Jaguar XJ AWD (2013 onwards)

New Jaguar AWD system adds genuine newfound abilities to the pretty XJ, without spoiling the driver-focused dynamics. Compromise-free all-weather luxury.

What: Jaguar XJ 3.0 S/C AWD
Where: Montreal, Canada
Date: November 2012
Price: N/A
Available: Not on sale in UK

Key rivals: Mercedes S-Class 4MATIC, BMW 7 Series xDrive, Audi A8 quattro, Range Rover

We like: Greatly extended abilities in all weathers, unobtrusive 4WD operation, no visual differentiation over standard car
We don’t like: Not for UK, no diesel, need XJ L for good rear space.   

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars
Jaguar F-Type makes US debut

Jaguar

This is Jaguar’s snow-busting new XJ. In the US, all-wheel drive luxury saloons take half the luxury car market: in the snowbelt states, this rises to 80%. As America is also Jaguar’s largest car market, it has thus suffered through not having a competitor in this sector.

Not any more. For 2013, Jaguar has launched an XJ AWD, using a new and fully automatic four-wheel drive system that gives the XJ all-weather capability for the first time in over four decades. Forget the dreary old X-Type: THIS is the first real Jaguar made for snow and ice.

Could we get it here if we really wanted?

Not UK snow and ice, though. It’s going on sale in Europe, and Russia, and other left-hand drive countries with inclement weather, but it’s not been built for right-hand drive production. Only the 3.0 S/C petrol engine fits the XJ AWD, for starters, but the market here for four-wheel drive saloons is also so small, Jaguar says it’s not worthwhile.

But could we get it here, if we really wanted? Well, admitted, Jaguar, it’s of course possible to buy a left-hand drive car in Europe and import it. But unless Jaguar sees real demand for it – and gets a new range of specially engineered engines – the snow and ice-busting XJ will not come to Britain.

Onlookers probably wouldn’t notice if it did. Save for an ‘AWD’ badge on the bootlid, the four-wheel drive XJ looks identical to the regular car. Even the ride height is the same. Intentionally so: luxury buyers want the extra capability, not the extra visual flash of AWD. They let the fact it continues going in the snow where others cannot do the talking…

This is the second XJ variant to get the new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine destined for the 2013 F-Type. It’s a deliciously smooth motor with a nice whirr when revved and impressive pace even with the four-wheel drive running gear.

The supercharger means it responds immediately and the power delivery is very linear – enhanced by the superb eight-speed automatic gearbox. It performs as well as the regular RWD car then; the differences with the AWD are not felt in the power itself, but the enhanced way in which you can use it…

Jaguar

Snow and ice is where the Jaguar XJ AWD comes into its own – because it feels like… a regular XJ. The four-wheel drive system is biased rearward (most drive is sent to the back in the dry) but can split drive up to 50:50 front/rear, which it does in milliseconds. Thing is, you’d never know. The electronic stability systems are far more apparent than any differences in the actual ‘drive’ of the car.

You’d never know… until you step out, fall over, and realise your entirely neutral XJ has been driving with tenacity on snow and sheet ice. This is the amazing part: how it finds grip and traction in situations the standard XJ wouldn’t have a hope of coping with. Even the icy chill of the wintry Canadian launch didn’t faze it.

The system can even ‘feed forward’ drive to the front wheels when grip is low, to preload the drivetrain and thus anticipate any loss of grip or traction. This is another reason why it’s so indistinguishable – it doesn’t even need to wait for a slide in order to react, as it’s already anticipated it.

The dials turn blue when this is selected

Jaguar enhances it with a modified Drive Control system, which features a winter mode (neatly, the dials turn blue when this is selected). This mode further increases the degree of ‘feed forward’ and also primes the stability control system to work better in slippery conditions. Through a snow-covered test slalom, we drove faster in this mode than with the supposedly faster ‘Dynamic’ mode…

Overall, it’s the combination of clinically precise division of drive front to rear, combined with some very comprehensive electronic aids, that makes the XJ AWD unbelievably competent when grip levels are low. You’d never believe a Jaguar could perform so well in the snow: that it’s just as engaging as the rear-drive model is icing on the cake.

