Today we reveal our first driving impressions of Jaguar’s replacement for the S-type and its answer to BMW’s big selling 5-series. Roomier, better built and better equipped than before it also showcases a new design language for Jaguar’s saloons. And click here to see the Jaguar XF in action with CAR road test editor Chris Chilton behind the wheel.

So Jaguar finally binned retro design?

Not quite, they just got a lot smarter about incorporating it into a modern design language. The old Jag cues are still there if you look: the grille inspired by the groundbreaking ’68 XJ, the traditional fluting above the headlamps, the Mk2-esque line of the chrome trim above the side window line and the phallic E-type bonnet bulge. But yes, this is a very modern-looking car. There’s a whiff of Lexus about the shape, but the XF is far better looking and more coupe-like than any saloon bar the Mercedes CLS.

I’m still not sure…

Trust us, it looks great in the metal where a three-quarter view of the Aston-like rear end is the strongest angle. That it does resemble an Aston is little surprise given Jag’s design boss is Ian Callum, the man who shaped Aston’s current design language in a previous life. It looks muscular no matter which engine is under the bonnet, but suits bigger wheels (can anyone remember a car from the last 10 years that didn’t?).
continue reading "Jaguar XF SV8"

Today we reveal our first driving impressions of Jaguar’s replacement for the S-type and its answer to BMW’s big selling 5-series. Roomier, better built and better equipped than before it also showcases a new design language for Jaguar’s saloons. And click here to see the Jaguar XF in action with CAR road test editor Chris Chilton behind the wheel.

So Jaguar finally binned retro design?

Not quite, they just got a lot smarter about incorporating it into a modern design language. The old Jag cues are still there if you look: the grille inspired by the groundbreaking ’68 XJ, the traditional fluting above the headlamps, the Mk2-esque line of the chrome trim above the side window line and the phallic E-type bonnet bulge. But yes, this is a very modern-looking car. There’s a whiff of Lexus about the shape, but the XF is far better looking and more coupe-like than any saloon bar the Mercedes CLS.
continue reading "Jaguar XF SV8"

Don’t blink, or you’ll miss the ever-so-subtle facelift that identifies the latest Jaguar XK Convertible: reprofiled front bumpers, mirrors with integrated LED indicators, new rear valance, LED tail lights and colour-coded side vents. A bit less subtle is the direct-injection 5.0-litre V8, up from 4.2 litres and with matching respective 26% and 23% boosts to power and torque. Put simply, the new XK pollutes less than the old 4.2 and matches it for economy, but it’s about as quick as the old supercharged XKR.

Blimey – this new Jaguar XK Convertible sounds quick. It must be expensive then.

This thing is way faster than it looks, especially in the golf-sweater blue with slacks-cream leather trim of our test car, but go for standard spec and you’re looking at Merc SL350 money (the Merc’s a mere V6). Even in swanky top-spec Portfolio trim it undercuts the SL500 (a good match for power and torque; Jag beats Merc on economy and emissions) by more than six grand. Jaguar’s carrying on in the old E-type tradition of offering speed and sex appeal to die for without charging the most for it.

So, how does it drive then?

Depends how you want it to drive. There’s a new XF-style cylindrical gear selector that rises from the centre console when you hit the Start button. Turn it to D and you’ll waft around in the torque-heavy Jag tradition, accompanied by a surprisingly strident and characterful V8 soundtrack, that’s been specially engineered-in. There’s ample go, but the auto-box tends to avoid shifting down unless you’re really insistent, preferring instead to suggest that you simply rely on that flow of torque.

Fancy more oomph? Shift the selector clockwise to S, so the new six-speeder is more inclined to kickdown and will hang on to gears much longer, allowing you to better control your approach to bends. And if it’s still not sharp enough, reach for the excellent paddles instead and do it yourself.

Does it have the trad Jag ride?

