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.
Officially, it's called the "Jaguar handshake," but you'll be forgiven if you start to think the sedan really is alive. A little time on the road in this incredible intuitive "saloon car" will only enhance that perception.
A disastrous decade
"The last ten years at Jaguar have been fairly traumatic," acknowledges Mike O'Driscoll, the British marque's new managing director.
If anything, that's typical British understatement. Things have been downright disastrous. Start off with the S-Type, the mid-size "saloon car," that was supposed to herald Jaguar's revival. It fell far short of expectations, both on the road and on the sales charts. Jaguar fared even worse with the launch of its less-than-laudable X-Type entry-level luxury sedan and wagon. It didn't help that with both cars, it was forced to share engineering and componentry with its decidedly down-market parent, Ford.
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.
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