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2009 Jaguar XF Preview

Make or break. Do or die. Last chance. These are all sayings that have been

Jaguar's XF can't arrive a moment too soon. (Photo: Jaguar)

used to describe the unfortunate state of Jaguar as of late. It hasn't helped to paint a pretty picture that Jaguar and its off-roading sibling Land Rover have been on the front page of the automotive tabloids, the car world's Britney and Brangelina. And amidst the breakup of Daimler and Chrysler, the ceding of the number one spot in sales of GM to Toyota (and back again), we've also found out that the rest of the Premiere Auto Group house (Volvo) has more or less been slated for liquidity to keep ailing Ford Motor Company alive. It certainly doesn't help that analysts and critics alike are describing Jaguar on its own as “worthless”, and without the highly profitable Land Rover attached that no one would want it.

Financial crunches can elicit either very good cars or very bad cars. If you look at Rover Group prior to its bankruptcy, its solution to carry on was to update cars that were verging on 15 years of age, to tinker with low-volume, high-cost sports cars that the market didn't need, and imported Indian

Jaguar says the XF is like a four-door XK. We can see that... (Photo: Jaguar)

designed and Indian built subcompacts into the British marketplace. That of course didn't go over so well; the firm went bust, selling its intellectual property and the brand name to two different Chinese firms. Besides being in a much healthier state of critical illness, Jaguar has chosen a sport sedan as the vehicle to change the appearance of the brand. From here on in, Jaguars won't be replicas of previous models, embracing all that is old and traditional, but rather the new designs will be trend-setting and forward thinking. And while the XF's nose features a grille that mimics the Mk.II Jaguars of the '70s, the rest of the car is 100-percent modern in its coupe-like shape and true to the C-XF Concept that previewed it. Just like the XK sports car, the XF also benefits from having the pyrotechnic hood, which will allow it to earn top marks for pedestrian impact tests without sacrificing its sleek and daring new look. From here on in, all new Jaguars won't have the name “Jaguar” written on them, as they have in past, only the leaper logo will persist.

What a huge step forward for Jaguar... inside is a world apart from any other Jag. (Photo: Jaguar)

With a limited amount of money to work with, the XF did not receive the proposed aluminum monocoque chassis switchover like the XK and the XJ sedan. What it gets instead is a regular steel frame that's bigger, but lighter than before thanks to the use of extra-high tensile steel. The XF is lighter than the car that it replaces, by up to 207 pounds depending on the engine selected, but it's still quite a heavy machine, comparable in weight to the E-Class and Lexus GS. Keep in mind that no car in the segment features all-aluminum construction due to its high price, so it's no big surprise. Perhaps more importantly then are the similarities between the swoopy XF and the upright and old-fashioned S-Type, and indeed there are many. Both cars are linked with the same hardpoints, the same length wheelbase, and the same double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension, though the XF's bushings, anti-roll bars and suspension knuckles give it a unique feel. Put faith in Jaguar; its cars possess a fantastic balance between comfort and handling that surprise and delight those who try them out.

New JaguarDrive shift knob controls the six-speed automatic. It springs up once the car's been started, but stays flat when it's off. How cool is that? (Photo: Jaguar)

The body, like many of its competitors is a mix-up between materials including steel, aluminum, thermoplastics and magnesium for strength, weight reduction and the ability to press and capture curves and creases.

The financial conundrum has bled into the engine lineup as well, where you won't find a single new motor. Worldwide, there are four engines available, including a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 diesel, a 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine, a 4.2-liter V8 and a supercharged 4.2-liter V8; North Americans are likely to get the last three. The XF's 3.0-liter V6 is low on power due to its smaller displacement, making 240 horsepower and 216 lb-ft of torque, while the smooth AJ-V8 engine makes 300 horsepower and 303 lb-ft of torque. As rivals move to engines that have larger displacements and more power, Jaguar might find success in keeping with smaller engines as they consume less fuel and produce less CO2, giving the brand an advantage in countries that tax vehicles based on CO2 emissions. The SV8 model with its supercharged eight-cylinder makes a grand total of 420 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, and is the quickest of the bunch reaching 60 mph in a little over five seconds.