Like the XF, the XK is surprisingly firm over the tarmac. Never uncomfortable or jarring, just not soft. The steering is direct and quite light, not over-burdened with feel but possessed of clarity and linearity. And it’s perfect for making the type of swift yet relaxed GT-style progress that all the best Jags are famous for.
But there’s a Dynamic Mode, accessed by a chequered flag switch on the centre console. Hit this and the whole caboodle tightens and tautens, meaning there’s a proper B-road attack on the cards any time an appropriate road presents itself.

With the gearbox in S, it feels a perfectly natural way to travel, even when you’re at a high-speed cruise on an A-road. The ride’s a touch firmer as a result, but the damping’s tauter to match. Basically, the Jag does the Jag things really well and offers an extra touch of German-style sports car-ness too.

And what about the Jag luxury thing?

Goes without saying. In Portfolio spec, you get stitched leather over every interior surface, textured aluminium dash panels and an ebony centre console. It strikes a balance in ambience between the overt modernity of the XF and the outgoing XJ’s more homely splendours.

Mod cons are all present, including a highly effective touch-screen sat-nav, heated/chilled seats and a heated steering wheel too (perfect for top-down canters on a chilly spring day). The seats adjust electrically in all sorts of ways (even the bolsters can squeeze you pneumatically), and the 525-watt B&W stereo sounds unnaturally natural.

Verdict

I’m about two decades too young to lust after an XK. In theory, anyway. Fact is, I love it. It certainly works better than a 911 soft-top and it’s much more endearing than an SL. It’s difficult to describe a 70-grand car as good value but, fact is, this car feels as if it’s built like a Merc, finished like a Bentley, and offers a bit of an Aston experience for at least 20 grand less. Almost a bargain, then.

Ok, let’s try to get through this piece without mentioning the credit crunch. It won’t be easy, seeing as Jaguar’s revised XKR is a 911/M6/SL-rivalling, mile-munching supercharged GT costing £72,400, but we’ll give it a go.

In a conscious effort to shake off the shackles of the ‘old man’ image Jaguar is making bold claims about the technology in not only the XKR but also the new XFR reviewed earlier this week. Indeed, on the launch this week it was impossible to hold a conversation with any Jaguar engineer or employee without ‘Adaptive Dynamics’ or ‘JaguarDrive Control’ being dropped into the conversation every 10 seconds (‘do you want an Active Diff with your coffee?’)…

The revised XKR is 6% faster to 60mph than the previous XKR, 24% faster between 50-70mph and matches it for mpg and C02. Power is up by a whopping 93bhp from 410bhp to 503bhp and torque rises from 413lb ft to 461 lb ft. Top speed is limited to 155mph; without the limiter this is a 190mph car.

So what else in new on the Jaguar XKR?

The revised XKR exploits many of the new technologies also showcased on the XFR – not least the all-new ‘AJ-V8 Gen III R’ direct-injection supercharged 510bhp engine. This snappily named motor is Jaguar’s most advanced, powerful and efficient engine ever.

Matched to an uprated six-speed automatic gearbox (sorry JaguarDrive Control system) the XKR delivers enough performance to give 911 owners the willies. 0-60mph? 4.6seconds. Other tech highlights include a new adaptive suspension system and active differential with variable 0-100% lockup.

The XKR body receives a tweaked front-end including some distinctly odd intake ‘fangs’, a set of de-rigueur LED rear lights and a revised lower rear valence. The styling revisions will split opinion but there can be no doubt that the essential XK aesthetic is glorious. Inside there’s a notable improvement in materials and details too.

How is it on the straights?

Brilliant. Few cars make the driver feel so welcome, so special and so encouraged to drive quickly from the moment they engage first gear. Or in the XKR’s case, twist the JaguarDrive Control selector to D (gone and good riddance to the J-gate).

The new engine is a peach. The sixth generation Roots-type supercharger massages the V8’s essential brawn thanks partly to a redesigned air intake that reduces flow losses by 30%. On the road translation? A beautifully linear power delivery providing huge wallop across a usefully wide torque plateau (2500rpm to 5500rpm). The soundtrack is epic too; a multi-layered, hollow, pulsing V8 bellow accompanied by a refined but unobtrusive scream from the supercharger.

