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2012 Jaguar XKR-S Coupe

Vehicle: 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Coupe with Bright Pkg and heated front windshield
Price as tested: CDN$143800

Performance: So how does a “S” combined with “R” in a XK come out with? It promises to be a fun ride. :)

When it comes to Jaguar, “R” stands for high-performance variant of an existing model similar to what “RS” is to Audi and “M” is for BMW. What an “S” on top of “R”, it promises to make a great car even better. In XKR-S’s case, its based on a XKR’s V8 supercharged which come with 32-valve, variable valve timing and electronic throttle. The messaged version of AJ-V8 Version #3 has 40 more ponies and lb/ft of torque, respectively. That comes to a healthy 550 stallion and 501 lb/ft of torque at driver’s dispoal. The biggest difference between having a supercharger versus a turbocharger is there is absolutely no lag in the process. With turbocharger, it has the annoying lag for a few seconds before the boost comes in. As for the supercharger, whenever driver mesh the throttle, supercharger steps in without any sort of hestiation. Along with its unlimited amount of power, XKR-S comes with healthy does of refinement which won’t be out of place in a Jag. While the engine note sounds pretty entertaining, thanks to the V8 which it is based on. The blower doesn’t have the rather irriating boring note with this kind of set-up. On the other hand, it doesn’t run out of breath at both middle and upper rev ranges. Along with the rather annoying JaguarDrive Selector shifter, which only god bless you, whenever any of those infamous electronics gone wrong, in a British car. It comes with a nicely ratio 6-speed manumatic through steering paddle shifters. The ratio has been engineered to be perfectly suit for XKR-S’s performance characteristics. The 1st and 2nd are low enough to launch this beast around, while 5th and 6th are tall enough for XK’s famous GT personality. The paddle shifters are able to override at any given gears, in order for enthuisasts to drop a cone when entering or exiting a corner. That’s if only Jaguar designers are able to come out with any initutive shifter design. Previous J-gate shifter certainly had character, latest knob shifter is just plain irriating as an understatement. Oh please……only god knows when will those annoying British electronic is going to bite in the ass…….:(

Handling: While the original XK8 has never known for being a true sports car, its only more than a sporting grand touring similar in style to those of Mercedes CL and BMW 6-Series. The XKR-S with recalibrated suspension really have able to transform from rather sedate GT into a real sports car. Whenever driver choose the “Dynamic” mode in the JaguarDrive Control, when those knob actually works acccordingly, according to British gods. Mind you. :) Its able to stiffen up the suspension, make the gearchange more eagerly and quicker throttle response. The whole concept is similar to Audi DriveSelect and Porsche PASM, which are the hallmark to this kind of adjustable dampers. The XKR-S is able to change its personality 180 degrees. The steering becomes sharper, more precise and responsive. The suspension calibrations have remarkably sharper without losing the British ride quality one associates with Cat. There are less body rolls, while its electronic stability control is able to let driver to have a pretty high threshold to have a bit of oversteer after a set of terminal understeer when pushed. The dynamic driving experience wrapped up with a nice perfect rear-wheel-drive 50/50 weight distribution. Whenever you push the XKR-S through corners or on track, it exhibits the level of driving fun which we haven’t experienced in Jaguar for a long while. While you won’t be mistaken a Jag as a Porsche with Zufferhensen’s razor sharpness and sensibilities, its able to put together a bit of sharpening fun in British gentleman fashion.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, XKR-S has performed exceptionally well. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels firm and solid. It remains fade-free after a couple of harsh stops. It doesn’t have the annoying pedal sponginess once associates with Jaguar of yesterday. All wrap up with ABS which acts up at the right time, at the right place.

Interior: If you have getting tired of all those German sensible interiors, XKR is where it is all about. Along with those superb sports bucket seats, which wrap the driver in the right place without feeling confining. Its interior ambience has a sense of British passion and elegance, which you won’t find anywhere else. As it got top-notch leather and plastic materials thoroughout the cabin. The Bowers and Wilkins stereo is simply a joy to hear.

Because of the poor sightlines, the standard back-up camera is a godsent.

Conclusion: British jokes aside, the XKR-S could well be the best Jaguar ever built. Along with the great powertrain, comes excellent dynamic abilities while loading up with the usual British elegant fashion. What makes it really impressed is XKR-S can finally be competing with the best of the world, as a bona-fida sports car. Which we can’t be said for previous XKs.

