Will they and when?

 

I don't think the XJ's will get an all wheel drive with the V8 engine anytime soon. If anything, i can see XFR/R-S being produced with it, but that's about it.

 

From the AWD XJ reviews I've read, the XJ platform was never intended to have AWD. Making the necessary, and significant, revisions only allowed for the V6.
Imagine an AWD XJ w/ the 550hp V8 found in the XKR-S... *drool*

 

Will the AWD come in the v8?

 

I don't remember exactly where I read it, but in an interview a few months ago, someone from Jaguar said that we wouldn't see a v8 AWD until the next generation XJ comes out, whenever that is. It was too cost prohibitive to try and retrofit it into the current model.

 

Very true, they had to modify the V6 engine oil pan with the axles going through it in order to maintain the same engine mounting location. The V8 won't be AWD until the chassis is redesigned.

 

All the front axle stuff that needs to be put in doesn't fit with the current V8. They would have to re-engineer the whole drive train system. And even if they make it fit, imagine the service nightmare it would be in such tight quarters.

 

it will never happen

 

I always believed that until I just read that the 340 HP V6 is exactly the V8 engine with 2 fewer cylinders. The block size is very similar and so is the weight. Check out the Wiki page on the AJ126:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_AJ-V8_engine#AJ126

 

Back in September 2014 when I was in London for the XE Feel event, I was talking with a member of Jaguar and he was saying that not only are they going to have a V8 AWD XJ, but that they were looking at putting a slightly de-tuned version of the supercharged motor into the car (power at 458 hp as I recall vice the normal 470). There is talk about it. When it will come out, hard to say.