Jaguar XF 4.2

Having just driven the Jaguar XF 4.2 V8 Supercharged, I read Christopher Tan’s story (The Straits Times, Life! Motoring 17^th May 2008) with great interest. He wrote: “every Jaguar, perhaps with the exception of the X-Type, had pace, space and grace.” Now, let’s examine these 3 points in relation to the latest supercharged XF.

Pace – This big cat is capable to shoot out like a dart. Don’t ever doubt the 0-100 km/h time of 5.4 seconds. However, the V8’s not the creamiest in business while slight trembling can be felt from the drivetrain upon hard acceleration.

Space – Perfect fusion of old country ambience with modern controls and minimalist design. But one needs to look past the large floor tunnel and Jaguar’s trademark low seating position.

Grace – Save for the fearsome 20-inch wheels, the car falls within politically friendly dimensions. It rides with such air of confidence that may appear a tad too snob for the masses.

The bulk of the XF’s sale will likely be the normal aspirated 3.0 V6 version which has been attractively priced well below $200k. It will certainly find more buyers more the preceding S-Type ever did.