Elsewhere, Jaguar admits it’s taken the opportunity with the 2013 XJ to tweak the ride quality: the suspension is a bit more softly damped, to make it smoother and respond to comments from some that it was just a bit too sporty. It’s still nicely taut (an S-Class is still smoother-riding), but more fluid and cosseting than before.

The interior of the XJ is the most charismatic and exclusive of any luxury car in its sector. Genuinely different, it’s more like a bespoke Bentley Mulsanne alternative than the posh Mercedes C-Class feel you get from an S-Class. Nothing can match the Jaguar for interior wow factor.

You need the long-wheelbase version for proper levels of rear space (the AWD system has no impact on interior space, mind), but all deliver comfortable sports-lux seats. This is enhanced by, for a luxury car, an unusually low and sporting feel to the interior. Even in the rear, it feels racier than the competition.

Jaguar

Jaguar prides itself on building in technology too. It’s right, to an extent: the central touchscreen is fiddly but feature packed, and the fully electronic dials are divisive but also clever and comprehensive (they even change colour depending on what drive mode you have selected).

The technology isn’t quite a match for an S-Class or Audi A8, though. The sat nav is also rather dated and it doesn’t have the latest in-car internet and wifi capabilities of those cars either. Such is the style of the interior, you can forgive it, but Jaguar needs to work on this if it’s to keep up with the competition.

Enhanced traction, stability and ability in all weather makes the XJ much safer in inclement weather. Instead of becoming unstable or simply stuck, like a rear-drive car, the AWD XJ continues driving on wherever there’s the merest hint of grip – no matter what wheel it’s beneath.

It makes every driving situation safer: pulling away uphill, avoiding sudden obstacles, cornering, manoeuvring, the lot. The Canadian test route roads were worse than you’re likely to see even in a fierce winter here (-25deg, packed snow, the lot) but the XJ didn’t miss a beat. This is a huge safety boon.

The 3.0 S/C engine is more economical than the old V8 it replaces, but AWD does have an effect on overall consumption, albeit a surprisingly small one. It’s more the fact it isn’t a diesel that stymies it coming to the UK, though: it’s around 19mpg less efficient than the 3.0 V6 diesel, something that tax-conscious Brits wouldn’t swallow despite the extra ability. Roll on the next-gen diesel engines…

In Britain, an AWD Jaguar XJ would, in the winter, make sense. It would keep going in the snow where its rear-drive sibling would get stuck, and would generally be safer and more stable all-round when conditions became grotty. But, as it’s petrol-only, and predicted sales would be in the tens rather than the hundreds, we’re not getting it.

We might get future variants, though: a diesel model, for example. It’s also going to the XF – an XF 2.2d 200 AWD Sportbrake would make a LOT of sense in the UK. For now though, only the US will enjoy Jaguar’s impressively discreet and driver-focused four-wheel drive system. So impressively did it perform in wintry Canada, it’s hard to see how it won’t succeed.

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars

View the original article here

Jaguar XJ AWD (2013 onwards)

New Jaguar AWD system adds genuine newfound abilities to the pretty XJ, without spoiling the driver-focused dynamics. Compromise-free all-weather luxury.

What: Jaguar XJ 3.0 S/C AWD
Where: Montreal, Canada
Date: November 2012
Price: N/A
Available: Not on sale in UK

Key rivals: Mercedes S-Class 4MATIC, BMW 7 Series xDrive, Audi A8 quattro, Range Rover

We like: Greatly extended abilities in all weathers, unobtrusive 4WD operation, no visual differentiation over standard car
We don’t like: Not for UK, no diesel, need XJ L for good rear space.   

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars
Jaguar F-Type makes US debut

Jaguar

This is Jaguar’s snow-busting new XJ. In the US, all-wheel drive luxury saloons take half the luxury car market: in the snowbelt states, this rises to 80%. As America is also Jaguar’s largest car market, it has thus suffered through not having a competitor in this sector.

Not any more. For 2013, Jaguar has launched an XJ AWD, using a new and fully automatic four-wheel drive system that gives the XJ all-weather capability for the first time in over four decades. Forget the dreary old X-Type: THIS is the first real Jaguar made for snow and ice.

Could we get it here if we really wanted?

