In Pursuit of Excellence

Jaguar UK has just announced that UK Police Forces are currently evaluating the latest Diesel XF for use as a pursuit vehicle. We first drove the Jaguar XF last year and were impressed. The car we drove then was the naturally aspirated 4.2 Litre Petrol V8, so when we picked up the 3.0 Litre Petrol V6 recently we were just a little blasé about the whole thing and were ready to be disappointed.
How silly we were. From the moment we settled in to the plush leather we again experienced the XF theatrics with the Start Button pulsing and the gear selector knob waking and rising to the occasion. We were hooked, once more.
There are four XFs currently available – a 2.7 Litre Diesel V6, a 3.0 Litre Petrol V6, a 4.2 Litre Petrol V8 and a 4.2 Litre Supercharged Petrol V8 (the SV8). Later this year the 2.7 Litre Diesel is being replaced by a new 3.0 Litre V6 and the two 4.2 Litre V8s are being replaced by 5.0 Litre V8s.
The XF's fresh new exterior image still manages, cleverly, to retain subtle glimpses of traditional Jaguars. In keeping with this exterior is an ultra modern interior but with traditional touches - sumptuous leather and luxurious timber veneers. The impressive list of standard features inside the XF includes:
• Electrically adjustable front seats
• Electrically adjustable (for height and reach) steering wheel
• Dual memory function for driver's seat, steering wheel and external mirrors
• Dual zone climate control
• Cruise control with Automatic Speed Limiter
• Keyless starting
• Automatic halogen headlights and rain sensing wipers
• A 7" colour touch screen controlling Audio, Navigation, Bluetooth, Climate and Parking Aid systems

Fully laden, the XF weighs in at 2,215kg but its large 4 wheel vented discs stop it very capably. ABS brakes with Emergency brake assist and Electronic brake force distribution are standard. In fact the XF's safety systems are standard across the range - two stage front and side airbags are complemented by side and curtain airbags. There's Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, Cornering Brake Control, and Engine Drag Torque Control which prevents the rear wheels from locking on slippery surfaces when you suddenly decelerate or shift down a gear too rapidly. Coupled with the DSC is JaguarDrive ControlTM which can be set to Normal or Winter, changing the car's engine mapping, shift points and braking to suit conditions. The Pedestrian Contact SensingTM system, on sensing contact with an errant pedestrian, lifts the bonnet away from the immovable hardware below to provide a more pedestrian friendly deformable surface on which to land.
Like it's bigger sister the exhaust note is only audible when pushed hard and while the V6 lacks the unique growl that can only come from a V8, it still sounds great. On paper the V6 is 1.8 seconds slower to 100km/h than the V8 but it tries willingly and in everyday driving never disappoints.
Over nearly 700kms the V6 consumed 10.6litres/100kms - right on Jaguar's quoted 10.5litres/100kms for the standard combined urban/country cycle. We had a lot less country driving in the V6 than in the V8 last year where over 2,100kms it consumed a sweet 9.7litres/100kms.
The XF V6 starts around $110,000 and Jaguar offers a 3 year/100,000km warranty including Roadside Assistance for the term of the warranty. In addition, regardless of mileage, there are 6 year rust perforation and 3 year paint surface warranties.
The XF clearly drives Jaguar out of the slightly eccentric English Gentlemen's Club into the 21st century where it will undoubtedly be appreciated by a much wider class of drivers.

Tested May 2009

Vehicle provided by Jaguar Australia