For those in the market for a luxurious steed spiced up by strong sporting overtones, the Jaguar XF offers a wonderfully convincing alternative to the traditional contenders in its segment. Responsive, powerful, driver-focused, the XF utilises a range of technologies to improve and enhance the driving experience, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO
The Jaguar XF is certainly the model that redefines the Jaguar range. This fact is made obvious with the design direction and details of the new XE model which mirrors the XF DNA.
The Jaguar XF’s interior is alive as it is outside. Settle into XF and the softly pulsing ‘start’ button greets you. Push and the engine engages, XF wakes. Even as you lift your finger, the precision-milled aluminium JaguarDrive Selector™ rises snugly into the palm of your hand. The engine gently throbs as the air vents, invisible until needed, roll open in unison and cool Phosphor blue halo lighting ignites to pick out the interior controls.
Ergonomically optimised, XF’s cabin is a space both contemporary and luxurious, created to focus on driver and passenger needs and to excite the senses. Comfort and quality reign supreme with form hugging seats, real wood veneers, piano black finishers and aluminium surfaces. The seats are dedicated for driving pleasure, with form-hugging supple leathers complemented by a dashboard that is made of a crisp contemporary aluminium surfaces and classic real wood veneers.
From the premium floor carpet and side trims to the polished stainless steel finishers, there is luxuriousness throughout XF. Thoughtful design encompasses every feature. The steering wheel position adjusts at the touch of a button, along with the seat and mirror. These settings can be memorised for different drivers.
Minimalist sweeping lines give the cabin a contemporary elegance, with every aspect ergonomically tailored. A wide range of luxurious touches ensure a revitalising experience, helping you to arrive at your destination feeling as fresh as when you left. Numerous interior options await your selection.
This varies from warm charcoal/red zone soft grain leather seats with a warm charcoal soft grain leather facia and a red zone contrast stitch accompanied by Knurled Aluminium with piano black veneers, to Barley soft grain leather seats with a soft grain truffle upper facia with knurled aluminium with gloss rich Oak veneers, as well as many possibilities in between. The XF boasts of some of the most finely crafted, highest quality materials in the world to create the perfect cabin.
If the internal elements of the XF remain very pleasing to the eye – its exterior exudes poise, confidence, pace and strength.
A mid-life facelift to the current model, primarily focused on a reshaping of the front and rear lamps, wrought a much bigger change than might have been expected and endowed the already elegantly-crafted XF with an even more appealing look. Few cars manage to combine the dual role of luxury conveyance and sporty saloon with such aplomb.
With its glowing Bi-function HID headlamps, outlined with crystal white daytime running LEDs, and its toned bodyshape, XF always looks ready for action. Its primed, nose-down, attitude, power vents and aerodynamic lines are more than an athletic pose. Each curve and contour has been refined to produce top aerodynamic performance, helping to improve fuel consumption and emissions.
Powertrain
The delivery capacity of the Jaguar XF cannot be overemphasised. Call it an iron fist in a velvet glove, but thanks to turbocharging and supercharging, there is no lag at all, the power is delivered with creamy smoothness.
No-one can complain about reaching 100 km/h in a scant 5.6 seconds, but most impressive of all is the XF’s consummate open road cruising ability. 120 km/h feels like a crawl as the engine’s smooth hum barely penetrates the cabin.
Happily, Jaguar’s engineers haven’t killed all the rev sound though.
Despite the presence of supercharging, Jaguar XF feels more responsive when the revs are kept up, a characteristic which the peak torque plateau actually telegraphs.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via ZF’s much-lauded 8-speed automatic box which offers Drive and Sport modes (courtesy of a rising rotary actuator) as well as manual activation via wheel-mounted paddles. This gearbox delivers mostly seamless changes, is devoid of any nasty slippage and is generally responsive and intuitive, even when the paddle shifters are not used.
As expected, the Jaguar XF rides with aplomb and succeeds in isolating its occupants from the harshness of the outside world.
Hidden in the depths of the striking wheels are huge brake discs that scrub off speed with disdain and provide just the right pedal weighting to avoid jerkiness when coming to a complete stop in town driving conditions. As expected, the XF provides every safety option imaginable and even incorporates sensors in the front seats to ensure that safety belts and airbags deploy to maximum advantage.
Innovative driving technologies
Discover the XF’s stylish design, luxury craftsmanship, remarkable fuel economy and performance, thanks to a range of innovative technologies and Jaguar’s most efficient diesel engine ever.
Responsive, powerful, driver-focussed, XF utilises a range of technologies to improve and enhance the driving experience. XF’s acclaimed handling is produced through combining exceptionally stiff body architecture, aerodynamic form and innovative suspension systems.
XF’s Adaptive Dynamics system, available on a selection of engines, continuously monitors the suspension, varying the damping to suit the conditions, whether cornering, navigating potholes or accelerating on the motorway. The system calculates the appropriate suspension settings 500 times per second, adjusting the dampers to help keep the car as flat, stable and secure as possible.
Choicy engines
XF offers a choice of engines to suit the needs of every driver and driving style, whether improved fuel economy or power and performance are the priority. The range includes a selection of the latest petrol units, which include 2.0 litre i4 Turbocharged Petrol powerful enough to produce an impressive 240PS; 3.0 litre V6 Supercharged (340PS) and 3.0 litre V6 Supercharged (AWD) (340PS). These are all available in any of the Coscharis dealership in Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt.
Safety
XF’s safety systems are designed to be anticipatory, utilising an array of innovative technological features to be ready for almost anything and assist the driver in dealing with the unexpected. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) maximises XF stability when it detects the wheels slipping. Electronic Brake Force Distribution measures load weight and distribute braking force to front and back wheels accordingly.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on XF uses radar in the front bumper to monitor the vehicle in front, automatically adjusting XF’s speed to maintain a constant distance.
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) is designed to work with Adaptive Cruise Control to detect the severity of a stopping situation and applies optimum crisis braking forces as necessary.
Adaptive Front Lighting enhances night-time driving. Sensors react to the XF’s speed and steering input to deflect the headlamp beams casting light deeper and wider to help give added confidence at night.
An optional Blind Spot Monitor uses radar sensors to remotely cover areas that cannot be seen either directly or in the mirror, and is designed to alert the driver to cars overtaking with an amber warning icon in the external mirrors.
XF’s body structure uses 25 different grades of steel. Boron, an element 900 percent stronger than regular mild steel, is used to help create a vertical ring of safety around XF’s occupants. A total of eight airbags help to add further protection.
A single seven-inch colour Touch-screen in the centre console provides multi-function control and displays the three primary functions; audio, climate control and satellite navigation. For a hands-free experience, the system also offers voice control of audio, navigation and telephone connectivity.
Sleek, dynamic, daring, XF is a fusion of sports car styling with outstanding luxury saloon comfort. XF’s inspired engineering has won over 100 international awards. It has proved itself the game-changer in the world of automotive design. More than a machine, XF combines Jaguar’s renowned flair for style and luxury with a genius for technological innovation, providing an instinctive and rewarding driving experience that other sports saloons can only aspire to.
Coscharis Motors, the sole franchise to sale and service Jaguar brands in Nigeria boasts of a wide network of showrooms and aftersales workshops across the country.
According to Aregbeshola Cletus, the Jaguar Landrover Brand Manager for Coscharis, it all makes sense especially as the XF is the model that gave Jaguar a refined weapon with which to take the fight to competition.
