Brief Encounter: Jag XFR

Just had my first ride in Jaguar’s XFR. That’s the headline grabbing 503bhp, M5 killing goliath that’s been getting the motoring press all excited this year if some of the recent rave reviews are anything to go by. In case it wasn’t already clear I’ve always been a bit of a Jaguar fan, so hopefully you’ll understand why it’s one of the cars I’ve been anxious to get my paws on these last few months.
Obviously I can’t tell you much about the little intricacies of driving the thing from the passenger seat, but what I can tell you is that it’s rather fast. Really? No sh*t Sherlock! If anything, what surprises is the way in which the XFR presses on without the slightest hint of drama so that you’re being conveyed at a frankly rather naughty pace while the scenery glides by as though it were a gentle Sunday afternoon stroll. The soundtrack from the supercharged 5-litre V8 is best described as a kind of muted bellow. It certainly doesn’t disappoint but if it were my money, I’d want it to be just a little bit more tuneful.
In essence though, they’ve got it just about right. This is a Jaguar. It’s not a sports car, but it is an incredibly refined sporting saloon. And it doesn’t need to shout about it. In fact, the only obvious giveaway is those bonnet vents.
Inside it’s the pleasing little highlights that set this car apart from others in its class; the details you’ll still be discovering a couple of years down the line like the tiny Jaguar logos embossed into the rear air vent adjusters. The silver drive selector knob wouldn’t look out of place on a 1970s record player, but it sits comfortably enough among the other switchgear on the XF’s wide centre console. Big, ungainly levers are so last century.
I’d have liked to have seen how the car dealt with a few fast B roads rather than just hoofing along some dual carriageways near Solihull, but there wasn’t time. We’ve all seen the figures and it’s proven to be a refined cruiser too, but is it really as agile as reports suggest? I’ve no reason to doubt them so far.
It’s reassuring that Jaguar seem to have got so much right with the XFR. There are few current cars I’ve felt such a strong desire to own were it not for the small issue of £60,000. It deserves every success.




