by Paul A. Eisenstein

(2007-12-13)

High-Res Photo Gallery: 2009 Jaguar XF

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.

 
The return of grace
 
The sedan isn't quite as exotic as the strikingly edgy concept vehicle Ian Callum and his design team brought forth two years ago. But on the street, the new XF is an absolute beauty. It captures some of the best lines of Jaguars past, including the original Mark 2 saloon. More significantly, XF builds on some of the best features of the latest XK sports coupe. Indeed, one of the most appealing elements of the design is the absence of hard corners.
 
The hood arches up, the twin-lamp headlights elegantly offsetting the trapezoid grille. The hood is also gracefully sculpted, with a muscular bulge at its center. From the side, XF sports powerful shoulders that run from nose to tail. The windshield and backlight underscore the sedan's racy feel - indeed, they're raked at the same steep angle as the XJ.
 
The tail, with its large chromed crossbeam, is Callum's favorite angle, though perhaps the most controversial design element. The narrow rear window does compromise visibility, but within acceptable limits. For me, the problem is the classic "leaper" badge that floats several inches above the crossbeam. Try as I might, I simply can't escape the impression that the classic Jaguar cat has come loose and is in danger of falling off.
 
Retro gone for good 

Inside, this is without question the most attractive car Jaguar has accomplished in decades. The automaker claims it features more wood than any other recent model. Perhaps, but there's nothing heavy-handed, nothing retro about the look. Quite the contrary. It is an extraordinarily modern interpretation that traditional luxury benchmarks like Audi should note well.
 
Okay, so perhaps you think the rotating vents are a gimmick, and one we've seen before - well, those few who actually paid attention to Volkswagen's ill-fated Phaeton. Nonetheless, it's a nice touch, and if the heating/cooling system is off, the vents remain hidden.
 
The center console is wide and functional, with plenty of room to rest your arm - or to stuff away your Big Gulp in any of three large cupholders. Look towards the fore end, close to the steering wheel, and that's where the Jaguar Sequential Shifter rises, like a car-bound Venus.
 
First off, let me say I was glad to see the classic J-gate transmission go away. But a rotary dial? It took some time to get used to. About 30 seconds, if my watch is accurate. The matte chrome knob comfortably fills the hand and while it wasn't entirely intuitive, the shift pattern took only a few turns to get comfortable with. To be safe, Jaguar echoes everything on the center gauge cluster. Meanwhile, there's a pair of wheel-mounted paddle shifters for those who want maximum control.
 
That new instrument package is both handsome and easy to read, though you may wish that night would come earlier. Callum's team has come up with a sleek indirect "phosphorous blue" lighting system that I'd love to have in my own home.
 
There are a variety of high-tech features to be found, starting with an updated version of the touchscreen-based control console. This seven-inch LCD is attractive to look at and relatively easy to operate. You'll still have to go through a couple screens to get from the navigation system to the seat heaters, but it is far simpler to use than BMW's dreaded iDrive or any of the other controller-based systems out there.
 
Depending on the model, you may also find radar-guided cruise control, a rear video camera and blind spot monitoring wired into the package. And for our money, we couldn't imagine skipping the optional Bowers & Wilkins 440-watt audio system. You may want to order a second to replace the sound box you have at home.
 
Kudos, also, for the touch-sensitive glove box release and interior lighting controls. No more heavy buttons to press.
 
As to seating, the front buckets are both attractive and extremely comfortable, as we pleasantly discovered during a 292-mile jaunt around southern Arizona. And by pushing the seats outward, designers have enhanced the sense of front-seat spaciousness.
 
The bad news? While Jaguar engineers might boast about all the room up front, the folks in back are going to have a hard time taking those numbers seriously. With my 6'2" frame in the driver's seat, I'd have a hard time fitting my granddaughter behind me.

 
An XK sedan?
 
If you were asked what images you most associate with Jaguar, we'd bet that "elegant design" and "sporty ride," were two of the first that would come to mind. While the XF is first and foremost tasked with restoring the marque's styling credentials, it must also deliver the sort of driving dynamics that were sorely lacking on the likes of the S-Type.
 
