After Ford sold the British brand Jaguar to the Indian group Tata, the carmaker went through a complex process that brought new versions and lost some models.
Jaguar was already back on its feet and considered expanding its range. While the X-type was already dead, the carmaker tried to make a new station wagon. Thus, it could compete against the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake and BMW 5-Series Touring. The result was a failure and lasted only for three years.

Ian Callum designed the XJ’s sweeping lines and adjusted the car’s look for the station-wagon shape. Its four-door coupe styling with a very raked windshield for its class and the curved side panels formed an acclaimed sedan. The Sportbrake, on the other hand, offered an extended roof ended into a Kammback rear, with a raked-forward windscreen and a vertical tailgate panel.

Inside, Jaguar installed the same rotating vents on the dashboard and the dial for the automatic transmission. In the Sportbrake version, the new design led to an increased rear passenger’s headroom by almost two inches, and the carmaker installed a 60/40 split and folding function that expanded the trunk area from 550 liters (19 cu-ft) with the seats up to 1,675 liters (59.2 cu-ft) with them folded.

Under the hood, Jaguar installed a range of diesel engines ranging between 2.2-liter to 3.0-liter paired to a standard 8-speed automatic transmission.