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Austin Powers calls it his ‘Shaguar’.
Crude as that may be, there’s no denying Jaguar is one sexy cat.
When I was a cub, the E-Type Jag epitomised class and sophistication, with a hint of playboy sporty-ness thrown in. Indeed, respected British newspaper The Daily Telegraph voted it the most beautiful car of all time, a view supported by none other than Enzo Ferrari. And Bob Jane, he of the tyre empire, won the 1963 Australian GT Championship at the wheel of an E-Type.
So to be finally sitting behind the wheel of such an automotive icon was something of an honour.
Of course, the Jaguar XFR is nothing like its illustrious predecessor. But it maintains the principles of the E-Type by combining a sporty feel with high-performance and all the sophistication of a luxury sedan.
With its radical new design aimed at giving the car a more contemporary feel, gone is the pouncing Jaguar motif on the bonnet. Traditionalists may object but it’s what lies under the hood that now impresses most.
Lift the lid and you’ll be staring at a brand new, five-litre, direct-injected V8 engine with twin vortex supercharger. This wee beastie will pump out 375 kiloWatts and deliver 625 Newton-metres of torque. All of which takes you from stationary to 100kph in a tick under five seconds. Although top speed is limited to 250kph, a test driver did get a slightly modified XFR up to 362kph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2009, making it Jaguar’s fastest car ever.
However, there’s no point jumping aboard a pumped-up stallion if you can’t hold onto the reins. No worries here. The XFR may be powerful, but it’s also manageable, with a six-speed gearbox with a new active differential and adaptive dynamics in the suspension making it easy to handle, remarkably quiet and an absolute pleasure to drive.
And drive it you will because this is very much a ‘driver’s’ car. Leave it in D and the XFR will do all the work but nudge the funky-looking Selector button into Sport, grab the paddles on the steering column and suddenly you’re the boss.
“The XFR continues to amaze me - the prefect executive sporting saloon,” says David Blackhall, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Australia, who recently took the car on a weekend away in Victoria.
“Fully loaded with four adults, there was enough room for golf clubs and assorted luggage. The XFR devoured everything we threw at it and then some. It’s a car that just wants to be let off the leash and run and run and run...
“The biggest challenge was getting back to Tullamarine on Sunday with all the points still on my license.”
From the outside, it just looks great with a chrome mesh grille, 20-inch alloy wheels and four polished exhaust pipes. I particularly liked the ‘Voldemort-esque’ slits in the bonnet that help cool the engine room.
Inside, it’s just as impressive with a kind of understated elegance. I have to confess the Bowers & Wilkins sound system got a bit of a work out after I hooked up my I-pod, sank back into my heated leather seat and let the Jag off the leash.
This car is so easy to pilot its not really driving at all. Merely point it in the right direction and this cool cat will do the rest. While the initial kick from go to whoa is impressive, particularly when weaving in and out of traffic, it’s the giddy-up between 50 and 70 that really gets your petrol pumping. Those who have ridden rollercoaster’s will recall the sensation of navel against spine as your whole body tries to become one with the seat. Yet despite its undoubted power, the XFR will stop on a sixpence without bouncing you into the steering wheel if you ask it to…just make sure you ask nicely.
There’s no doubt that with such a car this classic British brand has got its mojo back. The Jaguar XFR is bold and beautiful, fast but not furious, young and distinctly restless. I urge you to take one for a walk at the earliest opportunity.
By Jon Underwood
at a glance
Jaguar XFR
Engine: V8, 5-litre delivering
375kW @ 6000rpm
Torque: 625Nm @ 2500 to 5500rpm
0-100kph: 4.9 secs
Max speed: 250km/h limited
Fuel tank: 69.5 litres
Fuel economy: 12.5l/100km (Combined)
Gross Vehicle Weight: 2370kg
Overall length: 4961mm
Wheel base: 2909mm
RRP: $207,904 excluding stamp duty and on road costs.
For more information, visit www.jaguar.com.au
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