The fabled British performance brand Jaguar is more well-known for tackling challenging roads and race tracks than making tracks through ice and snow. But, that’s about to change.

Jaguar has announced that an all-wheel-drive system will be offered on some 2013 XJ and XF sedans. Labeled “Instinctive All Wheel Drive,” it be the first all-wheel drive Jaguars since the Ford Contour based X-Type was discontinued in 2009.The news came from New York City’s Highline Park, where Jaguar hosted the reveal, and brought a little winter weather to the summer city streets. For now “Instinctive All Wheel Drive” is exclusive to the XJ and XF models with the new, more fuel efficient, supercharged 3-liter V6 engine with automatic stop/start. It mates to an also new 8-Speed ZF automatic transmission. Jag’s V8, and the new turbo I4, will have to wait.

Given Jaguar’s popularity in the cold, snowy climates of the Northeast, the addition of all-wheel drive to pure Jaguar models seems long overdue.

With “Instinctive All Wheel Drive,” rear-wheel power is the priority, but as the new transfer case module detects slipping, or a demand is made for more power, up to fifty percent of engine torque is sent to the front wheels. ABS is used to distribute the torque side-to-side. With power at all four wheels for its mid-size and flagship sedan, Jag should now be fully competitive with the likes of BMW’s “xDrive”, Audi’s “quattro”, and the Mercedes 4Matic in the all-weather luxury car market.

“Instinctive All Wheel Drive” will be available just in time for the worst of winter, as the AWD XJ and XF sedans claw their way into U.S. dealerships starting in December. And that’s it for this week’s Motornews.