Setting the pace for future Jaguar models, the XF breaks with the retro-stylings of the S and XK. It was the goal of Jaguar design director Ian Callum to return the brand to a position of setting styling trends rather than revisiting past ones. The XF is the first product reflecting his vision.
Something about Jaguars makes it easy to forget that they're bona fide exotic cars. Maybe it's their air of subtle reserved elegance; maybe it's the well-publicized quality-control issues that plagued the brand throughout the 1980s. Maybe it's the fault of the unlamented "bargain Jaguar" X-Type. Whatever the reason, this brand's image has evolved from that of an unstoppable LeMans stormer to a silky cruiser.
The Jaguar XF, introduced as a 2009 model, has become one of our favorite mid-sized luxury sports sedans. And to make things even more delicious for 2010, the gorgeous Jag comes in three flavors. Pick your engine size and options and discover the joy of driving a modern British luxury sedan. It doesn’t matter which direction you take, you will be the winner.
The XF Supercharged is a top cat is a sea of felines. It reminds me of one of those movie cats that slink along silently and stealthfully and then, suddenly, it pounces and its power is released. That’s how this mid-sized, luxury, sports sedan behaves.
Every decade or so, Jaguar launches a truly advanced car that shocks the brand faithful. I’ve heard and said plenty about the current XF and XJ sedans. They are nothing like previous Jaguars, yet are completely like previous Jaguars. People were amazed when the XJ-120 first rolled out in 1949.
We would have welcomed the head-turning 2011 Jaguar XKR convertible any time of the year whether the coldest day of winter or the hottest, most oppressive day of summer. It’s a car to savor and enjoy any time not just for its nearly impeccable driving attributes and silky smooth power,
Recently, North Texas had a week that was unseasonably warm, especially enjoyable after all that ice and snow. You can imagine my surprise when my test vehicle turned out to be a convertible. Had it been delivered during the freezing temperature, I would have left it parked for much of the time.
Recently, I thought I had been transported, along with Star Trek’s Scotty, to another place and another time. It was not quite into a James Bond movie set, but somewhere in the world of British aristocracy. I was the limousine driver – not the back-seat Lord of the Manor. The new 2011 Jaguar XJ can take you places you have never been before, such as a world of luxury and speed.
Long, lean and sinuous – characteristics of a jungle cat as well as the radically new Jaguar XJL sedan.
Not only does this top cat prowl a totally different trail of design than any of its predecessors, it also embraces technology far in advance of any Jaguar ever.
