Jaguar XF

Timeless elegance

Jaguar XF is the sedan that has great looks and gives a sporty performance

by Y.S. Khong

SISMA Auto Sdn Bhd, the local importer of the Jaguar brand, have added the Jaguar XF to the range of cars available locally and after a two-day stint with it, I am convinced that this is a model that will become very much sought-after, on account of its great looks and sporty performance.

The XF is a beautiful piece of refined machinery. Sleek and sporty-looking, it is a four-door sedan, but looks like a coupe, and drives like a sports car.

From the front, it looks just awesome – masculine in character and looking elegant at the same time. A large mesh grille, bordered on both sides by handsome combination lights; an integral bumper with a large under-bumper intake also finished with mesh netting and double side pods on each side; together with power bulges in the front hood give a loud hint of performance.

The side profile with smooth curving lines that extend from the front bonnet, over the roofline and tapers downwards towards the rear make it look more like a sports coupe than the sedan it is.

The XF has an overall shape that is timeless, and my hunch is that long after it has gone out of production, enthusiasts and collectors will want to have one in the garage.

The interior, finished in fine, hand-sewn leather, is on par with the best hand-crafted machines in the world. The driver and front passenger get body-hugging bucket seats, while the rear passengers get moulded seats that will hold them firmly at all times.

Seating is really meant for four, although you could squeeze in a fifth, if push comes to shove. Tasteful wood inlays give the XF sophistication and class. And an 8-speaker high quality sound system is standard.

A keyless entry system allows convenience. Interestingly, there is no gear lever, at least not the kind that we are usually accustomed to.

As you start the car using the push button, a short cylindrical gizmo rises up from the spot between the front seats where the gear lever is usually located, and you turn it to engage drive, neutral or reverse gear.

After that you can drive it like an automatic, or shift up and down through the six-speed automatic gearbox using F1-type paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel.

The posh interior of the Jaguar XF offers keyless entry system, 8-speaker high quality sound system and a 7-inch touch screen that controls all the major functions.

In the centre dash, a 7-inch touch screen controls most major functions. The handbrake is also electronically controlled.

Driving the Jaguar XF is a real pleasure, especially if you are a car lover. The V6, three–litre engine delivers 238PS at 6,800 RPM, and develops a maximum torque of 293 Nm, good enough to get you from zero to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds – not the fastest car on the road, but respectable enough.

Top speed is claimed at 237 km/h. We didn’t have enough road to get it all the way to the maximum, but it was fun all the way. If you have the money, there is a V8, 4.2 litre petrol engine as an option.

Naturally, the XF just cried out to be taken up the hills to Genting Highlands, and we did exactly that, taking a quick ‘flight’ up, ending up in Starbucks for a coffee before returning to Kuala Lumpur.

All I can say is, it was a great drive. The handling was inch-perfect, due to the many built-in features like traction control, superb chassis and suspension engineering. In the safety department, the Jaguar XF is as good as any of the premium continentals.

I can’t afford the RM550k it takes to get one into my front porch, but I am sure that there are many out there who can.

SOURCE: http://www.sun2surf.com