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2009 Jaguar XF, Part Three

Why you should buy the 2009 Jaguar XF:
The Jerries killed one of your uncles, the Japs the other, the Yanks came into the war too late and now you’re shopping for a mid-size luxury sedan. You’ve seen one too many episodes of The Professionals. Your wife has the complete set of Golden Jubilee china. You’re a dentist living in Miami and since your Lehman brothers stock is now worthless you can’t quite stretch to an XJ. You want a fast luxury car, but think speed kills.

Why you shouldn't buy this car:

You want a car that’s equally capable of cosseting your bottom and lapping a racetrack. You’re not prepared to purchase an uncompetitive car just because it’s got a kitty on the grille. You never really liked the Chrysler LHS and Dodge Intrepid anyways.

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jalopnik reviews

2009 Jaguar XF, Part Two

Exterior Design: **/****
It all depends on when you catch the 2009 Jaguar XF. Sometimes it’s stunning; sometimes it’s stunningly bland. Sometimes it resembles a four-door Aston Martin; sometimes it looks like either a Dodge Intrepid or a Chrysler LHS. One thing’s for certain, even though it’s occasionally good-looking, it isn’t the coupe in a sedan’s body that the C-XF concept was. Next time, we’d like to see more aggression and more visual drama.

Interior Design: ***
Once again, it depends on when and where you’re looking. At night, the cabin is warm and luxurious, accentuated by the starter button that pulses red, the cool blue mood lighting and the attractive dash. Under the light of day, most of the materials not only look cheap, but really, a Jaguar should never have a steering wheel worse than what you'll find in the Ford brand parts bin. The gimmicky rotary gear selector works well, but lacks damping, so it spins freely without changing gears in time. The switchgear is cheap plastic, which is especially a shame when it comes to the gear shift paddles. The seats also aren’t the quality you’d expect from a $55,000 luxury car. Then there’s the show that happens every time you start the car: the gear knob rises from the dash as the air vents swivel open. Cool the first time, and unless you're James May and/or easily amused, less and less cool every time after.

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jalopnik reviews

2009 Jaguar XF, Part One

If the Jeremy Clarkson School of Automotive Journalism has taught me one thing, it’s that any good car review needs a metaphor. They serve to add a tangible anchor to a story, they add humor, they add relevance and, more importantly, they create an easy formula with which us car reviewers can crank out reviews in no time flat about a car most readers will likely never drive. So in keeping with the teachings of Professor Clarkson, we’re picking a metaphor for the 2009 Jaguar XF: Seinfeld’s pretty/ugly girl.

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2009 jaguar xf-r

2009 Jaguar XF-R Powerslides Up The Hill At Goodwood

With a suspected 5.0-liter supercharged V8 making around 500 HP, the 2009 Jaguar XF-R has no trouble smoking its tires. The black cat crossed the path of spectators at this weekend's Goodwood Festival Of Speed, where Jaguar head of vehicle development Mike Cross power-slid the car up the hill. Nothing better than a bit of hoonage to properly show off a car during its first official public appearance. Even if we're told by the folks at GTSpirit people barely seemed to even notice it at all. We think they'll notice it at the official unveil of the super-cat, which we're hearing will be at the British Motor Show later this month. UPDATE: Thanks to tipster Tom, who had a chance to speak to Mike Cross, we've got a few photos of the front showing the best and clearest shots yet of the catty beast after the jump. They totally need to offer that mask as a check box option, don't they? More »

spy photos

2009 Jaguar XF Caught In San Jose Wilderness

Reader James P. got quite a fright this weekend while stumbling back to his hotel room in San Jose after one too many virgin marys. A black 2009 Jaguar XF crossed his woozy path. but James was quick-witted enough to snap the pictures you see here. However, he was evidently too hammered frightened to correctly focus his camera. Still, clearly visible are the mid-sized cat's aggressive hood bulges and Infiniti-esque rear 3/4 view. James returned in the morning loaded for big game, but alas found nothing but tracks.


gadgets

Jaguar Creates iPhone and iPod Touch-only Broadband Magazine for New XF

The car brand all about the cat scratch fever has partnered with the 29HD Network to develop what they're the calling the "industry's first broadband multimedia magazine specifically for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users" to "experience the new Jaguar XF like never before." And by never before they mean on a tiny screen where you don't have to see the Dodge Intrepid-like looks of the 2009 Jaguar XF. Or maybe it'll be the all-James May channel. Although we must say we've worked with the folks at 29HD Network in the past and we're interested in seeing how this one turns out. Full press release after the jump.
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top gear

Top Gear Tests Jaguar XF, Declares it Cat's Meow


Captain Slow took a turn or two 'round some rolling UK hills in Jaguar's new cat scratch fever, the S-Type replacing 2009 Jaguar XF. Top Gear gives it two strokes thumbs up — as you'd expect from the British motoring show. But the best part has to be when James May claims the XF shows Jaguar's finally got a big brass set again beneath all the fur. We're not entirely sure, but one thing we know for certain — and maybe it's the skillful video production — but for the first time, we're actually liking the XF's Intrepid styling. You be the judge.


la auto show

LA Auto Show: 2009 Jaguar XF US Reveal

Yeah, so the Jaguar XF is here. On sale in March of '08, the 300 hp sedan will set you back $49,975 and the supercharged, 400 hp version cost you an additional $13,000. However, it will muscle its way to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. We like that. Sadly, despite designer Ian Callum's best efforts the looks still leave us cold. Well, not exactly cold, but viewed from the side, everything behind the B-pillar looks like an Infiniti G and the short front fenders scream FWD. The headlamps are sharp and the taillights scream Aston Martin, which we think we like. Yeah, so... anyone see that French Tatra?


frankfurt auto show

Frankfurt Auto Show: 2009 Jaguar XF

Here you go kids, it's your brand-saving entry from Shag-you-are, the XF. Yeah, it's not as hot as the XF Concept, even though Mr. Cullum promised it would be. Still, this cat's got some good curves on her, even going so far as aping Aston's DB9 from behind. Dare we say that perhaps we were a bit too hasty in our initial verdict? Or does everything look simply snazzy under 17 coats of wax, professional lighting and 50 gallons of none-more-black paint? And have we shown you the interior? No, really, have a look at the gorgeous orange seats. You'll plotz. We did.

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spy photos

Jaguar XF R Test Mule

With the new Jaguar XF sedan in the can, it's time to turn our attention to the R version. That's the one that had better get close to the Germans' AMG and M hardware, or else lose face. Now, spy photographers have caught this duplicitous test mule that sports the front of an XF on the body of an S-Type. But it's not just any S-Type — the quad exhaust, fat meats and cross-drilled disks give away its sporting underpinnings. We're assuming the latest supercharged incarnation of the Jag 4.2-liter V8 is cloaked under that Frankensteinian bonnet. We'll see the product n 2008. [World Car Fans]