Not UK snow and ice, though. It’s going on sale in Europe, and Russia, and other left-hand drive countries with inclement weather, but it’s not been built for right-hand drive production. Only the 3.0 S/C petrol engine fits the XJ AWD, for starters, but the market here for four-wheel drive saloons is also so small, Jaguar says it’s not worthwhile.

But could we get it here, if we really wanted? Well, admitted, Jaguar, it’s of course possible to buy a left-hand drive car in Europe and import it. But unless Jaguar sees real demand for it – and gets a new range of specially engineered engines – the snow and ice-busting XJ will not come to Britain.

Onlookers probably wouldn’t notice if it did. Save for an ‘AWD’ badge on the bootlid, the four-wheel drive XJ looks identical to the regular car. Even the ride height is the same. Intentionally so: luxury buyers want the extra capability, not the extra visual flash of AWD. They let the fact it continues going in the snow where others cannot do the talking…

This is the second XJ variant to get the new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine destined for the 2013 F-Type. It’s a deliciously smooth motor with a nice whirr when revved and impressive pace even with the four-wheel drive running gear.

The supercharger means it responds immediately and the power delivery is very linear – enhanced by the superb eight-speed automatic gearbox. It performs as well as the regular RWD car then; the differences with the AWD are not felt in the power itself, but the enhanced way in which you can use it…

Jaguar

Snow and ice is where the Jaguar XJ AWD comes into its own – because it feels like… a regular XJ. The four-wheel drive system is biased rearward (most drive is sent to the back in the dry) but can split drive up to 50:50 front/rear, which it does in milliseconds. Thing is, you’d never know. The electronic stability systems are far more apparent than any differences in the actual ‘drive’ of the car.

You’d never know… until you step out, fall over, and realise your entirely neutral XJ has been driving with tenacity on snow and sheet ice. This is the amazing part: how it finds grip and traction in situations the standard XJ wouldn’t have a hope of coping with. Even the icy chill of the wintry Canadian launch didn’t faze it.

The system can even ‘feed forward’ drive to the front wheels when grip is low, to preload the drivetrain and thus anticipate any loss of grip or traction. This is another reason why it’s so indistinguishable – it doesn’t even need to wait for a slide in order to react, as it’s already anticipated it.

The dials turn blue when this is selected

Jaguar enhances it with a modified Drive Control system, which features a winter mode (neatly, the dials turn blue when this is selected). This mode further increases the degree of ‘feed forward’ and also primes the stability control system to work better in slippery conditions. Through a snow-covered test slalom, we drove faster in this mode than with the supposedly faster ‘Dynamic’ mode…

Overall, it’s the combination of clinically precise division of drive front to rear, combined with some very comprehensive electronic aids, that makes the XJ AWD unbelievably competent when grip levels are low. You’d never believe a Jaguar could perform so well in the snow: that it’s just as engaging as the rear-drive model is icing on the cake.

Elsewhere, Jaguar admits it’s taken the opportunity with the 2013 XJ to tweak the ride quality: the suspension is a bit more softly damped, to make it smoother and respond to comments from some that it was just a bit too sporty. It’s still nicely taut (an S-Class is still smoother-riding), but more fluid and cosseting than before.

The interior of the XJ is the most charismatic and exclusive of any luxury car in its sector. Genuinely different, it’s more like a bespoke Bentley Mulsanne alternative than the posh Mercedes C-Class feel you get from an S-Class. Nothing can match the Jaguar for interior wow factor.

You need the long-wheelbase version for proper levels of rear space (the AWD system has no impact on interior space, mind), but all deliver comfortable sports-lux seats. This is enhanced by, for a luxury car, an unusually low and sporting feel to the interior. Even in the rear, it feels racier than the competition.

Jaguar

Jaguar prides itself on building in technology too. It’s right, to an extent: the central touchscreen is fiddly but feature packed, and the fully electronic dials are divisive but also clever and comprehensive (they even change colour depending on what drive mode you have selected).

The technology isn’t quite a match for an S-Class or Audi A8, though. The sat nav is also rather dated and it doesn’t have the latest in-car internet and wifi capabilities of those cars either. Such is the style of the interior, you can forgive it, but Jaguar needs to work on this if it’s to keep up with the competition.

Enhanced traction, stability and ability in all weather makes the XJ much safer in inclement weather. Instead of becoming unstable or simply stuck, like a rear-drive car, the AWD XJ continues driving on wherever there’s the merest hint of grip – no matter what wheel it’s beneath.

