One year after unveiling its all-new and delightfully satisfying XF sport-luxury sedan, Jaguar has upped the ante with more standard features and a new Premium trim level as well as supplanting the 4.2-liter supercharged engine in the Supercharged model with a larger, more powerful 5.0-liter supercharged V-8.
And, oh yeah, the much-anticipated high-performance XFR model debuts for the 2010 model year. The XFR, Jaguar's first XF to carry the "R" badge, is a remarkably potent cat with gobs of power and extremely sharp claws.
XFR's power comes from a specially tuned version of the 5.0-liter supercharged direct-injected V-8 engine to make 510 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of earth-pounding torque.
This beast goes from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds.
And thanks to a standard electronically controlled suspension system, standard electronically controlled rear differential, beefy powerful brakes and sticky 20-inch performance tires, this feline is quite agile when cornering at high speed and it stops on a dime (and gives change).
Jaguar's engineers did a masterful job of blending XFR's ride characteristics so that this car remains taut when pushed hard, yet tame and well-behaved when driven gently.
The
2010 Jaguar XFR is quite appealing to look at. Its exterior styling attracted many interested onlookers, both when stopped in traffic and when stopping for fuel or groceries.
The XFR's awesome nose features a distinctively large upper mesh grille and lower black mesh grille flanked by two chrome outboard air intakes.
All that's missing up front is a leaping cat hood ornament. Still, the XFR is undoubtedly Jaguar. I especially like the hood louvers embossed with "Supercharged," the sporty front fender louvers, the 20-inch Nevis-style twin seven-spoke alloy wheels and the brightly finished quad tailpipes.
The XFR is offered with a select palette of eight colors. My tester's Botanical Green finish looked flawless and deep.
Looking at the front, XFR appears to be smirking at its competition, which will best be viewed in XFR's rearview mirror.
Slip inside the XFR and you'll be wrapped comfortably in supportive and luxurious heated and cooled leather seats.
The driver's seat features 18-way power (16-way power for the front passenger) adjustments and there's an abundance of dark oak wood trim. The wonderful aroma is further augmented thanks to the suede on the headliner, sunroof cover and pillar trim.
The XFR's keyless operation is greatly appreciated. Upon entry, XFR's start/stop button begins beating, make that flashing, and the rotary shift knob rises into the palm of the hand once the driver brings this beast to life.
The XFR also features a remarkable Bowers & Wilkins 440-watt 13-speaker sound system and a remote amplifier with Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound and an HD radio receiver.
The full list of included amenities is long and pleasingly luxurious. At $80,000, the XFR is worth every penny and just as good as cars that cost significantly more.
For those who don't require all of XFR's extremely satisfying performance attributes, the XF is offered in three other trim levels: XF, XF Premium and XF Supercharged.
With a starting price of about $52,000, the XF includes a 300-horsepower 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine; smoothshifting six-speed automatic transmission; 320-watt premium sound system; rain-sensing wipers; automatic dual-zone climate control with air filtration; a 7-inch touch screen for controlling the audio, telephone, climate, navigation and personalization; and much more.
Jaguar's XF sedan should definitely be on your list of must drives, especially those of you considering a BMW or Mercedes-Benz.
2010 JAGUAR XFRENGINE: 510-horsepower 5.0-liter supercharged V-8
TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic
DRIVETRAIN: rear-wheel drive
FUEL ECONOMY: 15 city/21 highway
BASE PRICE: $80,000
WEB SITE: www.Jaguarusa.com