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2009 Jaguar XF: The Future is Now!
Every company, no matter the industry, wants their brand and products to stand the test of time. If you can build something today that outshines the competition’s current state of mind, then you become an instant icon. It’s what every manufacturer strives for. It’s what Jaguar is striving for with the introduction of the 2009 XF.
Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum grew up during a time when Jaguars were current events. There was not much history to them. Well now there is. And it’s Callum’s personal mission to bring the 78-year old company back to an era of greatness. “The XF is a stage in a personal journey for me. It has always been my goal to return Jaguar to its rightful place as leader in automotive design” Callum states. He jumped on the right track with the reiteration of the XK and XKR sport coupes and convertibles. So much so that NBA star Carmelo Anthony, who also endorses the Air Jordan shoe line, borrowed some design techniques from the XK for his signature Nike shoe, the M4. But interestingly enough, Jaguar has only three model lines: the XK, XJ and now the XF. So yes, the XF has to be the company’s savior, unless new parent company Tata orders the creation of more models. And in a market where Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and Audi have the $100K and below luxury segment on lock, it’s going to be Callum’s biggest challenge yet.
I woke up to a beautiful sunny morning in Monaco ready to drive. From the ocean view window of the Port Palace Hotel, I could see a plethora of XF’s parked in front of mega-million dollar yachts. It felt as if I never woke from my dreams. To exemplify that feeling, we chose a Bronze XF SV8 with a supercharged 4.2-liter V8. The engine puts out 420 horsepower at 6,250 rpm while the naturally aspirated V8 does 300 at 6,000 rpm. The V8 S/C will run 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds with a governed top speed of 155 mph. As a Jag should be, the car is quick and fluid in stride. From Monaco to Nice, the vehicle never disappointed in acceleration, which shows that you don’t need large displacement engines to achieve great power. It’s more so about the lightweight materials used to embody a vehicle.
Far removed from the days of the J-gate shifter (still found in the XJ), the XF uses a six-speed automatic transmission which shifts gears via the “JaguarDrive” selector, a dial that raises during engine start and rotates from left to right and back for transmission operation. Jaguar’s “Sequential Shift” allows drivers to control the vehicle in three modes: Drive Automatic, Sport Automatic and Sequential Manual. The dips and tight bends of the mountainous French roads allowed me to exploit Sequential Manual, which uses paddle shifters on the steering wheel to control each gear. Throw it in Sport Mode and the vehicle will respond quicker and hold each gear longer.
There is no adjective descriptive enough to explain the XF’s resilient interior. All I can say is that it’s the most intelligent cabin on this side of town. I do believe the Lexus LS has lost its title. Inspired by the Motorola Razor, the XF’s “Phosphor Blue” interior lighting gives drivers inspiration. And it has now dethroned the ambience of Audi’s stellar interiors. The combination of perfect veneers and metal provide the knockout punch. And the rest of the interior’s componentry is revolutionary. The dome lights are one-tap touch as is the glove box which uses an electric field to sense the moisture in your finger. It’s called “JaguarSense.” The touch-screen navigation system also houses TV (only when parked!) and audio including iPod operations which allow you to control the unit via the vehicle’s interface. In Europe, the XF reads free to air digital/analog TV signals so you can view your favorite shows during drive breaks. Up to five phones can be linked to the XF by way of Bluetooth technology. “For the XF, we’ve tried to make as many features as we could invisible until needed. Which is a very different approach from automakers that push technology as a dominant interior theme, says Mick Mohan, Chief Program Engineer for the XF. Also invisible is the space for rear passengers. As my only interior gripe, the 4-door XF needs much more leg room to compete with the Audi A6, Benz E-Class, Bimmer 5 Series and Lexus GS.
For sounds and clarity, Jaguar partnered with 40-year old British audio maker Bowers & Wilkins. Their proven track record in home theatre sound can now be heard in Jaguar’s XK and XF. And even though it’s their first foray into vehicle audio, B&W has done a superb job. It’s a 440-watt, 14-speaker surround sound system, with Dolby Pro Logic 7.1 Surround Sound. Speaker cones are made of Kevlar which helps reduce sound coloration and distortion while Pro Logic takes 2 channel input signals and slices them into seven which gives you your surround sound.
Ian Callum insights that discipline, purity and beauty are the key ingredients to design. The XF’s bulging hood is a resemblance to the XJ thirty years past. The hood-mounted Jaguar “Leaper” is also a part of its history. Glass panels are almost identical to the XK which gives the XF its sporty look. Lower blades replace fog lights. This is a vehicle that grows on you. You have to drive and experience the vehicle before you appreciate what it is.
Jaguar offers the XF in three packages: Luxury $49,975, Premium Luxury $55,975, and Supercharged $62,975 (all include destination and delivery charges). So if the future is now, I can’t wait to see what Jags really look like in the future.
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