Can it take corners?

Despite the XKR’s aluminium construction it’s not especially light – and at 1753kg it’s 88kg heavier than the car it replaces. However, Mike Cross and his chassis elves have once again worked their genius on the revised XKR – it handles with extraordinary grace and precision.

‘Adaptive Dynamics’ – a Jaguar designed and developed chassis ‘brain’ – constantly monitors body motion, steering, throttle, brake input and wheel position and adjusts the Bilstein dampers to suit. The result is an uncanny homogeny of grip, handling and ride comfort. Select ‘Dynamic’ and there’s a noticeable improvement in body control and pitch resistance; select ‘TracDSC’ and you get enough slip to play Loeb but a useful safety net should your slip angle exceed your talent level.

The mechanical Active Differential, also found in the new XFR, quells understeer as efficiently as it induces oversteer when you choose to play the hooligan. Enter a corner too fast and there’s a mildly frustrating pause as the diff’s electronics figure out how to compensate for your clumsiness, but establish a rapport with the car’s stability brain and you can overcome this.

Ultimately, a Porsche 911 offers a more involved, delicate driving experience – but a 911 can’t deliver the driver to their destination feeling quite so refreshed. BMW’s M6 (too hysterical) and Mercedes’ SL63 (too detached) don’t even get close to matching the XKR’s unique blend of pace, refinement and entertainment. Only Maserati’s GranTurismo gets close.

Wow. Any grumbles then?

Nothing that overshadows the XKR’s essential brilliance – but in the spirit of a fair and balanced review, here goes…. At 71 litres the fuel tank is too small (we emptied it in just under 200miles of spirited driving), the ‘supercharged’ script on the wheels is a little naff, the rear seats are for hobbits, the silver dash material is odd, the steering isn’t as communicative mid-corner as it could be, … and, er, that’s about it.

Verdict

I’m going to have to bring back the words ‘credit crunch’ to emphasise just how good the revised XKR is. Why? Because the XKR can stand toe-to-toe with the best GTs at any price. Fast, refined, beautiful, high-tech and compared with an M6 or an SL63 (not least a Continental GT or a DB9) etc an absolute bargain. How often do we get to say that about a £72,400 car in these times?

Is Jaguar at a stroke about to answer our biggest criticisms of the XF executive saloon? Now the dust has settled after the epoch-bending new four-door replaced the stuffy S-type in 2008, we’ve grown used to seeing the wedgy new Jag on our roads and had time to assimilate the XF’s place in execville.

CAR Magazine didn’t swallow the PR spin and placed the XF behind its BMW 5-series nemesis when we group-tested the XF against its rivals, including the Mercedes CLS and Lexus GS. Our biggest criticism? The XF’s weedy 2.7-litre V6 diesel engine, which was nonchalantly dispatched by the BMW 5-series’ cleaner, brawnier, more efficient diesel engines. It’s a failing confirmed by life with our long-term test XF 2.7 D.

Cue the new family of expanded 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesels arriving in the XF in March 2009 (alongside the new naturally aspirated 5.0 V8 and supercharged XFR). These are important new engines – bound for action in the new 2010 Jaguar XJ, XK sports car, XF, Land Rover Discovery and numerous Range Rovers. It’s an unusually swift engine overhaul for the XF, a car that’s only been on sale for 12 months…

The new Jaguar XF Diesel S: should the BMW 535d be worried?

Well spotted. The higher-powered XF Diesel S is firmly targeted at the BMW 535d. The old 204bhp 2.7 TD has swollen to 3.0 litres in capacity and now comes in two power outputs: 237bhp and 271bhp.

Jag’s not let any journos loose in the lower-powered XF diesel yet, so we’re only able to report on the range-topping Diesel S. It’s a sign of the times that Jaguar launched its first derv model back in 2003 and here we are – just six years later – with a full, Boxster-baiting performance oil-burner.

Hang on a minute. You mentioned the Boxster?

