Manufacturers dressing up their standard cars with the all the superficial bells and whistles but none of the performance gains from top-end high-performance versions is nothing new — BMW calls it the M-Sport package and Audi, the S-Line. Mainly they’re all style and no substance, one option box that never seems worth ticking. Today, Jaguar introduced its own version of a performance-dressed trim level with the XE and XF Sport 300 — with enough extra style to actually matter.
Similar to the way the Audi S-Line cars pull styling from S and RS models and the BMW M-Sport trim borrows from M cars, Jaguar’s new Sport 300 models take from its own S models. But, where Audi and BMW add extra wings and vents, the Jaguar upgrades clean up the look of the car. The standard chrome grille and outline and extra chrome winglets on the lower bumper are replaced with more subtle matte grey accents and deleted, respectively. It’s a stylistic change, but one that’s more befitting of the rest of the Jaguar’s simplified design language. On the inside, you get more brushed aluminum surfaces and switchgear, contrast stitching on the leather and, of course, Sport 300 signage where possible.
As mentioned, there’s no power increase so both the XE and XF Sport 300 get the same turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder engine good for 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Pricing wasn’t announced for the US, but figures from the UK suggest the Sport 300 option will add a $2,000-$3,000 premium over the base trim. Is it worth it? Well, that depends on how far up style is on your list of priorities when it comes to your daily ride. At least Jaguar’s version of the trim makes the car look better than the German options.
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