Competitions:
Audi R8 V10
Mercedes SLS AMG
Porsche 911 Turbo S

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

Overall rating: 4/5

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

2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport

Vehicle: 2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport
Price as tested: CDN$130500

Performance: What the Supersport stands for is really obvious in the new XJ. Its like transforming a rather ordinary luxury car into a truly performing sports car. With the new XJ’s case, its 5.0 liter 32-valve AJ-V8 with 3rd generation blower is producing an amazing 510 ponies and in a silky smooth British gentleman kind of way. Supercharger’s major advantage is the elegance of its power delivery, unlike its rival’s turbocharger. The blower spools up whenever driver steps in the throttle without any lag. However, turbo usually have those annoying lag at certain rpm before it spools up. That’s why Jaguar remains loyal to the blower cause it matches its British elegance perfectly, right from the early XKR and XJR. With 461 lb/ft of torque arriving @ 2500rpm, there is no shortage of low-end grunt. However, due to its horsepower rating. Jagur has to use a proven 6-speed automatic instead of 7 or 8-speed. Just like the XF, Jag finally ditched their annoying yet traditional J-Gate. While the knob remains an annoying gimmick, its far more user-friendly than those J-Gate. With the new XJ, it got a paddle shifters for enthuisastic driver to control whenever entering a corner. That’s a huge improvement given how much this company stuck for its past. Although it only has 6 gears, the gear ratios are very well-matched to this large cat’s performance characteristics. That set, its still able to move this fat cat’s 4281 kg of British elegance luxury.

Handling: Jaguar XJ is never known for its handling, although its soft ride quality is very appealing on its outgoing car. The new XJ’s chassis is impressively stiff and rigid, which is up to the high standards in this caliber of excellent products. Its rear-whee-drive configuration which near perfect 50/50 weight distribution front and rear, while matching with Jaguar’s JaguarDrive Control. This system really does give XJ a different kind of personality. Dynamic mode really gives XJ a true sporty feel while providing firm but not harsh ride. It really works as well as Audi Drive Select when it comes to engineering different kinds of personality for same vehicle. Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamic also dialled out most body rolls when pushed it hard into a corner. The result is body rolls are minimal and damping is delightfully good. All of those electronics have created a dynamically surprise package. Last but not least, its steering provides decent feel and feedback, with good response to the driver. Its DSC or Dynamic Stability Control is surprisingly uninstrusive. With such a good stability control, the oversteer is hard to detect when pushed hard while understeer is very controllable.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, the new XJ stops extremely well given its heavy curb weight. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels solid all the time. It has a sort of pedal feel that has been missing in previous Jags. There are some lives in the pedal, while ABS only steps in at the right time.

Interior: Ever since there is one thing called XJ, there is also one problem called lack of space. To add insult to injury, an XJ actually feels smaller than a Civic. Not anymore. There are competitive rear head and legrooms even if our XJ is short-wheelbase version. On the front, the elbow room is a giant leap forward. That makes for a much more comfortable interior for anyone to relax. The use of plastic materials are another giant leap forward. Previous XJs used to have too much Ford switchgears that made it low-rent, the new one is classy and very British. Those Connolly leather seats have excellent back support and enough thigh support. There is also a touch-screen navigation system that is surprisingly initutive, which is a rare surprise for British quirkness.

XJ’s luggage space used to be a laughing stock. The new one is one huge step forward when it comes to loading and spaciousness. While you still have to swallow to get the luggage in and out of the oddly shaped trunk, its far more human-like when its time to do it.

Conclusion: The new XJ could well be the best Jag ever produced. The 510 hp supercharged V8 is certainly intoxicating, it handles apart while improved its much needed interior space. XJ is finally becoming a true contender in the upper luxury class. It is no longer a Jaguar that is “beauty is skin deep”.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible

Vehicle: 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible with High Performance Brakes and Wheels Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$120795

Performance: Jaguar’s R performance division has always produced some sweet rides, ranging from the early XJR to S-Type R. The XKR is the latest entrant into the performance coupe and convertible categories. Will the new XKR live up to Jaguar’s reputation of putting elegance and performance together in a neat package? We intend to find out after this test drive.