It makes every driving situation safer: pulling away uphill, avoiding sudden obstacles, cornering, manoeuvring, the lot. The Canadian test route roads were worse than you’re likely to see even in a fierce winter here (-25deg, packed snow, the lot) but the XJ didn’t miss a beat. This is a huge safety boon.

The 3.0 S/C engine is more economical than the old V8 it replaces, but AWD does have an effect on overall consumption, albeit a surprisingly small one. It’s more the fact it isn’t a diesel that stymies it coming to the UK, though: it’s around 19mpg less efficient than the 3.0 V6 diesel, something that tax-conscious Brits wouldn’t swallow despite the extra ability. Roll on the next-gen diesel engines…

In Britain, an AWD Jaguar XJ would, in the winter, make sense. It would keep going in the snow where its rear-drive sibling would get stuck, and would generally be safer and more stable all-round when conditions became grotty. But, as it’s petrol-only, and predicted sales would be in the tens rather than the hundreds, we’re not getting it.

We might get future variants, though: a diesel model, for example. It’s also going to the XF – an XF 2.2d 200 AWD Sportbrake would make a LOT of sense in the UK. For now though, only the US will enjoy Jaguar’s impressively discreet and driver-focused four-wheel drive system. So impressively did it perform in wintry Canada, it’s hard to see how it won’t succeed.

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars

View the original article here

Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover considers manufacturing in Saudi Arabia

London Dec 12 (ANI)

Tata-owned Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles could soon be built in oil-rich Saudi Arabia as Middle Eastern demand for the luxury vehicles increases, according to a report.

The 1 billion pounds plan follows Jaguar Land Rover sales in the Middle East and North Africa increasing by more than 9per cent to 11,418 vehicles this year.

The move forms part of the car company's global expansion strategy that recently saw it complete a 1 billion pounds deal to build its vehicles in China.

According to the Daily Mail, the India-based Tata Motors also plans to create an additional 4,500 production and manufacturing jobs in the UK over the next five years.

"We are committed to further international partnerships to meet record demand for our highly sought after vehicles," the paper quoted Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Dr Speth, as saying.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an attractive potential development option, complementing our existing advanced facilities in Britain and recent manufacturing plans to expand in other countries including India and China," he added.

The paper said that the new deal would present an opportunity for British workers to head out to Saudi Arabia to train local staff, although the company stresses it is not 'exporting British jobs abroad'.

--ANI

View the original article here

Jaguar Land Rover sales up 29pc

Coventry, Nov 7 (IBNS)

Automobile major Jaguar Land Rover PLC on Wednesday reported its second quarter results for the 2012/2013 fiscal year (Q2 FY13) as GBP 431m profit before tax, a 100pc increase on the same period in the last financial year (2011/2012 fiscal year GBP 216m).

The positive result in the second quarter reflects a 29pc increase in retail sales volumes (84,749 vehicles in total) globally. The company has generated revenues of over GBP 3.2bn (an increase of GBP 373m).

Commenting on the results, JLR Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ralf Speth said: "Jaguar Land Rover has delivered another quarter of positive results against a challenging economic backdrop. We continue to see strong sales across all of our key markets."

"Jaguar Land Rover will continue to invest in its products, plants and will drive further growth by spending in the region of GBP 2bn across the financial year."

Speth further said: "In the third quarter, we will see the first customer deliveries of the all-new Range Rover along with the introduction of the Jaguar XF Sportbrake and all-wheel drive versions of the Jaguar XJ and XF."

Jaguar Land Rover has created over 8,000 new jobs in the last two years to support its ambitious investment and growth plans.

This includes 1,100 new jobs at Castle Bromwich; 1,000 new manufacturing posts at the Solihull plant; 1,000 jobs at Halewood and 1,000 engineers.

Jaguar Land Rover moved to three shifts at both its Halewood and Solihull plants during the first half of the financial year to support the increased demand for its products globally.

Jaguar Land Rover said it invests more in research and development than anyone else in the UK automotive sector and is in the top 10 across all sectors of the British economy.

