XF Jaguar XF Thread (pics & info)

[Centurion]

Ford has failed me. I'm done defending this car, you can all bash it how much you like. Jaguar has now officially lost me as a fan.

 

[Merc1]

Jaguar XF R: the scoop

Only weeks after the regular XF was unveiled at this autumn's Frankfurt Motor Show, CAR Online has caught the first pictures of the R version. Forget the scoop images of the strange S-type/XF mule that have been circulating on the worldwide web - this one is the actual car.

Our sources tell us it uses the same supercharged 4.2-litre V8 as the cooking XF, but tuned to a higher state of athleticism. Breathing more deeply with higher boost pressures, this one is said to put out closer to 500bhp. Right on BMW M5 money, then.

What makes you think this is the R version?

This prototype has various telltale signs suggesting this is the musclebound R. Every version seen so far has twin tailpipe exhausts, whereas this model sports quad pipes at the rear; the ride height is noticeably lower; the mesh grille is menacingly blackened; and those huge five-spoke alloys are a) vast (every XF was designed to wear 20in rims, claims design boss Ian Callum) and b) wrapped around very serious-looking ventilated discs.

Perhaps most telling of all was the rather panicked voice in Coventry when we asked Jag's press handlers about the new spy photos that have just landed in our intray. 'No comment' was order of the day.

Our man on the ground who took the photos near Jag's engineering HQ is certain it's the R, too. 'It didn't sound like any other XF I've photographed in the past year,' he told us. The balance of evidence makes us agree.

So when can we buy the new XF R?

Humdrum 2.7 V6 diesel and petrol V6 and V8 models don't go on sale until March 2008, so you're looking at a somewhat longer wait for the high-performance version. We reckon the hot one will be shown at a motor show in late 2008, with sales kicking off in early '09. It should be one of the fastest four-doors on sale, with pace to challenge the Merc E63, Audi RS6 and BMW M5.

All this is dependent on the sale of Jaguar, of course. We're still waiting to see which suitor eventually buys the Coventry firm. But that's not stopping the engineers honing this, the most eagerly anticipated sports saloon to wear the leaping cat badge for years.

The XF's styling has split opinion like few other Jags (people either love it or hate it on CAR Online), but we're expecting it to be a sharp drive. If there was one thing that didn't need fixing on the S-type with which it shares mechanicals, it was the poised chassis and excellent drivetrain. Let's hope they don't lose anything in translation.


Jaguar XF R - Secret New Cars - Carmagazine.co.uk


M

 

[Monster]

I don't know the reason why, but the XF looks so much better on the road.

 

[vabboud]

top gear has already hailed it as the all conquering executive sedan, they siad it has best chassis, best ride, best drive and best interior, with an all encompassing brittish attitude, and all that without even driving it
God this must be the new best car in the world!

 

[NarutoRamen]

^^Saying Top Gear is highly biased towards anything from Britain would be an understatement of exponential proportions.

 

[vabboud]

common naruto! do u believe what you are saying?
top gear biased towards crappy brittish cars? God in Heaven, what are you smoking give me some!

 

[Merc1]

Press Release:

JAGUAR’s FIRST XF ROLLS OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE

Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, 26 November 2007 – Today marked the beginning of an exciting new era for Jaguar Cars as the first Jaguar XF rolled off the production line at the company’s Castle Bromwich plant.

The XF, which is available to order now, has already been heralded by some of the UK’s most influential motoring publications for its stunning new design language, winning Autocar magazine’s ‘Design of the Year’ award and the ‘Interior of the Year Award 2007′ from CAR magazine.

The first production car, a Vapour Grey 4.2 litre SV8 has been donated to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection and will go on display alongside some of Jaguar’s most prestigious and memorable vehicles ranging from the oldest surviving Daimler, the 1897 Grafton Phaeton to the stunning 1974 E-Type – the last ever built.

More than 500 employees from the plant gathered to watch Sir William Lyons’ grandson, Michael Quinn, drive the car off the end of the Trim and Final production line. He said: “My Grandfather would have been immensely proud today. The new XF is a car that truly represents the core values which have lain at the heart of this great brand since its foundation in 1922 and I am thrilled to have been asked here today to witness this historic event from the best seat in the house!”