Jaguar’s AJ-V8 has always been a nice engine. Mated it with an Eaton supercharge in their 3rd generation evolution and it becomes a true sweetheart. This 5.0 liter DOHC 32-valve V8 has plenty of power. 510 horses and 461 lb/ft of torque to be exact. Unlike a turbo, supercharge doesn’t have any lag. All it delivers is instant power right after driver drops the anchor. Instant throttle response without any nasty lag usually associated with a turbocharger. Even when our tester weights in at 1800kg of British luxury lined of luxury, it manages to get off-the-line with authority. With 510 hp on tap, it never run out of breath even at high rpm. This supercharge V8 is really as good as anything else come from Germany. Both the refinement, smoothness and flexability are world-class. 6-speed automatic is the only gearbox mated with this blower. Its equally smooth and coordinated. Other than a short low gears for excellent bottom-end acceleration, the top gears are tall enough for comfortable highway cruising. On XK’s latest redesign, Jaguar finally ditched their outdated and awkward J-Gate for the knob. The knob is much more user-friendly than the outgoing J-Gate. It also features paddle shifters on the steering, which encourage manumatic mode, in order to fully use this cat’s potential. As a team, the powertrain works in rare harmony.

Handling: The XKR is based on a stiff and rigid platform, which is completely free of any cracks and rattles. In convertible’s case, it also means the lack of those annoying cowl shakes. With rear-wheel-drive and nearly ideal 50/50 weight distribution, XKR is surprisingly balanced consider its status-of-life as a comfortable highway cruiser. Even if XKR got stifter suspension, springs and shocks than standard XK8. XKR remains drives more like a blvd cruiser than a capable handler as what Jaguar would like you to think. The forte of XKR has to be its exceptional ride comfort. Its suspension is compliant to absorb all those roughness and patholes. For a Jaguar, it also supple and firm enough to attack corners without lots of body rolls. If you treat the XKR as a highway cruiser, its handling capabilities are more than live up to its reputation. Its just the steering doesn’t have enough feel and feedback when its time to have fun. Yes, it remains precise and track on path correctly. But it lacks the edgy feel in some of its rivals. The Dynamic Stability Control is uninstrusive enough consider its a Jaguar, which usually have a system that steps in quite abruptly in the past. What it works best is it acts as an active safety feature whenever a driver rears the cat’s ugly head. That means the oversteer and understeer are well-tempted, although for a rear-driver, a little bit of oversteer wouldn’t amiss in a car with this performance prowess for any enthuisasts.

Brakes: Our XKR has an optional High Performance Brake Package. The larger brakes really help to haul this heavy cat to a stop without any drama. The stopping distance is short while the pedal feel is excellent. The ABS acts wonderfully, as it doesn’t instrusive much until the right moment. An added bonus is fade-free after a couple of hard stops.

Interior: As one would expect from a Jaguar, there are plenty of firmly contoured Connolly leather covered seats. Those seats have plenty of support for the back but need more for side. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, same goes for the climate control and navigation system, which is surprisingly user-friendly for a British ride. In terms of materials, XKR matches up to the rest of the class.

Conclusion: The new XKR certainly lives up to its reputation as a performance cat. Its comfortable, got plenty of power, handles decently and, best of all, its very comfortable for a sunny cruise around the beach.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2009 Jaguar XF

Vehicle: 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged with adaptive cruise control
Price as tested: CDN$81000

Performance: The new XF is available with two V8 engines, both are the familiar AJ-V8s that we have seen in previous Jags. In the XF Luxury and Premium Luxury, its a 4.2 liter normally aspirated engine with 300hp and 310 lb/ft of torque. However, in our flagship tester, XF Supercharged, uses the same motor as its silibing S-Type R’s 4.2 liter V8 supercharger. This V8 blower has been underneath the hood of both XK, XJ and S-Type; we were quite like its level of refinement and flexabililty. In the XF, its the same story. 420 horses and 413 lb/ft of torque certainly shows it got lots of go. The upcoming XF-R will definitely shown up with more ponies and torques than this supercharged version, with upgraded internal components. There are plenty of torque in the low rpm, even if 413 lb/ft of torque shows up at four grand. The throttle response is quick if a bit too light for my liking. Its level of lightness would feel really at home with those American muscle cars. On the top end, however, its equally fast with that 420 horses never seem to be breathless. This time around, Jaguar knows it is against those moving targets called Germans. With those A6, E-Class and 5-Series consistently got engine and technology upgrades, Jag has to keep a fast motor in order to match their uplevel offerings competitive. That’s because only offered a V8 and a R version aren’t enough in S-Type. The 6-speed sequential gearbox is smooth and seamless. Although the paddle shifters feel somewhat bouncy whenever it needs to up and downshifts, it has done a decently enough job for XF’s personality. The gear ratios are tuned for more cruising than all-out sporty driving, as its most suitable for Jaguar’s character.