Highlights:

? Retail sales: 84,749 vehicles, up 29pc on quarter two last fiscal year[1]

? Revenues: GBP 3.2bn, up GBP 373m

? Profit Before Tax: GBP 431m, up GBP 215m

? New Range Rover and Jaguar XF Sportbrake launched

--IBNS

View the original article here

Jaguar looks for Saudi Arabia partnership

Riyadh, Dec 11 (IBNS)

Automobile giant Jaguar Land Rover on Tuesday signed a Letter of Intent with the Saudi Arabian government for an automotive partnership in the country.

Azzam Yaser Shalabi, President of the National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) Saudi Arabia, and Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer, formally signed the Letter of Intent paving the way for an automotive partnership in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Jaguar Land Rover, the UK?s leading manufacturer of premium vehicles, and Saudi Arabia?s National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) will now begin a detailed feasibility study together, to determine the viability of setting up an automotive facility.

"HRH Prince Faisal Bin Turki bin Abdul Azi Al Saud and the Saudi Arabian Government has expressed its intention to initiate, develop and support the automotive industries and see Jaguar Land Rover as a potential partner to help strengthen their industrialisation plans," said an official release.

Speth said: ?The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an attractive potential development option, complementing our existing advanced facilities in Britain and recent manufacturing plans to expand in other countries including India and China.?

Discussions between Jaguar Land Rover and the Saudi Government are at a preliminary stage, although opportunities have already been identified in aluminium component production ? an area where Jaguar Land Rover has established a leadership position, said the company.

The world?s largest integrated aluminium complex, a joint venture between Saudi Arabian Mining Company and Alcoa of the US, is due to begin production in 2014 at the Ras Al Khair facility ? creating potential opportunities for the automotive sector.

Exploratory discussions about potential investment in Saudi Arabia follows Jaguar Land Rover?s recent joint venture announcement with Chery Automobile Company Ltd to manufacture vehicles at a new plant near Shanghai, China, and the separate expansion of the Jaguar Land Rover assembly at the company?s plant in Pune.

Such expansion follows a sharp rise in Jaguar Land Rover sales to emerging markets, contributing to a 32pc increase in global retail sales to 324,184 vehicles in the eleven months to November 30, 2012.

In the current calendar year, sales in the Middle East and North Africa have increased by more than 9pc to 11,418 units.

Pending agreement on development options in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jaguar Land Rover would expect to announce further plans in 2013. Issues such as level of investment, potential capacity and job creation have not yet been discussed in detail between the parties.

?This is an exciting project that could enable Jaguar Land Rover to establish a Joint Venture partnership in a part of the world where luxury vehicle sales are expected to rise,? said Speth. ?If we proceed, it will complement our existing expansion in the UK and elsewhere.?

--IBNS

View the original article here

2014 Range Rover Mule has Jaguar Dial Shifter—and Possible Diesel-Electric Hybrid Powertrain

With us since the 2006 model year, Land Rover’s current Range Rover flagship is palatial and iconic and capable. But we expect its replacement within a couple of years, likely with simple evolutionary styling changes covering a slew of new technologies—including some intended to help it slurp less fuel. This particular Range Rover–bodied mule, snapped at a facility of a technology partner, contains at least a few of those technologies, the most obvious of which is the dial-type electronic shifter like that used by its sister brand, Jaguar. It certainly isn’t the sportiest shift device in the world, but it is rather in keeping with the Range Rover’s wafty personality.

It’s clear that much more has changed beneath that current-gen Range Rover body, and there are a few possibilities as to what this vehicle might actually be. Among them is a new, super-high-performance version of the Range Rover, a swan-song model with a unique front clip for, say, the 2013 model year. More likely is that this is a powertrain/chassis mule for the next-gen Range Rover, due for 2014, with the fender flares hinting at increases in front and rear track width. Though we can’t see any of it here, a more aerodynamic body likely will need to be adopted if Land Rover hopes to raise fuel economy from “atrocious” to “just plain awful.” Also telling are the twin outboard bumper intakes, which show off what appear to be grilles for twin intercoolers, suggesting that a turbocharged engine—likely a diesel-powered V-6 or V-8— sits up front.

