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2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged - the big cat can run!
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The Jaguar growler really has something to growl about! (Rick Trawick photo)
Jaguar’s recent history is a tangled one. Purchased by Ford in 1989, purists were convinced that Jaguar would become just another badge-engineered Ford and lose all the “Jaguarness” that made the cars so special. And if we conveniently forget about the X-Type for a while, the dire predictions did not occur. What did happen was within two years, Ford’s money and focus on quality (something never quite learned by the folks in Coventry) turned Jaguar and the then current XJ6 into a world-class sedan.
But then things turned problematic for Ford. On one hand, they wanted a world-beater in the luxury sedan market. On the other, they didn’t want to lose the cachet that made up the mystique of Jaguar. So they played it safe, first creating the mid-sized S-Type to recall the famous Mark 2 of the sixties and then complete redesigning the XJ in a way that nobody could tell they had changed it. The S-Type looks were designed with many Mark 2 styling cues that for many, didn’t seem fresh and new. Designed to take on the BMW 5-Series, the S-Type was too soft, even in supercharged R form, for the motoring press to fully jump onto the Jaguar bandwagon. Even the all new XJ with its silky smooth 4.0 V8, all-aluminum space frame body, sophisticated and reliable electronics and a chassis that was on par with the best of Europe had trouble attracting attention.
So the folks at Jaguar, with Ford’s money, went back to the drawing board for the S-Type’s replacement. No longer would they be tied to “classic” Jaguar styling, the challenge was to evolve Jaguar into the 21st century. The engine package that had been developed for the XJ and S-Type was sound, but the chassis would undergo considerable work to bring it in league with the best of the best. The results are the Jaguar XF. But just as the XF was ready to be unleashed, Ford’s money problems caught up with them. A management change at the top of Ford brought new thinking with a cold reality, Ford needed cash, Jaguar had to go.
Tata Motors of India would like to think they were in the right place at the right time in 2007. Ford had done all of the heavy lifting, money wise, and Tata was going to be able give them the cash they were desperate for and to reap the benefits. So they plunked down the money and got both of Ford’s fabled British marques, Jaguar and Land Rover. If only the world economy would cooperate.
Why? Because the XF is a great car. It deserves to be noticed and succeed. The body is certainly the most un-Jaguar Jaguar to ever come from England. But yet, at least from the front ¾ view it is instantly recognized as a Jaguar. The rear view is a different story, with almost everyone who saw our Frost Blue sedan having to look at the nameplate before recognizing it was a Jaguar. Inside the warm and cozy interior is very inviting. The typical Jaguar wood dash is largely a brushed aluminum panel accented with a wood surround. The wood continues into the console that is largely smooth and flat save for the start button beckoning to be pushed. Press it and you are greeted by a short song-and-dance (Jaguar calls it the handshake) as the round transmission shift knob rises from its flush position in the console and the face-level A/C vents rotate open. A center-mounted color touch-screen display controls most interior functions but there are separate radio and HVAC buttons to save going through multiple computer screens just to change the temperature. While on the subject, the HVAC system features dual zones, heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel for those extra cold mornings. The Bowers & Wilkens sound system is complete with 14 speakers and an iPod interface so if you can’t find anything on the Sirius satellite radio you won’t be without tunes.
But the interior accoutrements and sound system are not what we are here for. Push that start button and the 420 horsepower, 4.2 liter supercharged V8 is brought to life. Dial up D on the JaguarDrive selector knob and hang on. Punch the throttle and you are instantly thankful for the traction control system saving the tires from melting in a squealing burnout. Acceleration comes with a vengeance and will continue far beyond legal limits. On a recent opportunity to track test the XF I found it still pulling strong when I had to lift at 130 mph to make the turn at the end of the straight. Twist the shifter dial to S to engage the sport mode which holds automatic shifts to the redline and offers manual control of the ZF 6-speed via wheel mounted paddle shifters. Clicking the downshift paddle gives the throttle a quick blip as the transmission goes down through the gears, your friends will be impressed with you heal-and-toe prowess until they realize you aren’t working a clutch pedal. In the Jaguar tradition, the handling is equal to the task requested by the powertrain and driver. The ride is comfortable and controlled but fully confidence inspiring when the road gets twisty. The big, 20” wheels and sticky tires grip the road but also allow room for massive disk brakes that can haul the car down from speed so quickly it leaves you hanging by the seat belts.
It used to be that Jaguars were competent cars that made up for their performance shortcomings with traditional British warmth and style. The XF maintains the luxury one expects in a Jaguar while delivering all the performance from the fine German marques. Tata Motors has landed quite a catch. Jaguar has done the hard work to bring out a sedan in a crowded market segment that looks stunning and performs magnificently. Now if the economy will cooperate, Jaguar looks to have a bright future indeed.
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