Handling: As one expects from a Jaguar, soft and comfortable ride quality have to be a “must”. The same is true for XF. On the highway speed, XF no longer feels as floaty and numb as its predecessor. Jaguar seems to tune well with their latest CATS, or Computer Active Technology Suspension, which is a computer technology that dials out the perfect ride and handling balance depending on the driving conditions. While this system has left us cold in all the previous Jags, regardless of XJ, XK or S-Type; XF’s software has gone for the better. Gone is the floatiness and numbness we associate with Jaguar’s chassis. That’s despite it still lacks the firmness and suppleness we expect from German benchmarks. The level of control remains inferior to its peers when pushed. We are glad to see Jaguar finally offers something similar to Subaru’s nifty Si-Drive in XF. The system is called Jaguar Drive Control or JDC. The Dynamic mode, which is only standard on our Supercharged version, has created far stiffer setting than we have experienced in Jag sedans of past. That’s about as solid as XKR. Although the XKR remains softly sprung compares to its sports car rivals. The steering provides better feedback and response with Dynamic mode, even though its fairly precise even on standard mode. There remains plenty of body rolls and understeer. We are always disappointed with how Jag handles understeer and body rolls. the same remains true with XF. Whenever you press a Jag into a corner enthuisastically, it tends to have huge understeer which could easily turn into nasty. When its already in the nasty situation, it would turn into oversteer which is far more difficult to save than safe understeer. That’s really ashamed consider XF’s near ideal 50/50 balance as a rear-driver.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, XF has performed decently in our braking tests. The lack of brake fade after a couple of hard stops, on the other hand, ABS never kicks in unnecessarily. Both the pedal feel and modulation are much better than expected.

Interior: Instead of focusing on using only wood trim, Jag has broken the norm by combining both wood and aluminum trim together in XF interior. That is a refreshing change for a car company that has stuck with its past more than looking into the future. While the interior styling looks plain and blend, the use of materials are surprisingly good consider Jag’s recent efforts. Its definitely classier than the cheapness we have experienced with Nissan/Infiniti and Chrysler; however, still not up to the industry standards. Even though Jag has used nicely stitched leather on the dashboard, one can still find some cheap pieces along the center console and door panels. The leather seats are comfortable and well-foamed. Instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, same goes for the ease of navigation and climate control systems. Both the push button “keyless go” and rotary gear knob are placed ergonomically on the center console. While many found latter as a nifty design, I found it as nothing more than a gimmick.

While the rear has decent legroom, the headroom has been limited due to its C-pillars.

Loading cargos into XF’s trunk is a challenge. Thanks to its high liftover, narrow trunk sill and a trunk deck that could easily hit your head.

Conclusion: At the time of our writing, Tata has announced the purchase of Jaguar from Ford’s Premier Auto Group. XF symbolizes what Ford can do best to turnaround this struggling British carmaker. We have seen the better use of materials and handling/ride improvement over the unremarkable S-Type predecssor with the XF. Unfortunately, the XF remains barely competitive with the top dogs from Germany despite of all those improvements.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 Jaguar XF
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2.5/5

2008 Jaguar XJ8

Vehicle: 2008 Jaguar XJ8 with DVD-based navigation system, front park control, climate front seats; heated and cooled front seats with perforated leather
Price as tested: CDN$90270

Performance: The XJ8, as its name implies, its powered by Jaguar’s normally aspirated V8 powertrain. The codenamed AJ33 4.2 liter DOHC V8 has 32 valves and variable valve control. With 300 horses and 310 lb/ft of torque for driver’s disposal, one would expect to be a powerful unit. While its certainly has more than adequate performance to motive XJ’s hefty 3726 lb beast, its level of acceleration and responsiveness are underwhelming for a luxury sedan of its caliber. Given its peers have received either a direct injection 4.2, 5.0 and 5.5 liters respectively; Jaguar engineers should massage more out of this engine in order to be more competitive. Without the use of ZF’s 6-speed automatic, this 300hp V8 would feel gutless. Thankfully, this gearbox has low enough ratio for traffic light acceleration and high enough ratios for highway cruising. Unfortunately, XJ still suffers from Jag’s not user-friendly J-Gate which already felt dated a decade ago. It just feels completely obsolete in 2008.