A close look at a mysterious box located between the mufflers suggests one further exposition: that this mule is testing Land Rover’s new “Range_e” plug-in diesel-electric hybrid system announced at this year’s Geneva auto show, with the box presumably containing some of the battery components. Intended for Land Rover’s larger vehicles, Range_e was shown installed in the Range Rover Sport and combines electric power with a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. It surely will work in the larger Range Rover, too, although we shudder to think of the curb weight of a Rangie with a heavy diesel engine and a battery pack containing enough energy capacity to propel it 20 miles on a single charge.

Land Rover has said in the past that a diesel hybrid will be ready by 2012 and on sale by calendar-year 2013—just in time to debut in the 2014 Range Rover.

View the original article here

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged, an AW Drivers Log Car Review:

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/1/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by Anton Maka.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/2/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged1.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by Anton Maka.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/3/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged2.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by Anton Maka.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/4/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged3.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by David Arnouts.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/5/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged4.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by David Arnouts.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/6/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged5.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by Anton Maka.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/7/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged6.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by David Arnouts.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/8/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged7.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by David Arnouts.

Click Here to Download)' href="http://autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20110523/CARREVIEWS/523009996/PH/1/9/2011-Jaguar-XF-Supercharged8.jpg" rel=lightbox-image>

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged. Photo by David Arnouts.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: My family and I spent a delightful weekend in the 2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged, performing mundane duties such as shuttling from preschool, grocery shopping, going to a 3-year-old's birthday party, and making the kids go “wheee.” The car was making me go “wheee,” too, for that matter.

It was interesting getting into the Jag after spending the previous evening in the new BMW 5-series. The latter's chassis is so much more composed than the Jaguar's, but the Brit is seductive and full of personality in a way the German can't match. It's kind of quirky, definitely loose, immensely powerful and fun to drive. Then, I'm a sucker for an Alcantara headliner.

The trick to getting the most out of the car from a performance standpoint is definitely to engage competition mode. The trans tightens up, the engine comes on hard and strong, and it feels like the car will just keep accelerating, jetlike. Granted, I was only able to top out at approximately the posted freeway speed, but it took remarkably little time to get there. Fat discs and hefty binders ensured rapid stops, but again, I wasn't on a track so I can't comment on fade resistance.

I love a big GT car. Sure, the Jag felt heavy, but it had a ton of power to throw around too. The kids fit fine in the back, the trunk is remarkably large, and I enjoyed the gimmicky startup sequence every time I pushed the start button. One thing I don't care for is the way much of the climate control/stereo/etc. is touch-screen only. I don't think that's the way to do heated seats and steering wheels, for example. Particularly in this car--the switchgear was so nicely crafted that I actually longed for more buttons to push.

That didn't necessarily carry over to the outside. The one flaw I found in this car was the exterior door handles. They felt cribbed right off a Ford Escape and gave a rather unpleasant first impression of the car. After that, though, it was bliss. This is the only car I've brought home so far that my wife was truly sad to see go.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: I remain a big fan of the XF. The supercharged V8 is a dream machine. The engine is powerful enough to easily spin those big meats in the rear. The power is gracefully applied--not like a muscle car or a hot rod, but smoothly until you're topping out in triple digits. This thing is effortlessly fast.

I, too, like the gimmicky start/stop button and the way the gear selector pops up from the console. I do, however, continue to hate all the things you have to do via the touch screen. Having to page through a couple of menus on the screen just to reset the trip odometer is not making life easier. That remains a minor nit to pick, and it wouldn't be a deal breaker. But as elegant and classy as the rest of this car is, it seems a shame to have that touch-screen interface even hint at degrading one's feelings about the car.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Saddling up into this 2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged made me miss our long-term example from a couple of years back. The few gimmicky things such as the pulsing red engine start button and the Jaguar “handshake” with the flipping vents and shift dial that rises up from the center console is still pretty slick. However, like Roger, I didn't miss the touch-screen interface with its slow screen wipes.

What we loved about the XF Supercharged before still rings true. The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 offers peak torque of 424 lb-ft down low from just 2,500 rpm to 5,500 rpm, which means this cat packs a wallop off the line to build towards its 470-hp peak at 6,000 rpm. The result is stout power at all points in the rev range. The six-speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF is stellar with the fastest shifts this side of a dual-clutch sequential manual. I do wonder why Jaguar hasn't decided to upgrade to the eight-speed unit that ZF builds for BMW and Audi, though.