Jaguar has invested significantly in the new facility at the Castle Bromwich plant to ensure that the new XF is built to even higher standards than the S-TYPE – a car that was widely recognised for its excellent build quality and performance. Commenting on the introduction of this new model, Richard Else, Operations Director at Castle Bromwich, said: “Today is a significant milestone for Jaguar and a very proud moment for the Castle Bromwich team who have worked tirelessly to ensure this car delivers the highest levels of quality and refinement customers have come to expect from Jaguar.”

The Jaguar XF will be exported from Castle Bromwich to 66 markets worldwide with the first UK customers taking delivery of their cars in March next year. The range starts with the Luxury 2.7 litre diesel at £33,900 rising to £54,900 for the 4.2 litre Supercharged ‘SV8′.

Hooray! First Jaguar XF rolls of the production line

M

 

[Merc1]

Better pics of the first XF off the line:







First Jaguar XF Rolls Off Production Line

M

 

[GTA45E]

I have examined the design aspects of this car, for the love of God I just can`t swallow it. Something about the design is very downscaled, like it could fit the newer Mazda designs. The Lexus designers have managed to pull off a more upscale design with the GS models than this letdown!

It simply lacks the power-status symbol of Jaguar! my god! what were the designers thinking!! the design is just laughable!

no.. I wasn`t too excited about the concept but the production version sucks a lot!!

 

[Osnabrueck]

After seeing this car in person at the LA auto show my hopes for the XF are somewhat scaled-down. This is taking the new efforts by Lincoln and Cadillac into consideration - equally hungry brands which are beginning to fire back with credible product.

My problem - like the XK - lies in the headlights. They're obtuse. I thought this would sort itself out when seen in person, but that wasn't the case. In real life, they still look awkward and ill-considered. Many aspects of the car are impressive, but it's not always singing with the same cultured voice, so I'm not convinced.

I think, unfortunately, this will be a hot seller for only one year. Beyond that, there's just not the level of maturity to catapult this car into the ranks of long-distance runners like the 5er or E-Klasse... or even Lexus GS for that matter.

Just two years from now, the field will be dense with competition in this area. There will be a new Cadillac STS, the new Lincoln MKS, the new E-Klasse and a new A6 and 5er over the horizon. When you take that into consideration, the long-term prospects for the XF look rather bleek.

 

[Centurion]

^^
So it doesn't look any better in real life?

One of the biggest problems with the design is the orange indicators in the head lights. They make the car look like the Volvo S80. Jaguar has gone left the "old world" and entered the world of bland design. The XF looks too much like the S80 and Mondeo, especially in the shape.

It doesn't ooze the sexy and sleekness like the typical Jaguar. IMO this is the worst designed jaguar I've ever seen, even the X-type is more appealing. I bet that the sales will be satisfying for the first year and then they will crumble forcing Ford to come with an early face lift.

This is what a Jaguar should look like:

It should look like an royal and sexy British car just like the XJ above. These British cars are loved for one reason, and that is because of their elegant and timeless design. The XK is alright but the XF isn't. Where is the Jaguar heritage or British inspiration??
Right now the XJ is the only car what keeps my heart attached to Jaguar. If Ford mess up with the next generation XJ, Jaguar will lose a fan.


BTW, I just noticed that the XJ has the same side mirrors as Volvo S40.

 

[Merc1]

Delivering 500bhp, and featuring an uprated chassis and slick-shifting six-speed semi-automatic gearbox, it’s set to take the fight to the BMW M5. However, with only subtle bodywork modifications, the cool new cat looks far more mild than wild.

Study our images closely, though, and you’ll spot the quad exhaust pipes at the rear, while larger openings in the deep front bumper aid engine cooling.

Further clues to the XFR’s potential are the lowered ride height and massive 20-inch alloys. The big news is under the bonnet, where a new supercharged 5.0-litre V8 promises to deliver blistering performance.

What’s more, sources within the company have suggested that the model is being developed to run on green E85 bioethanol. But the Jag*’s real party piece will be its agility in corners. Engineers are confident this will be the class’s best-handling car, thanks to the countless hours they’ve spent testing at the Nürburgring.

The standard XF hits UK showrooms in March, while the R model – which is expected to cost £50,000 – goes on sale in early 2009.

Jaguar XF | Auto Express News | News | Auto Express

Also, can we make this thread a sticky?

M

 

[PanterroR]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/213414/jaguar_xf.html

Also, can we make this thread a sticky?

M

Done!

 

[Sayyaaf]

My friend ordered an SV8. I think its gonna be gorgous.

