Check out this Clarksonesqe article on the new XF-R Jag

[vulcan747]

Saw this glowing and humorous review by Tom Ford in The Times online.
An interesting car that while not looking like an M competitor sure
has the engine (510bhp + 461 Ft/lbs) with direct injection technology to be more than a match. It does all this while getting a combined 22.5 Mpg.
Also thought the interior is quite a change from the long in the tooth BMW concept. Dealer is telling me it should come to the states at around 70K.

"....when the road clears and you snap the accelerator to the floor, the realisation is that under the thick veneer of sophistication the car is completely bloody bonkers.
The change is quite extraordinary; somewhere along the lines of your local vicar suddenly brandishing a Desert Eagle handgun and addressing the problem of littering on the village green with extreme prejudice. Indeed, if you were to drive the XFR gently, you might never even tap the well of extreme dynamic violence that it is blatantly capable of. But when you really go for it, the huge reserve of deep-chested power becomes a very real, colourful thing; the supercharged fishing rod that you can use to reel in the horizon."
"It accelerates spectacularly from rest, but it’s on a sweeping A-road or motorway where the big Jag will really bare its teeth. Flick the paddles behind the steering wheel to select third gear, stamp on the throttle at 50mph and an enormous 461 lb ft of torque will shunt you forwards with supercar pace, pinning your body back into super-comfortable seats. You know the bit when an airline pilot guns a jumbo and you surge up the runway? It’s like that. Except slightly more scary. Suddenly that beautifully crafted English brogue turns out to have a steel toecap — and it’s perfectly capable of using it. "

"The BMW M5, for example, is horrendously clever, and takes a lot of perverse pleasure in demonstrating exactly how much cleverer than you it actually is. There are way too many settings for human comfort, lending it an air of technological brilliance that somehow fails to connect at an emotional level. It’s like trying to have an affair with a calculator.

The £65,000 M5 also uses a naturally aspirated and extremely revvy V10 engine that unfailingly encourages you to drive like your nether regions are on fire — all of the time."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/dri...ffset=0&page=1

[Sticky]

Clarkson wears thin.


He is pro-Jaguar because he is British. No matter that the Indians are the ones paying for it, a bit of historical irony.

[Neil McRae]

Its a barge in my view. What other manufacturers haven't got yet is that its not just about stuffing more horses in the front and closing the lid. Handling and driveability needs to be taken into consideration.

I guess your dealer still thinks Jaguar will be around to export it to the US and not so sure about that, even with the Indian's help.

[FStop7]

How is this even on topic for this forum? Besides, Clarkson fellates anything that's made in the UK. Edit - I see Tom Ford wrote the article. Same difference. The English press all slurp on the knobs of Jag and Aston.

[southlight]

Best regards, south

[footie]

The normal XF is an incredible car to drive, much better than the equivalent 5 series, E-class and A6. If Jaguar has done the same with the XF-R then I think it too will be more than a match for the M5, E63 and RS6.

[niqui]

i have driven it, and found it felt too big, there was just something off about it, it felt bigger than an s500 to me, in the 30 minutes i had it.
the exterior, looks like a lexus and buick combo.
personally, would take an xjr over it anyday, or better yet, an xkr.
i know the xjr wont carve corners, but i doubt xfr drivers will be taking it to the track anyways.

[waremark]

Faster and more comfortable on very challenging roads than an ISF according to Steve Suttcliffe - admittedly he is another UK journalist, but always keen on the better German cars.

Personally, I think the XF is a great car. This one will be the best yet. See http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/238211/ and the video at http://www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWallp...aspx?AR=237649

Anyway, what makes you think Clarkson is sold on the British built cars? He used to have an XJR, but then he had an SLK 55, and now I think a CLK 63 Black Series. Along the way he bought a Ford GT which he kept cursing on screen for going wrong, and a Gallardo.

Off topic? Sorry, I didn't start it. I did consider an XF instead of the M3, but this one was not available when I wanted to change, and I wanted a slightly rougher edge to a fast car.

[captainaudio]

I drove an XF-R and an XKR back to back at Monitcello Motor Club. I then did a few laps as a pasenger with a professional driver (Davy Jones - LeMans champion and also raced Winston Cup and Indy Cars). The XF-R did a very good job of getting around the track and is a worthy competitor to other cars in its class.

I then took both an XKR and an XF-R out on the roads for 40 miles or so. The XFR IMO a very good car and has an excellent balance between luxury and performance.

The event was sponsored by Jaguar and they put a strong emphasis on "Jag-You-Are's" British heritage. No mention was made of Tata motors. I hope Jaguar survives because they are making some excellent vehiicles.

CA

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by Neil McRae

Its a barge in my view. What other manufacturers haven't got yet is that its not just about stuffing more horses in the front and closing the lid. Handling and driveability needs to be taken into consideration.

Yeah, 'cause Jaguar's never made any decent sports cars or sport sedans that handle...

By all accounts, British or not, the XF is an excellent road car, both in comfort, AND in handling. And now in power, too.

[captainaudio]

Originally Posted by Neil McRae

Its a barge in my view. What other manufacturers haven't got yet is that its not just about stuffing more horses in the front and closing the lid. Handling and driveability needs to be taken into consideration.

I guess your dealer still thinks Jaguar will be around to export it to the US and not so sure about that, even with the Indian's help.

I own a 335i with Sport Package and it does not handle significantly better (if any better) than my wife's Jag XKR and it is not as fast. As for drivability the Jag is MUCH better at handling bad road surfaces. The Jag does not have the suspension issues that the 3 series has and I am not the only 335 owner that has an issue with the way the 335i sport suspension reacts to poor surfaces.

In all fairness that 335i is 90% of the car that the Jag is for 60% of the price. The 335i is a great car but it is not by any means a perfect car and the Jaguar XF is not a car that can be easily dimissed,