Jaguar Nashville

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Driving Impressions

The new Jaguar XF measures up to the best cars in its class in just about every respect, and its over-the-road performance is excellent.

From the driver's seat, the XF delivers everything we like about medium-sized sport-luxury sedans. The supercharged model in particular leans toward the sporty end of the spectrum, with the BMW 5 Series and sport-tuned versions of the Audi A6, rather than the softer, cushier end. The XF is smooth, fast, and responsive, but also quiet and comfortable. Its six-speed automatic transmission might be the best in any luxury car anywhere, and contributes considerably to the enjoyable driving experience. Perhaps best of all, the XF has lots of those subtle little characteristics that some reviewers might call soul.

All XFs have proximity keys, so the doors can unlock themselves. When the driver sits down the start button on the center console pulses red. Press it and, as the V8 draws its first breathes of air, cutouts in the aluminum dash panel rotate to expose four vents. At the same time, a milled aluminum shift dial rises out of the console, ready to rotate three clicks for Drive or four if the driver prefers to shift manually with paddles on the steering column. This introduction is engaging, and perhaps a bit showy, but it's a great way to begin the job at hand. This handshake, as Jaguar calls it, reminds occupants that, while they might be ensconced in a quiet, comfortable cocoon, driving remains an interactive and sometimes demanding process. After the handshake, the soft purr of the engine at idle will leave you anticipating what lies ahead.

The 4.2 liter V8 comes naturally aspirated or supercharged. Both engines are updated versions of those used in Jaguar's S-Type sedan (which the XF replaces), with reinforced engine blocks to reduce vibration and the latest control technology. The normally aspirated V8 is no slouch in output, delivering 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. With its belt-driven, rotor-type blower, the supercharged 4.2, or SC, generates 420 hp and 408 lb-ft. It's easily the most powerful engine in this class, save those in limited-volume hotrod cars from BMW's M division, Mercedes AMG and the like, expensive cars with expensive engines.

Floor the gas pedal in the SC and you might be struck by what's missing. The supercharger whine is so subdued, compared to previous Jaguars, that it takes a couple of full bursts before the thrust convinces the driver that this is the upgrade. And thrust there is, in long, effusive swells that make you wish every road ran uninterrupted to the horizon. The supercharged V8 keeps pumping acceleration-producing torque from 2000 revs to its 6200-rpm redline, with no climax that suggests a peak. We'd estimate that the XF 4.2 SC will hit 60 mph from a stop in five seconds, or maybe a tenth more. It will go from 60 to 100 mph much faster than it takes a semi to enter two-lane in front of you. Top speed is electronically controlled at 155 mph.

Put another way, we'd guess that the XF SC is the quickest car in a group populated by some very quick sedans, except for the previously mentioned ultra-performance cars like the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG. The SC has, after all, the same mechanical package as the former S-Type R, which was Jaguar's version of the M or AMG cars. Yet nothing in XF suggests a hot-rod quality. Rather, it shoots ahead in a smooth, unruffled fashion befitting a $60,000 luxury sedan. The fuel mileage isn't bad, either, despite the power and acceleration advantage on the competition. Jaguar anticipates EPA fuel economy ratings 17 City, 23 Highway of the XF SC, which is better than any current V8-powered car in the class, and better than some six-cylinders.

The six-speed automatic contributes to the XF's sporting character, using adaptive gear-change strategies based on the type of road and the driver's application of the gas pedal. This transmission anticipates

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