I think many people gonna change their mind once they see this car IRL. I think it is better looking than all of its rivals right now.

 

[Merc1]

Ford may finally be ridding itself of the cash bleeding Jaguar brand, but the automaker is doing so just as the XF is about to hit dealers' showrooms. If indications from the UK mean anything, the XF may be the hit for which the leaping cat has long searched. The Brits have placed 3,000 orders for the good-looking sedan, and it seems the S-Type replacement has some momentum on its home turf. Ford chief technical officer Richard Parry-Jones sees a more confident Jaguar, mainly because of early indications that the XF will meet or exceed sales projections, netting a profit for the ailing nameplate.

While it's great news that the XF is racking up orders in the UK, the positive results are still in Jaguar's back yard. If the XF is going to succeed, it will need to sell in the US and elsewhere in Europe. With it's modern sheet metal and elegant interior, the XF has a better chance to succeed than any of the leaping cat's in recent memory. If Jaguar's new sedan approaches the greatness of it's two door sibling XK, then the sky will be the limit.


British place 3,000 orders for new Jaguar XF - Autoblog


I said it in another thread, but I'll say it here...I think Ford is making a mistake by selling Jaguar and Land Rover for that matter. Jaguar I bet in a year's time will have made their first profit in years and Ford will be wondering why they ever sold Jaguar off.

M

 

[Merc1]

AutoExpress video test:

Jaguar XF | Video Features | Videos | Auto Express

M

 

[wltsm]

I saw an XK a few weeks ago on the motorway, but it was going the other way, so I only saw it for a few seconds, but from a far, but it looked pretty good to me!

BTW Luwalira, I think the point is Jaguar needs to change their design, not just keep it the same, otherwise the sales will continue as they are doing, on a downward curve! The new XK and the XF are modernising the Jaguar designs, and I'm sure that it can only get better!

 

[bmer]

Jaguar: Dealers take 10,000 customer deposits for XF sedans​

By MARK RECHTIN, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

Jaguar Cars Ltd. has taken 10,000 customer deposits globally for the upcoming XF sedan, including about 3,000 in the United States.

That's a promising start. Jaguar executives say they released the figures to show the impact of the XF even without advertising or cars available to test drive.

Instead, Jaguar has combined dealer training with posh customer-only events. The company put together a 21-city road show with a few demo XFs in tow, training entire dealerships at once. Dealerships then conducted events for loyal customers and luxury intenders.

Ken Gorin, owner of The Collection in Miami, has 80 sold orders from holding two events, one at the dealership and another in the Miami Design District.

"I sold 30 XFs the first night," Gorin says. "I haven't seen a reaction like that since the (Porsche) Boxster came out. When people hear that it's $49,900 with a standard V8, they say, 'Sign me up.' "

Irma Elder, who owns four Jaguar stores in the Detroit area, hosted an owner-only event at the Fox Theatre and didn't invite the media. She has about 50 sold orders in hand.

The United Kingdom, Europe and North America will all begin selling the XF on March 10. The simultaneous launch is a first for Jaguar. It used to do regional rollouts, with the United States getting cars up to six months after Europe. But Jaguar has proved equal to the task, says Mike O'Driscoll, managing director of Jaguar Cars Ltd.

Marketing also is different. TV commercials will continue in the vein of past "Gorgeous" ads. But Jaguar is returning to a more masculine stance with its print message. That includes running in magazines such as GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire and Vanity Fair.


Source: Jaguar: Dealers take 10,000 customer deposits for XF sedans - AutoWeek Magazine

 

[coolraoul]

This XF loks really really good. The inside is very attractive too. Jaguar really nailed it this time it seems. Ford should not sell Jaguar now that it could have the best-seller it needs!!!

 

[Centurion]

This XF loks really really good. The inside is very attractive too. Jaguar really nailed it this time it seems. Ford should not sell Jaguar now that it could have the best-seller it needs!!!

Yupp, all the journalists who have driven it have had nothing but positive remarks to share. It was a while ago since a Jaguar was actually a good car with more than a fancy badge to offer.

I saw it the other day, can't say I was stunned. Ford has done a great job with the rear end but I simply can't swallow the orange indicators in the head light cluster. They are like a bubble on beautiful woman's under lip. No matter how much you're trying to ignore it you are left with disgust. Such a small thing can ruin the overall appeal and in this case it does, not only that but it shows that the XF is related to the Volvo S80.