Being Jag, the drive tilts towards the sporty end of the spectrum. Jaguar says the adaptive damping system monitors body movement 100 times per second and wheel position 500 times a second and will increase damping rate as the suspension approaches its travel limit, which explains the car's great composure through bends. Steering response is snappy, but it could use a heftier feel in my opinion. Brakes provide confident stopping muscle with a firm pedal. In fact, the brakes are touchier than I remember and caught me off guard at first.

The ride is a little stiffer thanks to suspension, and in part to the standard 20-inch wheels wrapped with low profile tires. It's not overly rough, but I suspect a typical Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan shopper would be turned off by it.

Besides the drive, this XF is a handsome design with clean and uncluttered lines. Ian Callum did real good job here.

However, performance and beauty certainly comes at a price. Our tester wears a base price of $68,375, which is pretty steep. For comparison sake, I think the BMW 550i sedan matches up closest to the XF Supercharged from a drive standpoint, and that starts at $61,575 for a model equipped with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and steering-wheel paddle shifters. But the BMW's base price is a little misleading. If you spec out the 550i with active damping system, heated/cool seats and more to have it match up with the Jag, the price will easily reach $70,000. So price is a wash.

The Jaguar's supercharged V8 has more horsepower than the BMW's twin-turbocharged V8 (470 hp vs. 400 hp), but loses in the torque column (424 lb-ft vs. 450 lb-ft). The 550i's peak torque also comes earlier than the XF Supercharged, too, with that 450 lb-ft being available at just 1,750 rpm instead of 2,500 rpm for the Jag.

When it comes to curb weight, it's pretty even with the XF Supercharged, just 70 pounds lighter than the 550i (4,306 pounds vs. 4,376 pounds). And in a 0-to-60-mph sprint, the Jag is faster than the BMW by a whisker (4.9 seconds vs. 5.0 seconds) according to published performance data from the manufacturers.

I'll give the BMW the edge in ride comfort, even with those dreaded run-flat tires, and it also scores bonus points for offering a six-speed manual transmission. But visually, the XF wins hands-down.

It's pretty difficult to declare a winner between the two. I wouldn't blame anyone for choosing one over the other. In the end, I think the BMW's available six-speed manual transmission would be too much for me to ignore, though.

2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged

Base Price: $68,375

As-Tested Price: $69,375

Drivetrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 470 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rpm, 424 lb-ft @ 2,500-5,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,306 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 17/15.8 mpg

Options: Jet headliner ($525); heated front windshield ($375)

AutoWeek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Critique statements or articles, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. Above all, be respectful. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and AutoWeek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Email moderator@autoweek.com

View the original article here

Back to '61: A bracing spring drive restores the magic of the Jaguar E-type's world premiere:

Our man Julian Rendell at the helm of 77RW, Chassis No. 3, retracing the route driven in 1961 at the Jaguar E-type's world premiere in Geneva. By JULIAN RENDELL on 5/17/2011

With an Alpine breeze tumbling down Mont Blanc, cooling Lake Geneva to an unusually low temperature, this is a ridiculously cold morning to be driving an open-top Jaguar E-type.

But this is not just any E-type; this is 77RW, Chassis No. 3, the star of the E-type launch at this same lakeside venue in 1961.

Back then, the Restaurant H?tel du Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva was the center of a major sales push aimed at well-heeled Swiss car lovers, and 77RW had sped overnight across the Continent to perform for potential buyers.

Mercedes-Benzes, Porsches, Ferraris and Jaguars, period exhausts blaring, were all gunned around the local lanes, speeds rising when someone decided to put an unofficial stopwatch on proceedings.

Modern-day driving is not for such heroics. The car we're driving is priceless, the living embodiment of the shagadelic, Swinging '60s. And 77RW, completely rebuilt after last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, is about as close to a factory-fresh E-type as possible.

There's no denying that even 50 years on, the E-type's styling still looks sensational, its more than 14-foot-long body flowing seamlessly over an eight-foot wheelbase.

Getting into the cabin elegantly is a challenge, requiring recalibration of any preconceptions about ergonomics. With your knees splayed, the delicate wood-rim wheel sits low in your lap. The thimble-size starter button cranks the 3.8-liter straight-six into life with a bellow from the twin exhausts.

