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Jaguar XF R-5.0litre supercharged road test report

R-5.0litre supercharged

What do you get when you take the award winning Jaguar XF and then add a 5.0litre supercharged petrol engine? Yes, of course it’s the brand new Jaguar XFR and its gunning for the title of top cat in the niche ‘sports luxury’ segment, looking to give the likes of the BMW M5 and Audi RS6 a run for their money. The flagship of the XF range the XFR manages to walk the tightrope of providing a luxurious cabin and ride but with a thrilling level of performance.

Road Test Reports Says 5 star rating
A front-facing image of the Jaguar XF R-5.0litre supercharged

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RICHARD SAYS

Performance Performance - 5 stars

Carmaker’s like to talk about the ‘halo effect’, which is the boost to sales a desirable, top of the range variant (or model) makes with purchasers. Unable to stretch to that all singing, all dancing top of the range car they still want a car closely associated with it - essentially it is all about creating a sought-after product and it can be argued that while the XF is an exceptional car, Jaguar had not created a flagship XF to generate the halo effect over the rest of the range. The Jaguar XFR is the answer to this problem, with a brand new 5.0litre supercharged petrol unit offering substantial increases in power and torque over the outgoing 4.2l V8 supercharged car. Statistically the big cat purrs for itself with 0-60mph achieved in only 4.7 seconds, while 50-70mph takes only 1.9 seconds! Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph and putting your foot down is a pretty spectacular affair as the engine sends a tremendous amount of power to the road through the rear powered wheels. Marginally slower off the mark than the Audi RS6 and BMW M5 this is still a car with plenty of clout, perfectly illustrated with the story of a mildly modified version of the XFR hitting 225mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in November 2008.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 5 stars

The supercharged engine, with 510PS and 625Nm of power and torque just waiting to be unleashed needs to be harnessed correctly, and the XFR’s super stiff body shell is ideal at coping with the added demands placed on it. Jaguar has also replaced their Computer Active Technology Suspension (or CATS) with a new Adaptive Dynamics intelligent system which is a highly sophisticated damping system which adjusts the suspension to reflect the prevailing road conditions and the current driving style. In reality the new system offers the best of both worlds – offering improved comfort and refinement when driven conservatively and stiffens up when driven aggressively; perfect for a car which offers the driver such a divergent driving experience. For people looking at creating a rawer driving experience the engineers have created enough options to truly customise the character and performance of the ride and handling; with copious levels of tweaking available on systems such as DSC off options, Traction only, Dynamic mode, modified Adaptive Dynamics, and TCS traction control. Taken all together it provides the platform for the driver to call on the full power of the engine should they wish.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

Being the flagship for the range, purchasers can look forward to a level of luxury also found on the Jaguar XF’s new ‘Portfolio’ finish. The level of detail and finish are both out of the top drawer, with comfortable leather, cross stitch finished upholstery through out the cabin. The front seats also come with a variety of electronic knobs to get the perfect driving position whatever the height of the driver. To differentiate the car from standard XF, the external aesthetics have been toughen up a little, with a new meaner front bumper, and lower mesh grilles. Supercharged-branded bonnet vents and discreet ‘R’ badges complete the impressive look of the XFR. Throughout the interior the quality of materials is generally of a very high order, while nice little dark oak veneer finishes give it a nod to more ‘old school’ Jaguar stylings. With a brand new engine under the bonnet reliability of the XFR is a step into the unknown; however previous XF’s have not found to be littered with bugs and issues, so there is a high likelihood that the car shouldn’t be seeing the inside of a Jaguar garage any time soon.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

As is the norm with Jaguar there is no Euro NCAP score to regale to the reader, so direct comparison with its contemporaries (Audi RS6 and BMW M5) are impossible. However, as with other areas of the XFR the car is well catered for, Jaguar has ensured a large amount of safety and security measures to ensure the driver and passengers remain protected. Pedestrians have also been thought of with a Pedestrian Contact Sensor which automatically deploys the bonnet in the event of a pedestrian accident. The standard numbers of airbags are included with front, side and curtain all present. Emergency Brake Assist and cornering brake control are also fitted, while the opportunist thief will have to struggle against central locking, deadlocking, drive away locking and immobiliser.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

With identical levels of space found in the XFR to a standard XF, the performance executive car is a true four seater with bags of room in the front even for the six foot plus contingent, the large central console which houses the JaguarDrive selector knob and start button does not eat into the available space and actually includes several good sized storage locations and cup holders. With good levels of leg room also found in the rear the only fly in the ointment is with the tapering roofline. Boot space is a good 500 litres, which is the same as the BMW M5 and only a little slightly less than the 546l found in the Audi. Unlike some high performance cars the engine never feels like its straining at the leash, and if the driver wants to drive sedately then you’ll hear no complaints from the gearbox or the engine.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 5 stars

Weighing in at £59,900 the Jaguar XFR is the most expensive XF available, however you do get a lot of car and a lot of performance for your hard earned cash. Jaguar expect 6% of all XF sales to be XFR versions and it will no doubt provide stiff competition to both the Audi RS6 and BMW M5 for the wallets (and purses) of buyers looking for a high level of luxury but with fabulous performance. Comparing the OTR prices of the RS6, M5, and XFR reveals the Jaguar undercuts both rivals by £5000 in the case of the M5 and almost £15000 for the Audi which is not to be sniffed at. Associated driving costs will be steep with insurance grouping an understandable 20, its CO2 emissions putting it into the highest VED band, and its combined mpg of 22.5 will mean it will need regular trips to the forecourt! Like all Jaguar XF the residuals are strong making this car an excellent choice when looking for performance and luxury.

Submitted: 19/06/2009 09:48:20

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