2011 Jaguar XF

 

                      2011 Jaguar XF

 

The cat’s clan has been here in India squatting on its haunches for a couple of years now but it’s still out of its territory. Tata let the cat out of the bag in 2008 but initially there was only aV8 petrol on offer which not surprisingly didn’t prove very popular with Indian customer. Jaguar later on added a V6 diesel and earlier this year it added a 2.2-litre, in-line 4 cylinder diesel engine which is expected to drive sales of the Jaguar XF. The XF has been at the heart of Jaguar’s international renaissance and after a long time did Jaguar eventually have a car that it can genuinely be proud of. Jaguar has prospered post the buyout by Tata Motors as the manufacture now tries to reinvent itself globally with cars which are not only unique and niche but at the same time enticing and accessible in a segment which is dominated by Audi, BMW and Mercedes. With prices of the XF starting from Rs38,10,000 (approx) to Rs50,17,595 for the diesel and Rs62,56,972 to Rs77,49,628 for the petrol ex-showroom New Delhi, is the Jaguar good enough to break the German stranglehold in the segment?

Design

The facelift Jaguar XF was launched at the 2011 New York Motor Show and changes included slimmer slit-eye headlight units with distinctive LED lighting strips. The lower bumper section is redesigned with three airdams. Jaguar’s designers will tell you that at the heart of the XF saloon is the soul of a sportscar. Look carefully at the XF and you know what they mean. There is a sporty aura about the XF with the low coupe-like profile, a low bonnet line, a dramatic nose and bulging wheel arches. The XF is fluid to look at with an aura which makes it competitors look ordinary in front of it. Jaguar has restrained from using the typical executive three-box design and the XF is a car where creativity takes precedence over function. The big silver grille with the Jaguar logo at the centre is distinctively Jag as well. The rear has a high deck lid with slinky three dimensional LED tail-lamps and at the bottom is a black splitter to break up the mass.

Interiors

The Jag’s interiors are a refreshing change from the clinical cabins of the German trinity. There is a sense of exuberance with the starter button throbbing with a dim red light like blood pumping through the car’s veins. The interiors are plush and are neither too sophisticated nor dull looking. The dash is elegantly simple with use of leather, brushed aluminium and wood and there are usual features like the multimedia screen with GPS and a six-disc audio system. Push the engine button and the gear lever rises out from the centre console and the air-con vents flip open. There are other neat touches as well which make owning the Jag a unique experience. The cabin is high quality with good detailing. The XF gets an intuitive touch-screen system which is easier to use than the BMW’s iDRIVE and the Audi’s MMI.
The seats are low and the driver gets good visibility. Space for the rear seat passengers however isn’t as good and you get less room than the competition. Headroom is limited as well and if you plan to be chauffer driven then the Jaguar isn’t the best choice.

Engine and performance

On offer are two diesels and a petrol engine. The 3-litre, sequential twin-turbo, V6 impresses you from the moment you thumb the start-stop button. The refined and smooth engine produces 275PS@4000rpm and colossal 600Nm of torque @2000rpm. The engine is more powerful than the rivals but you do feel a bit of turbo lag. 100kmph takes 7.49 which is slower than the 5-Series and also the E-Class. The engine block is made of compact graphite iron which ensures better noise absorption and the common-rail injection system uses high precision piezo injectors. The two turbochargers vary in size and the larger variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) does all the work at low revs whereas the bigger takes over past 2800rpm. The Jaguar engine uses an excellent 6-speed ZF automatic box with the program and paddleshifters on the steering. The transmission feels direct and immediate and the gearbox aggressively downshifts from high revs. The powertrain is responsive and even in ‘D’, the gearbox instantly recognize the need for a downshift. There is also a ‘Sports’ mode.
The bulk of the sales of the XF however would be driven by the smaller 2.2-litre, 188PS turbodiesel which uses a 4 cylinder engine based on a Peugeot motor and is also used by the Land Rover Freelander and the Range Rover Evoque. The longitudinally placed engine is silent and smooth and the torque comes in early. The engine revs well and the strength of the engine is the Jaguar claimed fuel efficiency of 18kmpl. The engine uses an intelligent start/stop system which cuts off the engine when you come to a complete halt and restarts when you step on the throttle. This system is different to other similar start/stop systems because the engine doesn’t slip into neutral mode and drive is available instantly when you release the brake pedal. The 2.2-litre engine uses an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox with ratios spaced out to provide strong acceleration in low gears and relaxed high speed cruising.
The 5-litre V8 petrol engine produces 380PS@6500rpm and 520Nm of torque @3500rpm. The engine is absolutely brilliant and responsive with a strong exhaust note. The V8 motor revs all the way to 6500rpm and 100kmph is reached in 6.74seconds which is faster than the E-Class but slower to the 5-Series. You feel a strong surge on pressing the accelerator and the engine is mated to a 6 speed ZF box which works seamlessly. You hardly feel any vibrations inside the cabin and there is plenty of low end torque. The engine works well both in the city and on the highway and for an enthusiast not worried about fuel bills, it’s perfect.

Ride

The Jag uses adaptive suspension and has a taut chassis. There is an effortless manner in which the XF corners and the grip from the 245/45 R19 tyres is good. You can switch off the traction control if you’re in the mood for fun and enjoy some sideways action. There is a bit of body roll but the XF settles down and stays planted. While the handling is good it still can’t be compared to the point and shoot stuff offered by the BMW 5-Series. The steering doesn’t have much feel either. The ride quality is supple but the low ground clearance is an issue. For India Jaguar has raised the suspension and softened the settings, so this car deals with bad surfaces rather well.

Competition

The BMW 5-Series remains the choice of sedan if you are looking for an agile and sharp handler. The engines are refined, performance is strong but the ride despite being softer than the previous generation 5-Series, is still on the stiff side. We like the interior and exterior styling and there is also a sense of driver involvement. The Mercedes E-Class offers plush ride and good interior space and the engines are strong on performance and the handling while not as sharp as a BMW, is good enough. The Audi A6 despite the generic Audi resemblance looks the part. Build quality is immaculate, ride and handling are good and so is the interior space. The overall packaging is excellent and the engines are fuel efficient with good performance on tap.

Verdict

The Jaguar XF has a sense of occasion which is its trump card over the German trio. The styling gets your eye rolling and the interiors also make the driver feel special. The two diesel engines are refined and while the V6 is the one to opt if you are looking for performance, the smaller 2.2-litre is efficient and does its job well. The petrol is a sheer delight to drive provided you don’t mind going to the fuel station every other day. The ride is another of its strengths and while the handling isn’t as good and sharp as a 5-Series, the XF corners well. The XF however doesn’t provide as good interior space as the competition and the build quality also doesn’t match the German sedans.
Quotes from other reviews:
Overdrive: “The XF-S though entices me and yet it doesn’t. It looks like a rock star, performs like one and has that sense of occasion that I absolutely adore. But how can it justify being the most expensive in this test and that too by an insanely huge margin? Particularly when the cabin isn’t as sophisticated or well-built or spacious?”