2009 Jaguar XF Review

If Jaguar made its reputation with fast, luxurious, and beautiful sports cars exemplified by the XK series from the original XK 120 of 1949 through today's XK, it has also built some fine sedans to broaden its lineup. The best-known and most influential was the mid-sized Mark 2, produced from the late 1950s through the 1960s, is a classic today, was successfully raced, and inspired the S-Type of 1998 through 2008. The large XJ sedans, in all their various guises over the years since the nameplate debuted in 1968, have also cemented the company's reputation for distinctive styling.

Jaguar is known for its sumptuous old-English interiors, with leather and burled wood aplenty. That's the XJ, the XF, while incorporating both materials, also features textured aluminum trim for a sportier and more contemporary look. It works. There is plenty of electronic trickery - get in, press the start button, and the air vents in the dash rotate from their closed positions while the JaguarDrive Rotary Gear Selector knob rises from its flush storage position in the console - but that is appropriate for a modern luxury car. There is also plenty of room, as the high sides disguise a roof that is higher than it may appear, and moving the wheels to the car's corners produces ample interior space. Leather is used for the seats, instrument panel top, steering wheel rim, and door trim, with wood and aluminum across the dash and on the console. Plastic is notable by its absence, and what little is used looks much like the aluminum. The navigation system, standard in the Premium Luxury model, has a simple touch-screen interface, which also serves for the audio and climate control systems and trip computer.

With 300 horsepower (at 6000 rpm) and 310 lb-ft of torque (at 4100 rpm), the naturally-aspirated XF engine is by no means deficient. It's capable of moving the car from a standstill to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, and makes wonderful music while doing so. The six-speed automatic transmission helps both acceleration and economy, and I found 25 mpg or better easily attainable at normal highway speeds. Jaguars are known as high-speed, long-distance touring machines, and the XF will shine in that role.

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2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged by Inside Line

Bruised and bloodied, Jaguar's fate now rests in the hands of Indian automaker Tata. The only certainty of its future is that it is uncertain.



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2009 Jaguar XF Road Test

We humans tend to anthropomorphize the things that surround us, from kittens to computers, and of course, our cars. Who hasn't given a name to their favorite sedan or cajoled their SUV to eke out a few more miles on an empty tank of gas?

With the new Jaguar XF, you may have real reason to think it can come to life. Slip inside and you'll notice the heartbeat red of its Start button. As the engine fires up, all sorts of things seem to happen around you - concealed vents rotating into view, while the hidden gearshift knob rises to meet your hand.

A disastrous decade
Next came the remake of the classic XJ sedan. Despite its new aluminum body and chassis, Jaguar's redesigned flagship looked all too much like the old one, and also has languished in the market. Until now, the remade XK coupe and convertible offered the only hope that there was life left in the old brand. While the sports car has its minor flaws, it is a credible competitor in a tough segment. But finally, with the launch of the XF - the desperately needed successor to the S-Type - Jaguar has a no-excuses, no-compromise contender that gives long-suffering Jaguaristas reason to believe.

First, some basics. There'll be three versions of the sedan coming to the States: the Luxury XF, reasonably well-equipped at $49,975; the Premium Luxury XF, which adds such things as onboard navigation, for $55,975; and the top-line Supercharged XF, at $62,975.

The base and mid-line models share Jaguar's naturally aspirated, 4.2-liter V-8. It makes 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, launching from 0-60 in a respectable 6.2 seconds. As its name implies, the Supercharged XF features a blown version of the 4.2-liter V-8 that ups the output to a healthy 420 hp, and 413 lb-ft, and cuts the time from naught - as the Brits say - to 60 down to an impressive 5.1 seconds. The Supercharged has a limited top speed of 155 mph, the other models 121 mph.The transmission is a new six-speed automatic that can be driven in fully automatic, sport or manual mode, the latter using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Some folks will look at the primary Jaguar Sequential Shifter as a gimmick, and perhaps it is, but as mentioned, it's a big improvement over the outdated J-gate automatic, and to our eyes - and hands - much preferable to the mini-stalk approach taken by both BMW and Mercedes-Benz. After a few minutes, it feels natural and looks great.

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