Jaguar XF 2.0-litre petrol: new $68,900 entry-level model

Priced from $68,900, plus on-road costs, the Jaguar XF 2.0 Petrol Luxury will bookend the range-topping XFR, which carries a price tag of $189,900, before on-road costs.

The new base petrol model replaces the Jaguar XF 2.2-litre Diesel Luxury, which now receives a $9000 price cut for 2013 to $69,900 (down from $78,900).

The new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine is shared with the existing Range Rover Evoque and develops maximum power of 177kW and peak torque of 340Nm between 2000-4000rpm.

The all-aluminium engine weighs just 138kg and is capable of propelling the Jaguar XF 2.0 petrol from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 241km/h.

Jaguar claims the new XF 2.0 i4 Ti petrol variant will achieve an estimated combined fuel-consumption of 8.9L/100km and CO2 emissions of 207g/km.

The 2013 Jaguar XF petrol line-up also includes the 3.0-litre V6 supercharged version with 250kW and 450Nm, as well as the flagship XFR with its 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine developing 375kW and 625Nm.

Also standard across the entire 2013 Jaguar XF range is the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and satellite navigation.

The eight-speed transmission replaces the previous six-speed unit, but thanks to weight-saving gains, there's no weight penalty for the extra ratios. Shifts are executed in 200 milliseconds and drivers can select steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for more engagement.

The 2013 model year also offers enhancements to the car's iPod interface and satellite navigation system across both XF and XJ ranges, extending capabilities and user-friendliness.

The sat-nav system incorporates a dynamic zoom feature that automatically zooms in when the car arrives at a junction, both on freeways and local roads, to the make the choice of route even clearer.

The new Jaguar XF range also offers a choice of two optional sound systems, with the availability of either a 380W 11-speaker system or a high-end 825W 15-speaker Meridian unit.

The 2013 Jaguar XF and XJ models are available from December 2012.

2013 Jaguar XF pricing:

Jaguar XF 2.0 Petrol Luxury - $68,900
Jaguar XF 2.0 Petrol Premium Luxury - $75,500
Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Luxury - $69,900
Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Premium Luxury - $76,500
Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel Luxury - $93,900
Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel Premium Luxury - $102,900
Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel S - $115,500
Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel S Portfolio - $132,500
Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Supercharged Petrol Luxury - $95,650
Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Supercharged Petrol Portfolio - $112,650
Jaguar XFR - $189,900