Earlier this year, rumors began to emerge of a Jaguar XF Estate for the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. We already previewed the car last April, but development was thought to be stalled. Today, new reports of the project's revival are breaking and it looks like the XF Estate could be on the road by 2012.

The Estate would expand on the already highly successful XF range at its mid-cycle facelift with a roomier, more cargo-capable variant that offers an eminently more civilized alternative to a crossover or SUV--shocking, but wagons do have their strong suits.

Earlier rumors have an XF-R Estate in the works as well. With enough power and style to give even Audi's dashing RS6 or BMW's M5 Touing--both verboten in the U.S.--a run for their money, the 510-horsepower super-wagon might offer America a new perspective on wagons. The standard XF Estate is expected to share engines, and trim levels, with the XF sedan.

Eager Americans ought not to count their domestic fowl before they're hatched however, as the XF-R variant might make a similar move to its German counterparts and sidestep Stateside sales. Barring such a decision, the XF Estate is shaping up to be one exciting addition to an already solid model range.

[Autocar]