By John Griffiths
Published: May 2 2009 01:19 | Last updated: May 2 2009 01:19
Jaguars have become a bit like buses. Before Mr Design Director Ian Callum reaches for his beautifully crafted Purdey shotgun to answer this slur, I meant it only in the sense that you wait for a new Jag for what seems like an eternity, then three come along together.
Actually, in a few months’ time you will be able to make that four. Just over the horizon is Jaguar’s new flagship, the large XJ luxury saloon, which will join the three cars just launched: the toweringly fast 503 horsepower V8-engined XKR coupe and similarly-powered XFR compact executive saloon, plus the updated XF range, with new diesel and petrol engines. And when the full line-up of these latest-generation cars is in place, then everyone across the broad spectrum of the luxury saloon and sports car markets – Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Lexus and even Porsche and Aston Martin – must look to their laurels.
Such a positive prognosis might puzzle some, given that Tata, the Indian owner of Jaguar and its sister company, Land Rover, is seeking a garage-load of financial support from the government to tide them over the global car market collapse. But in this respect Jaguar is no different from the rest of the luxury and executive car industry: it’s suffering from the absence of people in a mood to buy and of the credit they require in order to do so. Jaguar has a particular problem, however – bad timing. The cars it has been designing and building over the past few years are all capable of meeting rivals eyeball-to-eyeball, and the launch early last year of the original XF saw total Jaguar sales up nearly 9 per cent for 2008. But this upturn followed years of heavy losses and arrived just as the market crashed.
After test drives of all three of the new cars, however, it is almost impossible not to conclude that, present troubles notwithstanding, Jaguar can face the future with confidence; the kind of confidence that leads its executives to confront motoring journalists with a race track and toss them the keys to the cars.
That is exactly what Jaguar did with the XKR and XFR at Spain’s challenging Monteblanco circuit near Seville – an act of trust and bravery rarely contemplated by any of its German or Japanese rivals. Race tracks tend to strip even “prestige” cars of their pretensions, exposing flaws easily hidden on normal roads. Both Jaguars, however, were a revelation: supremely poised, fluid in their handling, emitting not a squeak or rattle when bounced hard over the kerbs and – with 500-plus horsepower on tap – very, very fast. Most impressive of all, they appeared content to be driven flat out all day. Suddenly, BMW’s mighty M5 saloon and M6 coupe – despite their similar power – seem old and wooden in their responses. Audi’s RS6 and Mercedes-Benz’ latest 63 AMG saloons and coupes stand up better; but if I were spending my own money, it’s the Jaguars I’d be buying, without question.
The XKR and XFR are, however, relatively low-volume, high-performance models. The bulk of sales are expected to come from more mundane versions. And in a European car market where more than 60 per cent of all new cars sold are diesels, it is to the new 3 litre diesel model – the main subject of these tests – that Jaguar must look for a large slice of its income.
The original 2.7 litre XF diesel, still little more than a year old, is already a success story – it took 68 per cent of the UK’s shrunken “prestige” diesel car market in January. When that market revives, the just-updated models should give the XF even more momentum. The V6 engine goes from 2.7 to 3 litres, with an “S” version offering 275bhp, compared with the “standard” version’s 240bhp. Both have levels of refinement inconceivable for diesels even five years ago – helped on the new models by the adoption of an acoustic laminated windscreen. They also provide much more than adequate performance, with that delightful low-revs diesel thrust which, in real-world conditions, is often more useful and enjoyable than high-power petrol engines. They can’t quite match BMW’s much-respected 535d for get-up-and-go, mainly because they’re heavier. But perhaps more relevant, even the “S” model offers roughly 10 per cent better fuel economy – 42mpg on the EU rural/urban test cycle – and reduced carbon dioxide emissions (179g/km) compared with the XF diesel it replaces.
Externally, there are few visual differences except for new wheels. Internally, however, there are rather more tweaks, with an expanded range of wood veneers and an options list based around three levels of trim: luxury, premium luxury and the bells-and-whistles “portfolio”. The portfolio spec includes a concert hall of a 525-watt sound system from Bowers and Wilkins, making the XF’s interior even more of a “feel-good” environment. Interiors are a peculiarly British design strength, with Jaguar perhaps their foremost exponent.
Is all this praise excessive for the products of a company that, to be blunt, was a basket case for years and is still only in the early stages of convalescence? I have thought long and hard – and the answer remains “no”. In spite of today’s dire market conditions, there is a spirit of rebirth, pride and sheer fun within the company and its people which is being reflected increasingly in its products. It is no insult to Callum, MD Mike O’Driscoll and their engineering gurus to describe them as big boys revelling in their toys.
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