2012 Jaguar XFR

Vehicle: 2012 Jaguar XFR with Adaptive Cruise Control, R Performance red brake calipers and heated windshield w/timer
Price as tested: CDN$90200

Performance: As with all the cats with the “R” badging at the back of their designations, Jaguar usually turns those rather sedate puppies into entertaining ones. Their latest attempt on turning on rather humble middle cat into a fun one begins with the help of an Eaton blower. This superchaged 5 liter V8 has a very potent 510 ponies and, more importantly, 460 lb/ft of torque. Compared to lesser XF with supercharged, it has a healthy does of 40hp and 36 lb/ft of torque. It makes the Portfolio a rather mandate drive compares to the “R”. Why Jaguar always insist of using blower instead of a turbocharger? The main reason is the instant throttle reponse and torque delivery. Exactly when a turbo has those annoying lags at certain rpm, supercharger delivers quick and swift responsive right the touch of an electronic throttle. It makes for a more enjoyable drive without having those annoying lag, as with have seen from a certain Bavarian makes. On top of that, this 510 stallion doesn’t lose anything when it comes to middle and upper ranges. The whole ranges of power delivery, with the elegant manners as expected from a prestigous British ride has made XFR one heck of a special ride. Mated with this sweet engine comes with a refined 6-speed manumatic gearbox. While we have never too fond of Jaguar’s JaguarDrive Selector shift knob, which is very annoying to use. This gearbox actually delivers of what it supposed to do in a sports sedan. The shifts are crisp and linear, while all the ratios are well-mated with R’s performance characteristics. The use of “Dynamic” mode has made the shift more eagerly at higher rpm without losing the composure one expects from a cat. If there is one wish, however, its the use of a 7 or 8-speed as its able to sweeten up the powerband even more while providing better economy as a return. Paddle shifters actually able to override at any given gears are a huge bonus.

Handling: While we weren’t exactly thrilled with how the original XF drives, we were exceptionally impressed with the addition of a “R” at the back. The main reason is the recalibrated suspension, along with adaptive dynamic and active differential, which really transformed a rather boredom drive into a truly world-class sports sedan. The adaptive dynamics is able to sharpen the drive without losing the sublime ride quality anyone expects from a cat. On the other hand, active differential is able to detect any slippage on an offending wheel while delivering the same kind of effect as a torque vectoring. That means it eliminates most under and oversteer, with the assistance of an electronic stability control, while provides sharper turn-in with sports car-like reflexes. The Servotronic steering provides extremely well-balanced feel and feedback. There are minimal body rolls. With the near-perfect rear-drive 50/50 perfect weight distribution, XFR handles like a digging on both road and track. Its as flat as a gravy on a plate whenever you flat it out in black top twisites or through a hairpin on the racetrack. Last but not least, its able to provide a sense of oversteer characteristics without losing the active safety in a luxury sedan.

Brakes: With large discs all around and standard ABS, XFR has one of the best stopping power in any given cars I have ever driven. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels solid and alive. It has the sort of braking prowess in a sports car without providing the balance in a sports sedan. The brakes are fade-free after harsh stops while ABS only intervenes at the right time.

Interior: Inside the XFR, its got the same good and bad as its lesser silibings. I really like the sweet Connelly leather sports seats, which provide awesome back and thigh supports while flying through twisites. The touch screen multi-media has broken the mold set by those knob-craze Germans. Auto climate control is both effective and initutive, by British standard. I still dislike the annoying shift knob and closed vents, which are something I don’t care for.

The major attraction to XFR’s interior is the how much coziness you feel inside the architecture. Unlike in many of those Germans, which are built with austere interiors with lots of buttons and knobs. Cat’s interior actually has a more warmth and less coldness designed with the atmosphere. In a 3-Series BMW, there are sense of sterile and boredomness with all those dreadful cheap-feeling black plastic. In this Jaguar XFR, you feel welcomed and warmth the moment you set into the driver’s seat.

There are enough space for two adults if a bit of a squeeze at the back due to RWD’s center tunnel.

I like the uninstrusive trunk hinges, which won’t crashed into anything at the back. Its also fairly spacious and well-carpeted if not as huge as some of its major rivals.

Conclusion: I wasn’t exactly thrilled with mid-size cats in the past. S-Type was a disappointing piece while garden-variety XF isn’t exactly leading the pack. This XFR is about to change all that. Along with the sleek exterior and cozy interior, latter is an awesome piece after getting tired of all those drab black interiors of its German counterparts. This R has delivered both pace and grace, which are simply stunning enough to challenge its formiddable competitions.

Competitions:
Audi S6
BMW M5
Mercedes E63 AMG
Maserati Quattroporte GTS
Porsche Panamera 4S

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Jaguar XFR
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5