Times have been a-changing at Jaguar in recent times, so the latest initiative isn't surprising. But, to those of us of a certain age, an estate doesn't seem part of the leaping cat's ethos.
Big estates, like those of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Saab, are essential in a prestige line-up, so Jaguar is only doing catch-up after over 80 years in business.
For the moment, the estate configuration comes only with the X-Type. The range includes two- and four-wheel-drive models with a choice of 2, 2.5 and 3-litre V6 petrol engines plus a 2-litre diesel unit. They go on Irish sale early next month.
The premium over the saloon will be around €3,000, says Jaguar Ireland's Tony Neville,. With the entry-level 2-litre diesel priced at €39,000, that means the estate family takes off from €42,000. That also means a €3,500 advantage on an arch-rival, the BMW 320d Touring - for the Mercedes C200 Cdi estate, the gain nudges €4,000.
Jaguar is confident that estate derivatives will grow its business, although by what volume remains unclear. At the international launch, we heard that the combination of diesels and estate body has given the marque 69 per cent appeal in the compact prestige segment. More important is Jaguar's research showing estate buyers are usually younger than saloon buyers.
We noticed no differences in road behaviour between the estate and saloon and the saloon's largely impressive dynamics are faithfully replicated. Our experiences included the 2-litre diesel which also does duty in the Ford Mondeo TDCi.
While it doesn't have the same bhp output as the 320d (128 compared with the BMW's 150), it has exactly the same torque characteristics (244lb ft at 1,800 rpm). More endearing for many is the Jaguar's 48.7 mpg.
The raison d'être of estates is accommodation and extra carrying space. When the split-fold rear seats are dropped, boot capacity increases from 445 to 1,415 litres. There are thoughtful touches too. Beneath the carpeted floor of the load area, there's a well into which a laptop will fit neatly - and there's a charging socket. A clever touch is a two-piece hatch arrangement: you need only release the upper glass area for smallish items going into the rear.
Like the saloon, the X-Type estate is less than perfect on rear passenger space. It at least offers more headroom, given that it has a less curved profile at the rear.
Aesthetically, designer Ian Callum seems to have done a good job, and the estate's credentials include standard roof rails. "Some people think it's just a matter of tacking on an extra bit. Far from it. You have to match elegance with practicality. We had to have completely new rear doors, new windows and their frames."