Handling: The ride quality is superb in XJ. It absorbs every bumps and roughness relatively well, even with a touch of floatiness on high speed cruising. However, its dynamics left a-lot-to-be-desired when pushed within its limitations. While the steering provides more than enough feel and response, it just lacks the tactical precision from its German rivals. That’s despite the fact that CATS acts predictably at and beyond the limits, even with plenty of body rolls. Its dynamic stability control is an instrusive type as it kicks in right after entering the limit.

Brakes: XJ’s brakes are surprisingly good consider its weight. Both the pedal feel and stopping distance are one of the best efforts ever from Jaguar.

Interior: The best merit of XJ’s interior has to be its user-friendly touch-screen DVD based navigation system, which is far more user-friendly than those complicated ones from rivalled German manufacturers. Those Connolly leather seats continue to be impressed with their level of support and quality. Its a pity the rest of the interior ergonomics and materials already started to feel dated. There are just way too many buttons on the center console. While the wood trim is nicely polished and Connolly leather is superb, those plastic materials are completely out of place for a car of this caliber.

Because this is a short-wheelbase version, the rear leg and headroom feel tight. The same goes for the trunk space.

Conclusion: Only three years after the current XJ debuted, it already felt dated compare to its rivals. It doesn’t mean the XJ8 is a poorly executed premium sedan, its the competitions have improved a whole lot in the last three years.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2008 Jaguar XJ8
=====================================
Performance: 3/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2/5

2006 Jaguar Super V8

Vehicle: 2006 Jaguar Super V8
Price as tested: CDN$125650

Performance: The Super V8 is basically an extended wheelbase XJR, just like what Vanden Plas to XJ8. Powered for this vehicle is the excellent 4.0L DOHC 32-valve supercharged V8 with 400hp and 413 lb/ft of torque. This Eaton supercharge really provides plenty of grunt for this 4001 lb luxury sedan. North to 100 km/h in just a tick over 5 seconds is truly impressive for a vehicle of this weight. The best thing about supercharge is the lack of lag, as we associate with turbochargers. This engine application is very suitable for Jaguar due to its sleeky smoothness and top-notch NVH. Unlike some of Jag’s lesser engines in X and S-Types, this one performs admirably. The 413 lb/ft available as low as 3500 rpm, which means there are plenty of torque around. On the other hand, its rev-happy character guaranteed there are enough grunt at the top end of the rev range. Matched with this engine is the 6-speed automatic transmission. Without the proper gear ratios of this tranny, this supercharged puppy won’t perform as happily as one expected. However, current iteration of XJ still stuck with the annoying J-Gate shifter. Its reluctant to down and upshift manually due to its long gates. New XK’s paddle shifters should make way into future XJ for much improved ergonomics.

Handling: Given Super V8 is a softened version of a more performance-oriented XJR, it doesn’t come as a surprise its even more softly sprung. Jaguar products have always been known for its softness and floatiness. While Super V8 is a pretty soft vehicle for enthuisast, the floatiness of Jag doesn’t seem to appear during high-speed cruising. The biggest pleasant surprise is Jag finally dialled in some suppleness, which we love so much in Teutonic products, in their extended wheelbase sedan with performance engine. The suspension and springs absorb broken pavement and roughness with ease. However, there are plenty of body rolls. The “CATS” or Computer Active Technology Suspension, reacts better than same system in S-Type. That’s despite Super V8′s CATS still lacks the ability to react when going gets hot. The computer always tries to detect whether the vehicle “should” be firm or soft but couldn’t find the right compromise. This alone, combines with soft suspension and springs, as well as an instrusive Dynamic Stabillity Control. There are more understeer than oversteer when pushed hard into sweepers. The steering has substantial feedback with resurrance response and path-tracking accuracy.

Brakes: Super V8′s braking performance is a huge surprise given its weight and softness. There aren’t lots of nose dive during hard braking. The pedal feels solid and firm, while ABS doesn’t kick in unnecessarily.

Interior: Just like Vanden Plas and XJ8L, Super V8 has extra 5 inches for rear passengers. That means superb leg and headrooms at the back.

In front, driver is surrounded with plenty of wood trim which is typical of Jaguar sedan. Although the use of plastic materials are much better than those crap ones used in lowly X and S-Types, it still fell short compares to its impressive rivals. The Connolly leather seats are comfortable, with excellent adjustability of positions from 16-way power variety. Instumentation gauges are clear and analog. Both the climate control and stereo are easily adjusted.

