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Thursday, May 19, 2011
Now in its third year of production, the XF sedan continues to be a game-changer for Jaguar. Recent Jags were seemingly designed to cater to what people thought a Jag should be: namely, a quaint motorcar that looked just like the quaint motorcar that came before it. They were built for the people who think of England as a nation filled with yarn-twiddling grannies sipping Earl Grey and telling tales about the War.
The XF, along with the new, larger XJ, has left those people in its dust and established a bold new stylistic direction for Jaguar. Traditional virtues like powerful engines and a sumptuous cabin remain, but the XF's contemporary shape sets it apart as a Jag for the 21st century.
The midsize 2011 Jaguar XF has earned a warm welcome over its first two years of production. We're fond of its rich character, highlighted by items like the console-mounted start button that pulsates red and the circular gear selector that rises from the console when the engine comes to life. Of course, it also drives exceptionally well, with prodigious V8 power and an excellent balance between handling and comfort. The XF Supercharged even prevailed in an Edmunds comparison test with segment stalwarts from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
All XFs come standard with "surprise and delight" air-conditioning vents, which present a flush dashboard surface until the ignition is switched on, at which point they rotate to the open position. Another new technology -- JaguarSense -- introduces touch-activated interior lights and glove box release.
Every level of the audio system features at least eight speakers plus subwoofer, with a premium system designed in association with highly respected audio specialists Bowers & Wilkins available on range topping models. Radio options now include Sirius Satellite Radio, while the XF technology count includes Bluetooth communications technology, plus standard iPod and MP3 player connectivity with full-function control through the touch-screen, and an auxiliary port for other portable audio devices.
Standard features include Automatic Speed Limiter, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Parking Brake and more.
Other available features include JaguarVoice control to operate audio and telephone functions, Blind Spot Monitor, Front and Rear Parking Aids and Rear Camera Parking Aid, and Adaptive Cruise Control.
The enhancements to the MY11 Diesel S are completed by the interior, which now features the superior specification from the XFR as standard, providing the 275 PS diesel model with the ultimate sporting luxury interior. The upgraded cabin includes the leather sports seats from the XFR, featuring 18-way adjustment for the driver and 14-way for the passenger. Power-adjusted raised side bolsters will keep driver and passenger firmly in place during cornering, while the rest of the cabin's sporting style is enhanced with the high-gloss Piano Black veneer and Jet Suedecloth headlining available as an option on Premium Luxury and Portfolio Diesel S models.
Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system is featured in one of the two new option packs which are available exclusively on the XF Diesel S in 2010 to further enhance the driver's enjoyment of the performance characteristics of this car – the Dynamics Pack and the Aerodynamic Pack.
Dynamics Pack. The Dynamics Pack incorporates the Adaptive Dynamics system. This high-tech system analyses chassis movement and driver and wheel inputs 500 times every second, continually adjusting the suspension to improve handling
without loss of comfort. The result improves on the XF's already impressive handling and strikes a clever balance between a luxury ride and sports car agility. This optional pack also includes Shadow or Silver finish 20-inch Volans five-spoke alloy wheels, and costs from £1250 depending on model.
Aerodynamic Pack. The Aerodynamic Pack is designed to give an even bolder style to the XF Diesel S. The striking new black mesh inserts for the grille and lower air intakes give a fresh look to the front of the car and for even greater visual impact, the sculpted lower air intake blades can be supplied with bright-white LED daytime running lights. The side sills from an XFR complete the package. The cost of this option pack is £1500, or £2000 with the LED lights.
One unique feature that made its way from the concept to the production XF is the JaguarDrive Selector. It features a rotary shift interface unlike anything else currently on showroom floors. The device rises into the palm of the hand when the car is turned on, and can be rotated to select park, reverse, neutral, drive, and sequential mode.
Jaguar Sequential Shift works on a shift-by-wire system that replaces manual shift linkages with electronic commands. It gives the XF smooth and rapid gear changes -- faster than the XK's transmission.
There is also the choice of multiple transmission modes via JaguarDrive Control, which matches throttle progression, DSC thresholds and shift strategy to mood and conditions, including Sport and Winter modes.
The 2011 Jaguar XF features three engines in four models, each with a corresponding trim level. The base XF and the XF Premium sport a 5.0-liter V8 that produces 385 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. The XF Supercharged has a supercharged version of the 5.0-liter V8 rated at 470 hp and 424 lb-ft. The XFR has a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with even more power, cranking out 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. All send their grunt to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission that features a Sport mode and shift paddles. Fuel economy estimates for the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine are 16 city/23 highway/19 combined. Estimates for the supercharged XFR engine are 15/21/17.
Performance is as impressive as the engine specifications would suggest. In recent testing by Edmunds, a Jaguar XF Premium sprinted to 60 mph in only 5.7 seconds, while an XFR needed only 4.5 seconds. With sports car acceleration, even these heavy luxury cars should satisfy the most demanding of drivers.
Standard safety features include antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability and traction control, front-seat airbags, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. A rearview camera and a blind-spot warning system are optional on the base XF and standard on the XF Premium, XF Supercharged and XFR.
Braking performance for the XF lineup is particularly noteworthy. Under controlled conditions, we managed to bring an XF Premium to a stop from 60 mph in only 106 feet -- a distance usually associated with high-performance sports cars. In testing, an XFR required an equally impressive 108 feet to stop.
reference:www.edmunds.com,www.leftlanenews.com,www.zercustoms.com
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