The agility of the chassis is instantly noticeable as the speed rises; the nonpower steering is alive and responsive like that in no modern car. The same goes for the fluid ride, much softer than that of any modern two-seater.

The brakes--one of the first applications of front discs--require a superhero effort to get any bite. But otherwise, the controls reward with that precise metal-to-metal contact long lost in today's refinement-focused cars.

Tiny throttle movements keep the engine and its triple SU carburetors ticking along. But crack the throttle open, and 77RW surges forward, an intense exhaust bellow overwhelming the cabin. The experience is all the more intense because the narrow windshield is a poor barrier against the freezing airflow.

The four-speed Moss gearbox is tight but beautifully positive. First and the dog-leg reverse are easily confused, requiring patience and precision in stop-and-start traffic. Original test driver Norman Dewis has the same problems, which is reassuring.

It takes just one morning's drive to grasp the significance and magic of the E-type, which show no sign of dimming after 50 years.

AutoWeek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Critique statements or articles, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. Above all, be respectful. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and AutoWeek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Email moderator@autoweek.com

View the original article here

Jaguar Planning Brand New V-6 Engine for XF (and Maybe XJ)

April 26, 2011 at 5:40pm by Justin Berkowitz

Perhaps you read in this week’s Financial Times that Jaguar is looking at building a new factory for engine construction in the UK. What the company hasn’t said—but thanks to our sources, we can now confirm—is that the added production capacity will allow the Jaguar to begin construction of a brand-new six-cylinder engine. The engine should come to the U.S. in the XF, and possibly even in the XJ.

At present, every Jaguar sold in the U.S. comes with an excellent 5.0-liter V-8 engine. Some are naturally aspirated and make 385 hp, while others are supercharged and produce 475 or 510 ponies. Europeans see more options for their cats: a 2.2-liter diesel four, a 3.0-liter diesel six, and the old Ford-based 3.0-liter V-6. You may remember that last engine from such groaning flops as the Jaguar X-Type 3.0 and the S-Type 3.0. Suffice it to say that the company needs a new gasoline V-6 for the U.S. market and for Europeans who want an engine designed during the current millennium. (Jag also needs all-wheel drive, but that’s not happening any time soon.)

Given that the outgoing lump makes 240 hp, we’d expect Jaguar’s new six-pot to produce significantly more power, something comparable to the 300-plus-hp engines from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. It seems sensible that this engine would be paired to the eight-speed automatic that the company recently announced would be used in 2.2-liter diesel cars in Europe. We were told our wait for the engine wouldn’t be too long, so we figure that we’ll see it in the 2013 or 2014 model year.

Tags: Jaguar, Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ |

View the original article here

Jaguar Planning Brand New V-6 Engine for XF (and Maybe XJ)

April 26, 2011 at 5:40pm by Justin Berkowitz

Perhaps you read in this week’s Financial Times that Jaguar is looking at building a new factory for engine construction in the UK. What the company hasn’t said—but thanks to our sources, we can now confirm—is that the added production capacity will allow the Jaguar to begin construction of a brand-new six-cylinder engine. The engine should come to the U.S. in the XF, and possibly even in the XJ.

At present, every Jaguar sold in the U.S. comes with an excellent 5.0-liter V-8 engine. Some are naturally aspirated and make 385 hp, while others are supercharged and produce 475 or 510 ponies. Europeans see more options for their cats: a 2.2-liter diesel four, a 3.0-liter diesel six, and the old Ford-based 3.0-liter V-6. You may remember that last engine from such groaning flops as the Jaguar X-Type 3.0 and the S-Type 3.0. Suffice it to say that the company needs a new gasoline V-6 for the U.S. market and for Europeans who want an engine designed during the current millennium. (Jag also needs all-wheel drive, but that’s not happening any time soon.)

Given that the outgoing lump makes 240 hp, we’d expect Jaguar’s new six-pot to produce significantly more power, something comparable to the 300-plus-hp engines from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. It seems sensible that this engine would be paired to the eight-speed automatic that the company recently announced would be used in 2.2-liter diesel cars in Europe. We were told our wait for the engine wouldn’t be too long, so we figure that we’ll see it in the 2013 or 2014 model year.

Tags: Jaguar, Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ |

View the original article here