes to high-performance versions of those models, AWD still won't be in the mix.