Narrow pretty much defined Super V8, or all of XJ’s trunk. The liftover is high while sills and space are narrow.

Conclusion: Super V8 is an appealing package for those who are looking for extended wheelbase upper luxury sedan with performance engine. Both Mercedes S65 AMG and Audi S8 don’t come with extended wheelbase. BMW 7-Series doesn’t have a high-performance M series behind it. The upcoming Lexus LS600Lh is not everyone’s cup of tea since its a hybrid. This is indeed a very unique offering in this caliber of excellent cars. If Jaguar is able to come out with more products like Super V8, it should get themselves out of a hole that heavily rely on high rebates to get rid of metals on dealer lots.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2006 JAGUAR SUPER V8
===================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overal rating: 3.5/5

2007 Jaguar XK8 coupe

Vehicle: 2007 Jaguar XK8 coupe
Price as tested: Est. CDN$120000

Performance: The new XK is currently powered by only 1 engine. Its the silky-smooth “AJ-V8″ 4.2 liter DOHC V8 with 300 hp and 300 lb/ft of torque. This engine is very capable as it provides exceptional refinement and flexability right from the bottom to top end. Since the 310 lb/ft of torque available at 4100 rpm, it feels somewhat sluggish in the low-end for V8 of this caliber. One really has to rev it pass 4300 rpm before reaching this engine’s climax. On the other hand, its more willing to rev at high rpm than the same V8 in previous XK8. Matched with this engine is the smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission with manumatic function. This gearbox provides decent highway driving gear ratios. Jaguar finally abandoned its annoying J-Gate shifter in flavor of paddle shifters on the steering wheel, as well as a gate for manumatic mode. This system works trillion times better than the J-Gate design that Jaguar used in the last 2 decades.

Handling: The XK continues its tradition as a comfortable luxury grand touring coupe. Its suspension remains soft and supple, even though its handling has been tuned to be more forgiving and less floaty than its predecessor. Gone are all the floatiness and chassis flex during high-speed cruising. The steering has much better response and turn-in, however, its still not sharp enough when compare to its much more sporty competitors in its price range. In terms of steering feedback, it feels kind of vague off-center and numb on-center. When pushed into a corner enthuisastically, there are some body rolls. Its Computer Active Technology Suspension, or CATS, have given this cat finally a sense of stability thanks to its new caliberation of shock absorber setting. On a contrary, its Dymanic Stability Control kicks in frequently during enthuisastic driving. That’s disappointed consider Jag wants to place new XK among the sportiest of all the sports cars in this caliber.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs, standard ABS and electronic braking force distribution. XK8′s braking performance is among some of the best consider its 1665 kg curb weight. The pedal feels firm and solid, while the braking distance is surprisingly short.

Interior: Slip inside the new XK8, you will be surprise by Jaguar designers have given aluminum trim in flavor of more traditional wood trim. The aluminum trim works pretty well with Jaguar’s Connolly leather and traditional interior configuration. Aluminum trim and Connolly leather aside, one still found plenty of Ford-influenced plastic trim pieces which are totally unacceptable for a car costing 100 grand. While these plastic trims already much higher tactical quality than those craps in X-Type, S-Type even underwhelming XJ interior, its still not on par with interiors from Porsche and Maserati. In terms of ergonomics, Jaguar designs have addressed outgoing car’s shortcomings. They finally placed navigational system and climate control on the right places. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog.

With the advant of run-flat technology, XK finally got the cargo space it desperately needed. That’s despite of its high liftover and weird side cut-line.

Conclusion: There are lots to going for in the new XK8 despite of its controversial styling. After the 1st generation of porky XJS and 2nd generation of beauty-over-substance XK8, the new XK8 finally got all the ingredients for it to compete with other luxury GTs of its caliber. However, if you are looking for an XK that has plenty of low-end torque to run with 911 Carrera. You better wait for the XKR with Eaton blower. That’s because XK8 needs a firmer setting and more powerful engine to be a performance GT. Remember its a performance GT not a performance car!!

