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Apparently the XF is doing good business for Jaguar, interest in it better now than it was at its launch in 2008. It's been a grower then, which, even in these tough economic times, can sell. Perhaps there'll be a few more turbodiesel sales than this range-topping XFR, which, although offered at a price point lower than its significant rivals, is still only a few quid shy of £60,000. One drive though and you'll see where the money's been spent.
[SIZE=-1]In the Metal[/SIZE]
More elegant than beautiful, the XFR is difficult to distinguish from its lesser relatives. There are bigger wheels, 'supercharged' badging and a mesh grille, but you'll need to be OCD on your details to really spot the differences. That's great for the man who's bought the lesser XF, with each traffic light grand prix a gamble for anyone lining up alongside the Jaguar.
Inside, the mix of technical and traditional is nicely judged, the pop-up gear selector and touch screen being novel - even if the navigation system isn't the best we've tried - and the rest of the interior suitably sumptuous. Seat comfort is tremendous, though rear legroom is tight, but you'll get those oh-so-important golf clubs in the boot without an issue.
[SIZE=-1]What you get for your Money[/SIZE]
Forget all the kit here, as being the flagship; the XFR is fully-loaded with every toy imaginable. No, the key piece of equipment in the XFR is the 503bhp supercharged V8 under the bonnet. It's a glorious engine, with wonderfully linear power delivery, a rousing engine note when pushed and it's mated to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission. Add rear-wheel drive and all Jaguar's expertise in the ride and handling department and the XFR is a very difficult car to ignore - especially given that it's a good bit cheaper than its rivals.
[SIZE=-1]Driving it[/SIZE]
The subtleties of the XFR are evident when driving it. Start up the engine and there's only the smallest ripple of intent with an underlying, but barely perceptible, growl from the exhausts on firing. Dial up 'drive' on the gear selector and the XFR feels much like its lower output relatives. Drive it on quarter throttle and you'd never believe that you're behind the wheel of something with 503bhp and 461lb.ft of torque. It rides well and the weight of the steering is right, though the chunky rim doesn't convey a great deal of what the front wheels are doing through its rim. It's a convincing executive saloon, with an edge.
It's so much more than that though; push through the first quarter of the accelerator pedal's travel and the XFR changes character, the intensity rising significantly with a serious increase in pace. It retains the cosseting nature when doing so, the XFR doing sporting and comfort in equal, convincing measure. Compared to the granite floor BMW M5 it's a deep-pile rug, yet the intensity is no less when you ask the XFR to perform. This genuine duality is what makes it so appealing, the XFR excelling at hiding its potency when you don't want or need it.
This Jaguar will take just 4.9 seconds to reach 62mph, but in its mid-range it's at its most devastating. The supercharged V8 revs freely and the six-speed automatic shifts quickly and smoothly to produce a car that's extremely adept at overtaking - in a BMW M5 you'll be fiddling about with the gears while the XFR pulls away. Perhaps lacking the ultimate focus of its direct competition as a result, the XFR isn't about going fast on a circuit; instead it feels quick in the real world - on the road. Its suspension is executed brilliantly, with excellent control without remoteness. You'll travel faster in an XFR than its rivals purely because you'll not feel like you're doing so; this is thanks to the quality of its ride and body control.
[SIZE=-1]Worth Noting[/SIZE]
The XFR does offer some adjustability in its settings; there's a Sport position on the automatic selector and you can shift yourself with the paddles, but the XFR is so adept at doing so itself you'll only be overcomplicating the driving experience. The same is true of the JaguarDrive control that offers a 'dynamic' mode. We never found it lacking in its standard setting, part of the XFR's appeal being the unfussiness in how it goes about being quick.
[SIZE=-1]Summary[/SIZE]
In the super saloon world the Jaguar XFR mixes executive saloon and ridiculous pace in a manner unlike its rivals. Where they bring compromises for their performance there are few with the XFR. It may not be quite as sharp as a result, but that only adds enormously to its appeal. The XFR is the most rounded super saloon you can buy. That it's cheaper than all its rivals only makes it more appealing.
Car reviews | Jaguar XFR | Purr-fect | by Car Enthusiast
