As you press the start button, the knurled aluminium dash panel dramatically flips over at several spots, followed by a cool blast of air-conditioning. The Jaguar Drive Selector knob rises – like the periscopic elevation of a nuclear sub. The steering moves over to take its predetermined position. In the theatre of Jaguar, it’s the curtain raiser to the XF experience!
The Jaguar XF 3.0 spits out 238 bhp @ 6800 rpm with a 293 Nm torque @ 4100 rpm, with 80% of its torque available before you reach 2000 rotations. The 0 – 100 achieved in 8.3 sec is a telling figure of priority while the 237 kmph top speed still speaks for its capability. The 5.0 L supercharged can do 100 in 4.9 sec.
The Jag XF is designed to do anything at the flick of a finger or the mere touch of it. From shifting gears to engaging the parking brakes to switching on the cabin lights.
The Jaguar XF pronounces its verdict on luxury – reiterating that it lives in the detail of exquisite craftsmanship. There is nothing like handcrafted double-stitch leather laid-out like the ordained icon of bespoke luxury on the dash and the window sill, complemented by wood veneer trims.
The new design is an ingenious work of art, retaining the claw marks on the bonnet, the bestial muscularity of the flanks and even the pillars that are reminiscent of the agile limbs of the big cat. As night falls and the car makes a sharp turn, the cornering lights spring out next to its Bi-Xenon lighthouse, like a pleasant surprise from the dark!
The S mode holds the lower gears for longer allowing a quick sprint halfway up the rpm meter, taking your pulse rate along with it. You would expect the thirst to increase dramatically with the switch to the S mode – but thankfully, it doesn’t.
The winding road up the mountain was perfectly traced by the XF’s unflinching road adherence and precise steering controls. Yet, what’s overwhelming is the ease with which it is achieved.
You can’t take the classic out of a Jaguar. The burbling rage of the British race car is a voice that echoes down the chronological corridors of the sixties onwards. Whether you wrap it with stunning curves and sporty lines, or equip it with absolutely mind-blowing technological titbits, it’ll still remain what it has always been – a true classic.
Read the full story on http://drivemeonline.com/2011/10/10/jaguar-xf-the-double-stitch-luxury-of-classic-and-contemporary/
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