The XF was previewed by the C-XF concept at Detroit in January 2007. The concept was created under Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum together with Advanced Studio head Julian Thomson and deliberately pointed Jaguar toward a more modern identity.

The production X250 debuted at Frankfurt in September 2007 as the replacement for the S-Type, combining a contemporary exterior with a dramatically different cabin.

The XF made technology part of the occasion: its rotary JaguarDrive Selector rose from the centre console at start-up, hidden fascia vents rotated open, blue mood lighting illuminated the cabin and proximity-sensitive switches controlled interior lights.

A mid-cycle refresh arrived for the 2012 model year. The X250 achieved its strongest global sales year in 2014, with more than 42,000 cars retailed worldwide, before production ended in June 2015.