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 JAGUAR XK8 COUPE
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 3/5

2006 Jaguar X-Type 2.1 Sport sedan

Vehicle: 2006 Jaguar X-Type 2.1 Sport sedan
Price as tested: HK$369000

Performance: Unlike the North American spec, the X-Type is also available with an entry-level 2.1L DOHC 24-valver V6. This engine is based on the Duratec V6 engine family but it has been detuned from 2.5L to 2.1L. If you thought 2.5L already felt underpowered, this 2.1L is a really slow driver. Everything from throttle tip-in to transmission upshifting are extremely slow. Its also very noisy given its Jaguar status. The most terrible thing is its maximum torque arrives at 4 grand, even if it has 171 pounds feet of torque. That means its slow off-the-line and very unwilling to rev through the redline. The 5-speed auto transmission is sluggish for both up and downshifting. Not to mention its J-gate is awkward to use as with other Jaguar J-Gates. While its a worthwhile tradition for an old school carmaker like Jaguar, this J-Gate has become an obsolete design that is unergonomically to use in 21st century.

Handling: As with other X-Types I have driven, the 2.1 Sport is as dynamically unremarkable as 2.5 and 3.0 in the past. The ride comfort feels floaty at high speed while bouncy at low speed. On the other hand, the so-called sports suspension doesn’t give out any sporty character while pushing hard into corners. The steering feels stiff but totally unresponsive and imprecise. Body rolls and understeer are your closet companions if you happen to drive X-Type hard, terrible with sports suspension and unimaginable with standard setting. The only saving grace is the stiff chassis that is solely based on the Ford Mondeo. The problem is X-Type has the right chassis on the wrong hands given Mondeo’s superior handling dynamics.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and ABS, X-Type’s braking is possibly the strongest suit in this unremarkable car. Stopping distance is short while the pedal feels solid and firm.

Interior: This X-Type Sport has a new interior trim called Piano wood which looks quite tasteful. Along with the Connolly leather seats, the Piano wood is the remaining area in this baby Jag’s interior that scored with nice material. The rest of the interiors have been hammered by cheap switchgears with loose fittings. On the other hand, the Conolly leather seats are comfortable. Thankfully, Jaguar finally assembled X-Type’s leather with proper stitch linings after so many years with wrongful craftsmanships. As usual, its interor is cramped and tight. Back seat has nearly nil legroom and trunk space is another joke.

Conclusion: After driven all the gasoline X–Type models, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this baby Jag is a flop. This 2.1L just makes a terrible driven car worse. Hopefully Jaguar will finally woke up with the upcoming X-Type replacement as competition in this segment is really tough. A4, 3-Series, C-Class and IS are all top contenders that are very hard to beat.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2006 JAGUAR X-TYPE 2.1 SPORT SEDAN
=====================================================
Performance: 1/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2/5

2004 Jaguar X-Type 3.0 wagon

Vehicle: 2004 Jaguar X-Type 3.0 wagon with X1-Premium, X2-Sport, X3-Weather, 18″ R performance tires, DSC and Xenon headlights
Price as tested: CDN$60145

Performance: As usual, X-Type is powered by 1 of 2 engines. Both are Duratec-based V6 which divided into 2.5L and 3.0L. Our tester is equipped with latter which has 227 hp and 210 lb/ft of torque. In terms of responsiveness and refinement, this powerplant is truly a mix review. Compare to the last 6 3.0 V6 I drove, Jag’s unit feels less refined, less responsive and rougher than equivalent Mazda unit. Although Jag might be a heavier car than Mazda, there is no way this engine feels so much rougher than its PAG silibing. The throttle response feels downright sluggish when pushed. Lack of seat-of-the-pants performance is an understatement to describe this engine. If 3.0L feels like that, I can’t imagine how doggy 2.5L feels.

While the tranny is pretty willing to up and downshifts, it won’t compensate for its sluggish powerplant’s performance. As for the J-gate shifter, its awkward to use since you have to move a “J” style from D to any other gears. While its a Jaguar tradition, they should start researching on manumatic tranny along the line of Porsche’s Tiptronic system.

Handling: X-Type’s chassis is definitely not a sloush given its based on the highly rated European Ford Mondeo platform. Its stiff and lack of flex. However, there are problems during the transformation from a Ford to a Jaguar. It just feels more like driving a Ford than what a “real” Jaguar should be. Although they claimed its AWD system is rear-bias, it feels nothing more like a FWD with tons of understeer when pushed without the benefit of AWD through corners. The weight transfer of the system is really questionable. On the other hand, steering response is more than adequate but feels numb. There are plenty of body rolls and understeers through corners. In terms of ride comfort, the sports suspension makes it feels bouncy on rough roads without giving it handling advantage over standard one.

