Skip to main content

You might not see another one of these for a long time. This is a 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake S. It’s a wagon with a 380 horsepower supercharged V6 and AWD. If you’re into performance luxury wagons, this is one of the only ones in the U.S.

So what the heck is a Sportbrake? It’s essentially Jaguar slang for a wagon, for an interesting reason. “Shooting brake” is slang that originated in England for station-wagon-type cars. Since the 1960s, it’s come to mean luxury cars with two doors and a station wagon rear end.

Grille of a jaguar station wagon
2018 Jaguar XF S Sportbrake | Jaguar

The whole point was when the elite wanted a fast car with a long enough cargo compartment to hold his guns could order a grand touring coupe in a shooting brake configuration. Of course cars have gotten bigger over the years, hunting’s grown less popular, and after the mid 1970s, the phrase was pretty much extinct. Until Jaguar introduced its Sportbrake.

In the U.S., you might call this five-door version of the XF sedan a station wagon. In England it would be an estate car. But in Jaguar’s quest to set itself apart, it named this the “Sportbrake.” Never mind that shooting brakes usually had two side doors. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a dope body style. And the 2018 example on Cars & Bids is especially well equipped.

White Jaguar station wagon
2018 Jaguar XF S Sportbrake | Jaguar

Jaguar introduced the aluminum-bodied X260 generation of its XF in 2015. Engine options included a turbocharged I4 or a supercharged V6. This Sportbrake not only has the V6 and an eight-speed automatic, but it puts power to the road through rear-bias AWD. The “S” trim is a sportier version with rear air suspension. This one also had the comfort and convenient pack and the technology package.

The XF S Sportbrake could make it to 60 mph in just 5 seconds. This makes it one of the most appealing sporty wagons around. But Jaguar only sold 250 in North America. It’ll be interesting to see how much this one auctions for.

Next, read about Ford’s Japanese-market Telestar wagon, or see the Jaguar XF Sportbrake reviewed in the video below:

Related How Much Does a Fully Loaded 2024 Jaguar XF Cost?

How Much Does a Fully Loaded 2024 Jaguar XF Cost?

Best in News
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.