Hey, look, leg and headroom! (Photo: Jaguar)

All cars use a ZF-designed six-speed automatic transmission with the same shift-mapping to blip downshifts and to create smooth and instantaneous upshifts. Note that the SV8 engine isn't badged as “Type R”, which means that the likelihood of an R model is high. We've heard rumors that a brand new 5.0-liter V8 with a supercharger making 500 horsepower is in the cards, and are inclined to believe it as it would put Jaguar back in business against the German and American muscle sedans. CATS adaptive damping and a high-performance brake system are standard on the SV8 model.

While its gorgeous styling will turn heads without a doubt, it's the interior that is bound to impress people the most. Here is a cabin that unlike any other Jaguar is fresh and modern, technically sophisticated yet unusually warm and inviting to look at. When it's not on, the XF doesn't appear to

The modern design should help Jaguar appeal to those who didn't favor its traditional approach. (Photo: Jaguar)

have a gearshift lever or air vents; both these items make their presence known when the push-button starter is pressed. Then the circular “JaguarDrive” rotary knob rises up to the driver's hand, and the vents flip around. The former uses the same shift-by-wire technology that BMW's new 5, 7 and X5 feature, replacing the dated J-Gate, while the latter reminds us of the VW Phaeton. Seamlessly integrated into the XF's console and dash are a combination of touchscreen and push-button controls for the climate system, stereo and other main features. It's the same touchscreen unit as found in the XK, but the revised switchgear is more reminiscent of the controls found on Audi's A6 sedan, with four buttons surrounding each main knob. This modern feel is reinforced by ice-cold blue ambient lighting and instrument lighting, but is contrasted wonderfully by the use of natural and traditional leather, and rich-grained wood.

One problem that Jaguar faced with the old S-Type didn't have the interior volume it needed. Even though it had the longest wheelbase in its class at launch, it was cramped compared to competitors. Since the wheelbase of the XF hasn't changed a bit, and the roofline has been brought down, it would be logical to think that its rear quarters are more like the XK's dog seats rather than the luxury-liner XJ, but you'd be wrong. Somehow, Jaguar managed to find room inside, giving space that's on par if not better in terms of front and rear head and legroom.

Even though much of the XF uses existing Jaguar technology, this is a brand new car wearing the brand new face for Jaguar... (Photo: Jaguar)

As with the XK is with the 7-Series and S-Class, Jaguar is resting on the case that the XF isn't going to be a 5-Series or an E-Class imitator, but rather that it will lure customers in on more subjective planes rather than being the quickest to 60 mph or pulling the most g's in a bend, or for that matter brake the hardest from 60 mph. Buyers will want it for the way that it looks, the way that it drives, the way that its modern interior makes people feel and the fact that it's going to be a more exclusive choice. On a low volume vehicle such as the XK, this might be enough to increase sales and keep the British brand steady, but within the market for vehicles like the XF this is a rather brave move. After all, this is going to be Jaguar's mainstream model, the breadwinner considering that the compact X-Type is going to be phased out shortly and the big XK and XJ won't be doing much to make Jaguar money until the latter, at least, gets redesigned. It's also worth noting that in this arena customers are demanding, desiring the latest technical innovation and gizmos, of which the XF does not bring anything new to the market. You can count on the XF being cheaper to purchase than its German rivals though, an advantage that the brand has with the XK and XJ, although bargain pricing doesn't seem to be as much of a positive pull as it is in the lower ends of the market.

Truly, the task that the XF has ahead of it is large and admittedly difficult, but from the looks of things it's going to be a solid car that might not solve all of Jaguar's woes, but will certainly help a whole lot.

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