2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged

2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged
Road Test

By now you’ve heard more than enough about Jaguar parting with its stylistic past and adopting a new design idiom, personified by this handsome sedan, a car whose production appearance has changed little in its transition from the dramatic C-XF concept that was unveiled at the 2007 Detroit show. It’s a car whose good looks are as contemporary as anything in its class.

In terms of sheetmetal, we think it’s fair to call it a success despite criticisms suggesting it’s a me-too interpretation of the Mercedes CLS “four-door coupe” look. But when we say “in its class,” we’re talking about some formidable competition, particularly in the middle range of luxury sports sedans—cars with German accents and distinguished performance pedigrees.

So here’s the question: How does this all-new Jag measure up as a car? To be more specific, how does it measure up as a driver-gratification car? Is this a credible contender for restoring Jaguar’s faded credibility in a hot segment? Or is it just a pretty new wrapper around yesterday’s news?

Let’s start with the foundations. How new is all-new? Answer: It’s newer than some but not an absolutely clean CAD/CAM design file. The XF replaces the S-type, a car that drew heavily on ’60s design themes, and we were a little suspicious when the wheelbase of the new car—114.5 inches—turned out to be exactly the same as that of the old one.

But Jaguar assures us this is almost the only similarity between S and XF, dimensionally or architecturally, and that there is little in the way of recycled S-type structural elements in the underpinnings. The XF is made of sterner stuff, based on XK coupe componentry, though there’s a lot less aluminum and a lot more high-strength steel. Jaguar has been one of the very few carmakers to actually reduce the weight of recent new models, but this is not one of them—it’s 4215 pounds versus 4066 pounds for the most recent S-type R we tested [“Deep-Pocket Rockets,” May 2003].

Increased mass notwithstanding, Jaguar claims a 25-percent increase in torsional rigidity versus the S-type and further, that the XF is best in class in this regard. Considering some of the players included, that’s a bold assertion. But after a couple weeks of terrorizing Michigan’s often-lumpy rural back roads, we find no reason to disagree. The new unibody is as flex-free as the blades on a Hyster forklift.

At 195.3 inches, the XF is 2.2 inches longer than the S-type, and it is 2.3 inches wider, at 73.9. It’s 1.5 inches taller, too, though the muscular shape, added width, wider track (61.4 inches front, 61.8 inches rear), and fender-filling 20-inch wheels conspire to suggest otherwise. With the exception of height, the XF’s body dimensions exceed those of the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, and Mercedes E-class cars.

Those 20-inch wheels wear some fairly serious overshoes—Pirelli P Zeros, 255/35 front, 285/30 rear. With rubber like this, we weren’t surprised at the XF’s 0.87-g skidpad performance, which rates as better than average for this class. But we were pleasantly surprised by the ride quality that came with it. These are very low-profile tires, and while low profile is the right prescription for decisive handling—less sidewall flex, better response—there can be undesirable side effects, such as molars and bicuspids clattering over every expansion joint. But that’s not the case here. Jaguar’s suspension engineers have conjured up a blend of crisp response and supple compliance that makes the XF a treat to drive on pretty much any surface. BMW, the perennial ride-and-handling pacesetter, may do this better. And then again, maybe not.

Jaguar can make a strong case for all-newness in connection with the XF’s body and chassis, but the powertrains are familiar—a 4.2-liter V-8 in naturally aspirated and supercharged editions. There is also a 3.0-liter V-6 and a 2.7-liter turbo-diesel six, not yet offered in the U.S., and all the engines are mated to Jaguar’s terrific new ZF six-speed automatic. The latter offers three operating modes, and its responses in the sportiest setting—sequential manual—are as prompt as anyone could wish.