Brakes: The pedal feel of X-Type is better than average with 4-wheel discs and ABS.

Interior: X-Type interior is another mix review. Although its already been better than the first one I drove back in 01, it still fell short of the competitors. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, while the Connlly leather seats are comfortable (also seat linings finally lining up properly). Now, let’s get to the things that I dislike. Firstly, the interior feels cramped. There aren’t much legroom and headroom for both front and back passengers, even in a wagon with higher roofline. Secondly, there are still plenty of cheap and shiny plastic that come directly from Ford’s parts bin. All those switchgears have a low-rent feel that completely out of place in a car costing 60 grand. While the cargo space has cubbyholes, the plastic and handle on the back feel flimsy. The plastic hatch handle has a feeling that its going to break after use.

Conclusion: European Ford Mondeo is, indeed, a great family car. On the other hand, Jag engineers completely missed the marks when transforming a great family car into a piss poor entry-level luxury car. It just doesn’t hold a candle to Audi, BMW and Mercedes compact sportswagons. Considering Volvo and Saab also have a foothold in sportswagon segment, its even tougher for Jag to break into it when all of them have far superior executions than X-Type.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 JAGUAR X-TYPE 3.0 WAGON
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 1/5

Overall rating: 2/5

2003 Jaguar S-Type 3.0 V6

Vehicle: 2003 Jaguar facelifted S-Type 3.0 V6 with premium pkg, sports pkg, Xenon and 6-speed auto

Performance: The base S-Type is powered by the 3.0 V6 engine that is basically a slightly revised version of Ford’s Duratec engine series. It bumps out 240hp and 221 lb/ft of torque. Its performance is adequate for a car of its class, nothing spectacular. The throttle response feels responsive but the whole car feels overweight considered the overall response of the vehicle. It lacks the performance that many of its competitors have in its price range. The highlight of the powerplant has to be the 6-speed auto. The upshift and downshift are brisk, smooth and very refine. However, Jaguar’s J-gate shifter has got to be the most unresponsive and reluctant design to move around. They claimed the driver can change gears similar to those of a manmuatic. But this design’s D to 4th gear has to take a whole freeway to move from right of the gate to the left. Crumsy is an understatement to describe the J-gate. If Jaguar wants to play with those German big boys, they better rethink the J-gate concept into a more logical manumatic design like Porsche’s Tiptronic. Upshift from 1st to any gears up take a millions of years to reach the other side of the gate. Keep the tradition design is one thing but giving total driver control is another.

Handling: S-Type’s biggest forte has to be its ride quality. The suspension absorbs bumps exceptionally well, thanks to Jaguar’s CATS concept. This computer active technology suspension really gives the passengers a well-occupied comfort level that match the top of its class. In terms of handling, there is adequate amount of road feel through the steering, however, still not the top of the class level. The dynamic stability control kicks in quite early considered what Jaguar wants an S-Type to be a sports-oriented luxury sedan. With this kind of instrusion, its hard to let its tail out even on a rainy day like today. This car is easily control as you enter the limit, however, its comfort-oriented tuning lacks the fun of the competitors as you drive in the limits.

Brakes: S-Type’s braking system works decently thoroughout the rainy weather. The pedal feel is firm and solid, good modulation.

Interior: Facelifted S-Type finally gains the interior material that the original version desperately needed, despite it still fell short of its Teutonic rivals. The gauges are logical and analog. The center console feels very much like a Jaguar with all the stereo and HVAC control placed on one single slot behind the shifter. Many of the materials feel richer than earlier version with higher quality feel and touch. However, you still can find some hard plastic and stereo knob has some cheap cracky noise when move. The Connolly leather covered seats are comfortable. The back seat space is adequate. The biggest change of the interior is the electronic handbrake. This system not only saves space but also works exceptionally well. As you shift from P to other gears, it will automatically disengage. Pull up for release and push for engagement. A very nifty system indeed.

Conclusion: The facelifted S-Type gains a few upgrades that the early model really needed. A richer interior, 6-speed auto and auto handbrake. However, the overall package still fell short of the competitors. While a cheaper G35 provides a far better performance at a lower price, A6 3.0 has a much more well-laid out interior and E320 offers an unbeatable package at its price. Its really hard to justify S-Type 3.0′s price tag considered its underwhelming performance.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2003 JAGUAR S-TYPE 3.0
====================================
Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.75/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2.5/5