Artistic licence? Hardly. The Jaguar XF Diesel S is claimed to hit 60mph in 5.9 seconds, within a tenth of Stuttgart’s new roadster. And the new V6 has a whopping 600Nm, that’s 443lb ft, of torque from just 2000rpm. Jag says 369lb ft of that twist is on tap within 500 milliseconds of idle. Impressive stuff, on paper at least…

The new V6 employs parallel sequential twin turbocharging: most of the time, a variable geometry turbocharger does all the work, leaving the secondary turbo dormant. But when the revs hit 2800rpm, this smaller, fixed-geometry blower kicks in to provide additional puff.

It’s different from other twin-turbo systems that use a smaller turbo for low revs and a larger secondary blower for the big work – and Jag claims its system, which isolates the smaller turbo from exhaust gases until needed, reduces pumping losses, consumption and CO2. Also helping the headline figures is a new, third-gen common-rail system using piezo injectors operating at 2000 bar for more precise fuel measurement.

Hard figures please!

Don’t you just love modern engines? We’re suddenly seeing power outputs spiral and CO2 figures plummet. The XF Diesel S is no different – boasting a third more power, cutting emissions by 12 percent and supping 10% less fuel than the older, weaker 2.7. Result.

Key figures are 179g/km of CO2 and 42.0mpg on the European combined cycle. Which is a winning combo, until you check out the BMW 535d’s marginally more saintly figures of 178g/km and 42.2mpg. You can just imagine the oneupmanship at work here.

Ok, so the Jaguar XF Diesel S sounds good on paper. And in the real world?

I’m the custodian of CAR’s long-term XF 2.7 D and feel well equipped to judge the accelerative powers of the new Diesel S. And it quickly transpires that they’ve fixed our biggest gripe over the XF’s slovenly performance. This hardly comes as a surprise, Sherlock: wringing 271bhp and, especially, 443lb ft from a twin-turbo V6 means the XF is never wanting for acceleration.

Any gear, any speed, any incline – the Diesel S just leaps forward in that lazy, turbodiesel exec fashion. It might not sound quick, but it sure delivers. The new V6 engines are in fact as hushed and refined as the old 2.7; they’re totally in keeping with this model’s luxury ambitions.

And is it a BMW 535d beater?

That old chestnut… In a word, no. We’re left slightly baffled by Jaguar’s acceleration claims, as BMW says its 535d SE hits 62mph in 6.4 seconds. Quite how an 85kg heavier Jaguar with a 15bhp deficit is supposed to be half a second quicker to the sixty benchmark is anyone’s guess, even with a 16lb ft torque advantage. Delve deeper into the figures, though, and the XF Diesel S hits 62mph in an identical 6.4sec so there must be a l-o-n-g gearchange stretching the higher, continental sprint time.

Back in the real world, the Diesel S simply doesn’t feel to have the catapult thrust of the BM. Where the 535d simply flings itself to the horizon with occasionally worrying vigour, the Jag is merely rapid in most circumstances.

Are we nit-picking? Yes. Don’t get wrapped up in the comparison, because on the road the new 2010 XF Diesel S is a brilliant device. It performs strongly when you want to charge, soothes when you want to cruise and promises improved economy (although we have yet to test this independently).

And the rest of the XF package?

This is no mid-life facelift, merely an engine change. So the rest of our XF verdict remains remarkably unchanged. This is a low-slung, four-door only exec for those who want a change from the Teutonic opposition. They won’t be disappointed. The XF goes, steers, stops and entertains like the exec best and we still love that interior package with its vodka bar cool lighting and pared-back minimalist cabin design.

Verdict

It’s a shame the Jaguar XF Diesel S is going to be compared with the BMW 535d so much. The BM is an extraordinary car, the Jag a merely excellent one. In isolation, it’s a cracking diesel exec that happens to cost £3000 less than the 535d. It might not feel bullet fast, but believe us, the thrust on tap in the new S now means nobody can accuse the diesel XF of being too slow.