FirstDrive Jaguar XF:Jaguar has moved away from tradition with the new XF and shows exactly how stylish the brand can be, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring editor
It's hard to find a review of the new Jaguar XF that doesn't reference Jaguar's impending takeover by Indian firm Tata.
Scratch beneath the surface of most of these pieces and there's an inherent perception that Jaguar owners are more conservative than the Amish.
Yet this small-minded attitude is not reflected within the firm. It's certainly not a viable viewpoint for a modern car company.
The simple fact is that while Jaguar fans are normally perceived to be cut from traditional conservative tweed, the company knows it needs to hang out in more trendy vodka clubs than stuffy golf clubs or wood-panelled pubs if it is to survive. Meet the staff leading this current wave at Jaguar and there's not a Pringle sweater or pipe in sight.
Talk to them and you realise that while they treasure the company's heritage, it was the American owners who were so besotted with milking the traditional image and ended up forcing the brand to build cars like the X-Type.
Indeed Ian Callum, Jaguar's director of design, recently said as much in an interview when he admitted that his team never actually worked on the X-Type. It was designed at Ford headquarters in Detroit and presented to the British marque as a fait accompli. This time at least, the new car is completely the creation of Jaguar's in-house design team.
Apparently the XF design has been divisive, but it's hard to see why. True, the car never really sparkled on the stands at shows. But take it out in the daylight, park it alongside its contemporaries and the new look really stands out.
We should have listened back then when Jaguar launched its XK sports coupé. Then, the designers told us the XK was the flagbearer for a new era of prancing cats. Tired hacks that we are, we took the claims as nothing more than marketing spin. In this case cynicism has come back to bite us in the backside. They've managed to take the sleek lines of a coupé and mould them around the practicalities of a four-door family car.
There's no doubt the XF bears some resemblance to the Lexus GS. It would be wrong, however, to say it was anything more than minor elements. The Aston Martin-style rear tail, for example, is completely different from anything else on offer in this segment.
The slant of the c-pillar is truly of sports car proportions, meeting up with the wide sweeping lines of the rear to give a real coupé look. That may sound like something from a press release, but for once, it's true. This car really is the most eyecatching model in its class. It makes the Germans look positively frumpy.
The new look outside may be contemporary, but it's inside that traditionalists will find the most radical changes.
First up is a cabin that's spacious all round, despite the sloping roofline. Rear seat headroom loses nothing because of the roofline. Around the back, engineers claim it has the biggest boot on offer by the brand with 500 litres.
Jump in behind the wheel and the most noticeable change is the lack of wood veneer:what you get with XF is an ultra-modern metal and cool blue light effect, all wrapped in stitched leather. Jaguar has modelled the backlighting on the Motorola Razorlight phone colours and the effect is very smart.
There are also a few gimmicks to get your passengers cooing when they sit in for the first time. The interior lights and glovebox operate on touch sensors rather than buttons. The starter button pulsates when you get in, "like a resting heartbeat" according to the marketing folk. "Push it and the car comes alive".
Whatever about the marketing parlance, what actually happens is that sections of the centre dash rotate to reveal air vents. Smart, but hardly revolutionary.
Of far more importance is the large rotational knob that pops up in place of a gearstick. Gone is the famous J-gate that featured in long lines of Jaguar models. Instead you get a dial that offers the range of automatic transmission options.
The engines on offer in the XF will be recognisable to all Jaguar fans: they are carried over from other models. That's a signal that for all the aesthetics and chassis engineering, budgets are still relatively tight at the British marque. A new diesel and V petrol are reportedly in development, but for now four engines - three petrol and one diesel - are on offer.
Of the three engines we tried, the best was undoubtedly the normally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8. The supercharged version may have its beating in terms of statistics, beating it by a whole second from 0-100km/h, but the regular V8 just feels more in tune with the car's chassis.
For most owners the 2.7-litre diesel will be the power of choice. Only the most antediluvian diesel detester will opt for the 3-litre petrol. Given the post-June tax changes and the fact the diesel has more pep in its step when it matters, they are likely to pay for their choices when it comes time to resell.
Sadly, just one diesel option will keep the XF from really biting the heels of the Teutonic trio that dominate the market, partly due to their range of 2-litre diesels.
That said, Jaguar's oil-burner is a smooth and relatively silent performer. Its only vice seems to be a rather slow uptake when you bury the pedal to the floor. The route chosen for launch took us on some of the most testing roads in southern France, but while it showed off the chassis ability, the take-off from corners was disappointing in the diesel. The torque delivery was a little late for the tight, twisting bends.
In its defence, the new model is carrying a substantial amount of metal. This car simply could not survive with an engine any smaller than this.
Jaguar has had to opt for less aluminium given the high cost of the light metal and its own financial state. That means even the lightest XF - the 3-litre petrol - weighs in at 1,679kg, heavier than any of its equally powered German rivals.
This clearly impacts on the car's ability, but the XF retains remarkably adept cornering. That's where it really surprises. BMW's 5-Series has long been the best handling car in this class, but in recent generations it has started to lean a little too far towards sporting drive, at the cost of comfort. Here, Jaguar has dialled in enough suppleness to give the sort of ride and handling mix we reckon will suit many Irish buyers.
To support the vastly improved image, Jaguar is offering a high-level standard specification. Here in Ireland, the standard features include leather upholstery, electric front seats, Sat-Nav and Bluetooth phone system. At €69,950, that's a very attractive package, even before a likely drop in the diesel price from July 1st. It will also help strengthen resale values in years to come.
If Jaguar can deliver the sort of build quality it has established on the flagship XJ, then there's no doubt it has a winner on its hands here. It has the exterior looks, the interior styling and the driving ability to put it up to any of its rivals in this class. Engine range is perhaps its biggest weakness.
For Jaguar fans, it's good news ahead of a potential sale to Tata. And for all the reported fears, that looks like a good deal for the brand.
FACTFILE
ENGINES:2.7-litre diesel with 207bhp; 3-litre petrol with 238bhp; 4.2-litre V8 with 298bhp and 4.2-litre supercharged V8 with 416bhp.
All feature six-speed automatic tranmission
CO2: 2.7D - 199g/km; 3-litre: 249g/km; 4.2-litre V8: 264g/km; 4.2-litre SV8: 299g/km
0-100KM/H: 2.7D: 8.2 secs; 3-litre: 8.3 secs; 4.2-litre: 6.5 secs; 4.2-litre SV8: 5.4 secs
PRICES:2.7D Luxury: €69,950; 2.7D Premium luxury: €76,750; 3-litre V6 Luxury; €69,950; 3-litre V6 Premium luxury: €76,750; 4.2-litre V8 Premium luxury: €93,850; 4.2-litre SV8: €113,450