Much of the brand's near-term fortune rests on the muscular shoulders of the concept car on these pages, the production version of which (dubbed XF) is coming to market early next year as a 2008 model.
Insiders tell us the C-XF concept represents "70-75 percent of what you'll see in the roadgoing version." The strong rear haunches will stay. The basic proportions are close, although the roofline will have to rise to meet passenger headroom and rollover requirements. Don't expect to see these $10,000-apiece, custom-milled 22-inch wheels on a showroom floor, but optional 20-inchers are realistic. The strong, rectangular grille that recalls the first-gen XJ6 of 1968 will stay, too, as that landmark sedan is a known favorite of design chief Ian Callum...
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