'DNA' Drive: Fab Feline

Make no mistake. The Jaguar is roaring loud and clear into the Indian luxury car market.

Sales are booming, having logged a growth of over 100% last year. Quite in line, the brand’s distribution network also expanded to 15 dealerships across 13 cities.

Leading the fare is the XF, the youngest cat in the family.
The company, headquartered in Coventry, off London, has given the ageing series a makeover. With claws manicured, a facial to match the styling of one of the most respected cats and its elder sibling, the XJ, and some twitching of the whiskers, the XF has come out looking sharper and sleeker than the outgoing version. Some sedan the designers have crafted by picking a leaf from Jaguar’s design book and melding it with some of the latest styling trends, like the sloping roof. Photogenic it is, and looks better in person.

Interiors
Designers at the Coventry factory have scrumptiously crafted the interiors of the XF S.

The centrally located red-backlit push start button pulsates like a heart waiting to start beating. Crank the engine up and you begin to experience a veritable motoring theatre. The gear knob gradually rises from the housing into the driver’s palm and the four air-con vents flip out into their original place. As if that wasn’t enough, all the interiors are packed with lavished leather-bolstered seats, classy wooden trims and sophisticated materials. Even the in-cabin lights are touch-sensitive.

The revamped version gets some cosmetic upgrades, including black buttons on the centre console and a new touch screen music system. The new music system has been lifted from the Evoque and it has ditched a six-CD changer, replacing it with a single disk player. One can also stream phone music through Bluetooth.

But the spacing on the XF remains the same. The rear-seat headroom for a six-footer is a bit tight, and that is the only complain.

Performance
The XF comes in three variants, XF, XF S and XF R. The XF gets a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, which shall be replaced by a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol next year. The XF R is the supercharged version of the V8, while the S is the diesel version.

A 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel engine resides under the hood of the XF S, which blends 275PS of maximum power and 600Nm of whooping torque. It has uniquely-sized twin-turbochargers that help to avoid any form of lag from the turbo. The NVH (noise vibration and harshness) levels are very low and even the start-up clatter melodies are suppressed in the facelift version. Questions like overtaking and mileage sound out of place for this oil burner. Slam the accelerator pedal and all the cars around get sucked into the past --- this, without any neck-breaking or getting back-pushed into the seat.

The six-speed self-shifting ZF transmission comes bolted on to this V6 oil burner that powers the rear wheels. This isn’t a dual-clutch box but the shifts are good, and it tends to better once shifted into the sport mode. For the racer boys, there is the flappy paddle shift to play.

Ride & handling
With a good British racing heritage, Jaguar carries a strong pedigree of performance and handling on all its cars. The driving characteristics of the XF S are no different from the other Jaguars. The alacrity of the chassis is phenomenal and the responsive engine also comes to the aid. Push it around a bend and it will obey your command. The light and chunky steering wheel makes driving easy on a day-to-day basis. You do feel an iota of numbness in the steering; all it takes is some getting used to.
Engaging the Dynamic mode sharpens the throttle response and so does the transmission. Do not disable the ESP, as this is highly risky and strictly not advisable unless you are from the select few who have tamed high-powered vehicles. It’s akin to bidding goodbye to your Guardian Angel.

Ride on this midsize luxury sedan is supple and certainly pliant --- neither too soft, nor too harsh. The suspension has been set up with a mend of ride and handling. The road shocks and unevenness are captivated by dampers to give a smooth and settled ride. The car crashes through bumps and potholes with a soft muted thud.

Verdict
Infused with modern style and technology, the Jaguar XF makes a strong case for itself. It impresses from the outside, but once inside, you feel exclusive. Many aren’t aware that the XF competes with the midsize luxury cars akin to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5-Series and the Audi A6.