A year ago, after editor-in-chief Jean Jennings traveled to Arizona for the world debut drive of the XF, <a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/new_cars/01/jaguar/index.html">Jaguar</a>'s new sport sedan, she reported that she was "ready to drive the XF home to Michigan." Her wish has now been partially fulfilled, as we have taken delivery of an <a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/am/99/2012/jaguar/xf/supercharged_sedan/2962/index.html">XF Supercharged</a> at our Ann Arbor office. For its $64,475 starting price, the big cat comes loaded to the whiskers, riding on twenty-inch wheels and featuring a 440-watt Bowers & Wilkins stereo that has drawn early praise. We added adaptive cruise control-the only available option aside from special paint-to bring the total to $66,675.
Packing 420 hp and featuring a sumptuous but very contemporary cabin, the Jaguar has become an instant staff favorite and already has a cross-country road trip under its belt. We look forward to seeing how the S-type's replacement, with its mind-numbing array of interior technology (including a proximity-sensor-operated glove box and map lights, as well as an electronic, rotary gear selector), holds up to a year of use.
The Specs
Price: $66,675
Engine: 4.2L V-8
Power: 420 hp
Torque: 413 lb-ft
Notes
1126 miles "The ride is ever so slightly rough at low speeds, but the high-speed ride and handling are class-leading, especially given the car's big twenty-inch wheels," notes road test editor Marc Noordeloos.
5259 "The XF was a nearly perfect road-trip vehicle for two people, with plenty of room in the trunk for a week's worth of clothing and camping gear (that we never used)," writes a staffer after driving 3717.5 miles through the South and the Midwest. "I was never tired or sore after getting out of the car."
5717 "I am weary of the touch-sensitive glove box. It has now lost its novelty and simply doesn't work every time," concludes executive editor Joe DeMatio, adding to several staff members' comments about inconsistent interior quality.
<a href="http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2009/jaguar/xf/index.html">2009 Jaguar XF</a> Supercharged
Base price (with dest.): $64,675
Price as tested: $66,675
Overview
Body Style: 4-door sedan
Accommodation: 5-passenger
Construction: Steel unibody
Powertrain
Engine: DOHC 32-valve supercharged V-8
Displacement: 4.2 liters
Power: 420 hp @ 6250 rpm
Torque: 413 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic transmission
Drive: rear-wheel
Fuel economy: 15/23/17 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
Chassis
Steering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Turns lock-to-lock: 2.8
Turning Circle: 37.7 ft
Suspension, Front: Double wishbone
Suspension, Rear: Double wishbone
Brakes F/R: Vented discs, ABS
Wheels: 20 x 8.5 / 20 x 9.5 in (f/r)
Tires: Pirelli P Zero
Tire Size: 255/35R20 97Y X/L / 285/30/R20 99X X/L (f/r)
Measurements
Headroom F/R: 39.0 / 37.4 in
Legroom F/R: 41.5 / 36.6 in
Shoulder Room F/R: 56.8 / 56.3 in
Wheelbase: 114.5 in
Track F/R: 61.4 / 61.8 in
L x W x H: 195.3 80.8 x 57.5 in
Cargo Capacity: 17.7 cu ft
Weight: 4194 lb
Weight Dist. F/R: N/A
Fuel Capacity: 18.4 gal
Est. Range: 312 miles
Standard Equipment
ABS
Front, side, curtain airbags
Heated and cooled leather seats
Reversing camera
Options
Adaptive Cruise Control - $2200