When did a car last make you smile? Not in a 'SsangYong- Rodius-what-the-f**k-is-that' kind of way, more a wry, 'Roger-Moore- eyebrow-raising' number. Eliciting that sort of response while opening the glove-box is no mean feat, but the Jaguar XF manages it. Run your finger across the little roundel and the 'box pops open. The interior lights work the same way.
It's just a bit of fun, but it speaks volumes about the mindset of the people who developed the XF. Cars are ultimately rational things, no matter what anyone says, but there's still room for warmth and humour. British warmth and humour here.
It's also key to whether the XF is your cup of tea or not. Especially in diesel guise. Because the truth is, the German establishment has it licked on the rationality front. The XF uses the same 204bhp 2.7-litre twin-turbodiesel that works so well in the XJ, and it's just as good in the new car.
There's a hint of old-school clatter at idle, but beyond that, it's smooth, unruffled and, with 320lb ft of torque, thumpingly effective in the mid-range. The combined average fuel economy figure is 37.6mpg, and it emits 199g/km of CO2.
Good, but BMW is better. Never mind the brilliant twin-turbo 535d, the cheaper, single turbo 530 diesel is faster, lighter, more powerful and more efficient too. Damn.
Should you bother with the XF, then? Hell, yes. Provided you get the colour and wheel combo right, this really is a strikingly progressive-looking car. Then there are the underpinnings.
Some observers seem to think that cash-strapped Jag has developed this car on a mouldy old shoestring. Well anything that uses the XK as a benchmark is alright by me. So while bits of the floor are carried over from the old S-Type, the suspension, steering and kinetics are all very similar to the XF's brother.
And even with a relatively heavy turbodiesel engine upfront, you can tell. Nothing pours itself down a road with the fluidity of a modern Jag, and the XF D manages its 1.7-tonne bulk with terrific poise. The ride on 19in wheels is exemplary, the steering linear and weighty, but best of all is the six-speed transmission, newly finessed and 10 per cent faster shifting in the XF. It's effortless, but never dull. In fact, the diesel is arguably the current pick of the range. A bit more grunt would be good, but a modern Jag deserves the most modern engine, and right now, this is it. And with a range of up to 570 miles on a tank, that's more time in the XF's cabin and less on a damp forecourt. Which is definitely something to smile about.
الجمعة مارس 07, 2008 10:58 pm