Over the course of nearly 300 miles of driving, during an unexpectedly stormy Phoenix day, we had the chance to experience what the XF could do on a variety of roads and road conditions.
 
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. (You can tap one of them to switch to manual mode, or hold the upshift paddle for a few seconds to go back to automatic.)
 
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.

 
Claws on this CATS
 
The XF shares the basic suspension package first found on the XK sports coupe, with obvious changes to reflect its design and purpose. That means an independent forged aluminum double-wishbone design, with a 1.2-inch anti-roll bar up front and an 0.54-inch bar in back. The Supercharged package adds independent two-stage damping and Jaguar's Computer Active Technology Suspension, or CATS, system.
 
We spent most of our time driving the Supercharged XF, and it took little time to realize it's a very different cat - or CATS, if you prefer - than the old S-Type.
 
Acceleration is smooth and linear. Tip hard into the throttle and you'll feel yourself sink deep into the plush driver's seat. Jaguar engineers have done a credible job of taming noise, vibration and harshness overall, and, to our ears, they've done especially well with the engine. There's none of that annoying gear whine that we've typically associated with blowers, especially Jaguar's, just a resonant roar as the speedo swings.
 
In automatic mode, the transmission is smooth and responsive. In manual mode, it's uncannily quick - Jaguar claiming some of the fastest shifts on the road.
 
The overall driving experience has a lot in common with the XK. Steering is surprisingly quick - taking but a flick of the wrist to change lanes - direct and precise, with just the right amount of road feel.
 
The suspension also puts you directly in touch with the pavement. That may mean a little more tire noise on Arizona's rough pavement, but the trade off is a positive one. The shocks soak up all but the harshest bumps, yet the car maintains a singular grip, even going into the tightest turns.
 
Setting out, on a wet and gloomy December morning, we took some time to see how the car would handle the drenched pavement. By lunch time, we found ourselves confidently boosting our speeds significantly. It would take some serious driver error to lose grip on anything but icy road surfaces.
 
On the whole, Jaguar has come as close as anybody to delivering the sort of sport sedan feel that BMW's 5-Series is best known for. Considering where the Brits have come from, that's no faint praise.
 
What's ahead?
 
We were surprised when Jaguar announced plans to import only the two V-8 powerplants. Overseas, it offers a variety of alternatives, including a 3.0-liter V-6 and a mileage-minded diesel. Jaguar has said a diesel is coming to the U.S., though company officials are cagey when asked where it will first appear.
 
Considering the competition's plans, as well as the reality of U.S. fuel prices, we hope it'll appear in the XF in the not-too-distant future. Meanwhile, we've learned that the current V-6 simply doesn't have the necessary oomph, so it'll take the development of something a bit better before we see a six-banger over here. Since Jag's sales aspirations are modest, perhaps it can wait, but we would hope not for too long.
 
Meanwhile, keep your eyes out for the addition of an even more powerful version of the Supercharged which will likely carry a brand-standard designation XF-R.

Overall, the new XF is an easy car to love. Like us, you just might find yourself hooked from the first heartbeat of the Start button.
 

2009 Jaguar XF  
Base price: $49,975; Premium Luxury XF $55,975; Supercharged XF $62,975
Engine:  4.2-liter V-8, 300 hp/315 lb-ft; supercharged 4.2-liter V-8, 420 hp/413 lb-ft (Supercharged XF)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with paddle-shifters, rear-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 193.5 x 80.8 x 57.5 in
Wheelbase: 114.5 in
Curb weight: 4017 - 4194 lb
Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 18/26 mpg (normally aspirated V-8); 17/23 mpg (supercharged V-8)
Safety features: Anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control; dual front, side, and curtain airbags; tire pressure monitors
Major standard features: AM/FM/Sirius/six-CD audio system; keyless entry with alarm; alloy wheels; Bluetooth connectivity, bi-xenon headlamps; rain-sensing intermittent wipers; dual-zone automatic climate control; power tilt/telescoping wheel; power leather seats; heated front and rear seats; power windows/locks/mirrors
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles