2016 Jaguar XF Revealed! Less Weight, A lot more Tech

With its redesign for 2016, the Jaguar XF follows the complete-size XJ and the new XE into the property of aluminum. In addition to the attendant weight loss, the new XF also sees a significant increase in its tech offerings, while its engine lineup is sharply decreased.

The switch from an all-steel structure sees the mid-size luxury-sport sedan, which very first created its debut for the 2009 model year, shed considerable mass. Jaguar is quoting a 132-pound weight loss for the rear-wheel-drive model and an impressive 265-pound cut for the all-wheel-drive version. Helping matters is the truth that the automobile has not grown any bigger. The overall package size is retained, but the car’s wheelbase grows by 2 inches. The wheelbase stretch yields a lot more rear-seat space, a welcome improvement. Nevertheless, Jaguar is claiming bumps of significantly less than an inch in rear-seat knee- and legroom, which is significantly less than we may possibly have hoped.

The new styling is largely evolutionary, not surprising offered that the preceding car ushered in Jaguar’s existing style language. Although the whole automobile is new, the most noticeably fresh elements may possibly be the headlights (accessible as complete LEDs), the taillights (which take their cue from the F-type’s), and the elongated greenhouse that now involves quarter-windows in the C-pillars.

Will That Be a V-6, or a V-6?

The dramatically shrunken engine lineup is lowered to just 2 versions of the 3.-liter supercharged V-6. This is the exact same 3.-liter supercharged V-6 as just before, producing an identical 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. It is joined by a new, 380-hp version of the engine in the XF S, but that iteration also produces 332 lb-ft. Both versions of the V-6 use an 8-speed automatic—with gear choice by Jaguar’s dial shifter—and can be had with rear- or all-wheel drive. Jaguar predicts a 5.1-second zero-to-60-mph time for each the AWD XF and the RWD XF S, with the AWD XF S finishing a single-tenth quicker than that and the RWD XF one particular-tenth behind.

With entry-level-sedan duties now handled by the new XE, the Ford-sourced 2.-liter turbocharged 4 does not return (and we can’t say that we’ll miss it). Nor does the 5.-liter supercharged V-8, which in the outgoing vehicle was great for between 470 and 550 horsepower (the latter in the ultra-limited-edition XFR-S). The subsequent engine to join the lineup for the new XF will be a 2.-liter turbo-diesel, component of JLR’s new Ingenium family of engines. It promises highway fuel economy of about 40 mpg but won’t come onstream till about 6 months soon after launch.

As on AWD versions of the F-type, the setup here can brake an inside wheel to boost cornering. Both the common dampers and the optional adaptive dampers have been retuned. When paired with all-wheel drive, the latter includes what Jaguar calls Adaptive Surface Response, which functions as a self-actuating winter mode when slippery road conditions are detected. The active dampers—along with the steering effort, throttle sensitivity, and transmission shift mapping—also can be configured by means of 3 driver-selectable modes.

Virtually Like a Trip to CES

The new XF also pours on the tech elsewhere. New systems and functions incorporate a head-up show, forward-collision warning with automated braking, lane-maintaining help (enabling brief bouts of hands-cost-free driving), adaptive cruise handle that can automatically creep along in stop-and-go visitors, a driver-drowsiness monitor, and semiautomated parking (parallel and perpendicular). A function known as Intelligent Speed Limiter, which can read speed-limit signs and automatically adjust the cruise control to maintain the auto specifically at the speed limit, sounds like a bit of a killjoy to us.

The far better news is that Jaguar’s slow-acting, considerably-loathed touch-screen interface has been junked in favor of a new, bigger unit with the grandiose name InControl Touch Pro. Debuting on the new XF, it features a 10.2-inch screen, boasts more rapidly-acting strong-state drive (SSD) map storage, a quad-core processor, and net-primarily based functions. The hardware should hopefully address the major problem we had with the lesser InControl system in the course of our drive of the XE, namely slow responses. Above the XF’s standard InControl Touch system, Pro adds the bigger screen an interactive, 360-degree view of nav-technique destinations widgets that can supply a shortcut to favorite attributes and dead-reckoning functionality that can pinpoint the car’s position when a GPS signal is unavailable.

Although we hope the new program functions properly, we expect that the new XF will be more rewarding for those drivers who can direct their interest away from the screen. Even at 6 years old, the outgoing XF is one particular of the ideal-driving automobiles in the segment, so we have higher hopes for this new version.

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2016 Jaguar XF Revealed! Less Weight, A lot more Tech

2016 Jaguar F-variety Manual and AWD – Initial Drive Review

2016 Jaguar F-variety Manual and AWD – Initial Drive Review

2016 Jaguar F-variety Manual and AWD 1st Drive: Manuals Saved, RWD In Jeopardy

First Drive Assessment

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Manuals: saved. Rear-wheel drive: in jeopardy.

1 of these days our Save the Manuals campaign will arrive at its inevitable end. Even if the ol’ stick shift wins a battle every now and then, newer, smoother, and faster transmission technology is dominating the war. We’ll be devastated to concede victory, but our operate as the enthusiasts’ advocate won’t finish with manual transmissions. That’s due to the fact there’s yet another just cause waiting in the wings. We’d contact it our Save Rear-Wheel Drive Movement. As energy escalates to obscene levels, carmakers are sending torque to all 4 wheels to get that grunt to the ground. Going quick is fantastic, but all-wheel-drive systems also add weight and compromise handling.

Which brings us to the 2016 Jaguar F-variety coupe and convertible, automobiles that simultaneously fight the good fight and force all-wheel drive onto a sublime rear-drive sports vehicle. 2 years right after the F-sort debuted, a 6-speed manual is optional with some engines even though other powertrains are now mated with all-wheel drive as regular gear.

Behavior Modification Therapy

We’ll hedge the undesirable news with some excellent: For 2016, the F-sort V-8 S convertible is now an F-kind R convertible, meaning it gets a power enhance to match the coupe, going from 495 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque to 550 and 502. The downside is that all-wheel drive is now regular on all 8-cylinder F-sorts, both coupes and convertibles, regardless of whether or not they’re sold in Vermont or Florida. (Rear-drive Rs nonetheless will be accessible elsewhere in the world.)

Jaguar believes you require 4 driven wheels to handle the fury of the 5.-liter supercharged V-8, and frankly, they’re not completely incorrect. But the F-kind derives a specific amount of charm from its tail-satisfied attitude and slightly juvenile inability to put the power to the ground. Besides, there will constantly be faster ways than an F-sort to get to 60 mph or to lap a track for $ 25,000 (such as the absolutely-not-all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Corvette Z06). And at 176 pounds, the all-wheel-drive hardware does practically nothing to assist the F-type’s critical weight dilemma. When we get our hands on a single for testing, count on this 2-passenger aluminum coupe to weigh in excess of 4000 pounds.

The all-wheel-drive technique, which is also an choice on the 380-hp supercharged V-6 S model, can deliver up to 50 percent of the torque to the front wheels via an electronically controlled clutch pack or decouple the prop shaft fully to drive only the rear wheels in low-load, straight-ahead conditions. Although the 4-wheel-drive F-type will nevertheless swish its tail about, breaking the rear finish loose requires a concerted effort. The true benefit, of course, is the capability to drive out of corners with a lot more throttle—and to apply it earlier.

We lapped Portugal’s Estoril circuit in an F-variety R and a low-speed handling course with a V-6 S coupe in a parking lot saturated by garden sprinklers. In the wet or dry, the all-wheel-drive F-sort is far a lot more stable and less difficult to drive at corner exit. There’s even adequate traction to do a full-throttle launch in the wet with no proof of wheelspin. For these who treat driving rapidly as a point-and-shoot physical exercise, an all-wheel-drive F-kind R will almost certainly save a couple of insurance coverage claims. To us, though, it seems a bit stifling for Jaguar to foist all-wheel-drive on Sun Belt purchasers and 3-season drivers in the north.

Electric Revolution

All 2016 F-sorts switch from hydraulic power steering to electric power steering, and the outcome is far better than we could have anticipated. Although it is not fairly as perfectly weighted as the setup in the sublime 2017 Jaguar XE, the F-type’s steering is precise, sharp on-center, and complete of feedback. The effort is a touch light for our tastes, but that doesn’t avoid Jaguar from joining the rarefied organization of automakers that have improved their steering with the switch to electric help.

Six-Speed Salvation

Whilst the V-8 models are losing some of their driver’s-car appeal, the V-6 models obtain credibility by way of an optional 6-speed manual transmission. The stick shift is accessible on both the 340- and 380-hp V-6 models, but exclusively with rear-wheel drive. For the privilege of operating the clutch pedal, purchasers can expect a discount of about $ 1500 and a savings of 22 pounds compared with the 8-speed automatic.

A light clutch pedal doesn’t supply much feedback as to where the friction point starts or how the clutch engages, and the shifter’s throws are on the extended side, with a slightly elastic resistance to each movement. It’s all a bit reminiscent of a BMW shifter, which is to be expected thinking about that each Jag and BMW supply their manual transmissions from supplier ZF. Overall, we’d get in touch with the gearbox action very good but not Honda-great. Then again, something with 3 pedals is fairly excellent, and there are couple of luxuries greater than choice. So thinking about the F-kind R’s switch to all-wheel drive, all the time, we say the V-6 S is the F-type to acquire for now.

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2016 Jaguar F-variety Manual and AWD 1st Drive: Manuals Saved, RWD In Jeopardy

2017 Jaguar XE 1st Drive: Return of the Driver’s Vehicle

1st Drive Overview

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Return of the Driver’;s Vehicle.

For those not keeping score at house, a swift recap of the state of the sports sedan: In May possibly 2013, a Lexus IS350 F Sport beat out a BMW 335i M Sport in a 3-auto comparo. Ten months later, the 3-series’ 2-door twin lost to an Audi S5. Then our annual 10Best Automobiles awards arrived for 2015 without a single 3-series variant on the list for the first time in 23 years.

But it’s not just BMW that’s down and out. We can not shake the feeling that the discerning driver is also on the losing team these days. By no means mind the 707-hp Hellcats or that seemingly every automaker desires to construct a mid-engined auto. Product planners have abruptly decided that mass appeal and crisp dynamics are at odds with every single other, and nowhere is it much more clear than in this sweet-spot compact-luxury segment that once so deftly combined sport, refinement, and practicality. The non–F Sport Lexus IS models are butter-knife dull. The Audi A4 mutes the analog art of driving with a digital sense of speed. Select the incorrect choices and your BMW will be softer than the comparable Mercedes C-class.

All of which tends to make the 2017 Jaguar XE an anomaly and a heaven-sent savior. We’ve just taken our first drive in Britain’s initial automobile in this segment given that the Ford Mondeo–based X-variety, and it’s so good that we cannot consider of a explanation to mention that grim, 4-wheeled disappointment once again for the rest of this story. The 2 XE variants we drove—the supercharged V-6 XE S and a 180-hp diesel—sit at opposite ends of the performance spectrum and but they each demonstrated the reflexes and the grace that are conspicuously absent in the competition. Hold your enthusiasm in check, even though, simply because we’re nevertheless roughly a year away from the XE’s U.S. arrival (therefore the 2017 model year on this story).

Heavy Metal, Light on its Feet

Like the larger XF and XJ, the smallest Jag sedan wears a body structure created largely from bonded and riveted aluminum. The steel bits—all 4 doors, the trunklid, and the floor pan aft of the rear seat—are strategically positioned to shift the weight distribution toward the driven rear wheels.

Yet Jaguar admits that its aluminum automobile is not exactly light. With the supercharged V-6 and rear-wheel drive, the XE weighs almost 3700 pounds. That’s on par with the 3-series and about 100 pounds heavier than the neurotically optimized, steel-intensive Cadillac ATS. The claimed 52.6/47.4-percent front/rear weight distribution also fails to impress. Jon Darlington, XE engineering manager, says a lighter physique-in-white makes it possible for Jaguar to use heavier, far more complicated suspension systems. Between this XE and the Ford F-150 (which now weighs about as considerably as a Chevy Silverado), we were prepared to declare aluminum the official material of reduced expectations.

Then we hammered the XE more than Portugal’s wandering 2-lanes, connecting sun-bleached villages with a supercharged wail and a red blur. Behind the wheel, the pounds melt away in an effortless hustle that’s all precision and dexterity. Helped by adaptive dampers and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, the XE S turns in rapid, corners flat, and exits quickly. A crease in the asphalt at the apex becomes a twitch in your palms, a flash of recognition in your brain, and a wiggle of your wrists, all with out conscious thought. This is real, living, breathing steering really feel, and the XE has it in spades. You will laugh, you will cry tears of joy, and you’ll marvel that this is Jaguar’s very first use of electric energy steering in a sedan. It is exceptional.

In spite of delivering such a faithful interpretation of what’s taking place at the tires, the XE is never harsh. Jaguar engineers credit what they get in touch with an integral link rear suspension. A short, vertical hyperlink between the handle arm and the wheel carrier isolates specific bushings so they react to cornering forces with minimal influence on ride top quality, and vice versa. The bushings that impact handling are stiffened and those responsible for influence suppression are softened. It all appears to perform as advertised. The XE carves as properly as the Cadillac ATS but has the compliance of a Mercedes-Benz C-class.

Power and Efficiency

Energy for the range-topping XE S comes from the 3.-liter supercharged V-6 used all through the Jaguar range. It excels in delivering its energy, and it is instantaneous, seamless, and strong all the way to the 6500-rpm redline. Provided its 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, we predict a zero-to-60-mph run close to the head of the pack at 4.7 seconds. The outstanding ZF 8-speed automatic—also utilised by BMW and Audi—is one more reminder that no automaker should waste the time or cash attempting to develop anything quicker, smoother, or smarter, because it is likely an not possible activity.

The V-6 engine is neither as honeyed nor as musical as the Audi S4’s engine of related configuration, displacement, and output. But even if the Jag engine doesn’t achieve the identical level of polish, the NVH group has carried out an admirable job of burying the unpleasant sounds and vibrations behind insulation and bushings. At full throttle, the supercharger is barely audible and the engine plays a subtler variation of the 6-cylinder F-type’s rasp.

The 2.-liter turbo-diesel 4-cylinder is our first taste of Jaguar’s new Ingenium engine loved ones, which will sever the final ties with Ford Motor Firm once it’s been totally adopted. The characteristic diesel clatter is suppressed so effectively that the compression-ignition engine may possibly be more refined than the V-6—at least relative to its peers. In the diesel, the 8 forward gears do a fine job of keeping the engine parked in the window in between the 317-lb-ft torque peak at 1750 rpm and the maximum energy output of 180 horsepower at 4000 rpm.

Pirelli P7 Cinturato tires—which have compromised many BMW 3-series in our tests—dampen that fantastic steering really feel identified in the XE S, but the chassis motions are otherwise every single bit as competent. Besides, the diesel has its own noble purpose. The EPA highway quantity need to very easily best 40 mpg, counteracting the thirst of an M3-fighting XE R-S functionality model—not however officially confirmed but we’ve heard it is a go—for the purposes of corporate fuel-economy accounting.

The diesel’s aluminum block also will type the foundation for a gas-burning Ingenium 4-cylinder. That turbocharged 2.-liter will eventually make up the bulk of U.S. sales, but we’ll have to wait about 6 months right after the XE’s spring 2016 launch for its arrival. All-wheel drive will be optional with any engine, and we’re promised a 6-speed manual for either of the 4-cylinder engines, albeit only with rear-wheel drive.

But Will They Get It?

Of course, the XE isn’t with no flaw. The graphics of the new InControl system’s 8-inch touch screen are cleaner and crisper than those of the cluttered mess in existing-gen Jaguars, but the underlying application appears to be plagued by the exact same difficulties, namely slow responses. Rear-seat space is also on the little side, but then attempting to be all items to all men and women is precisely how this segment became so anesthetic.

You can acquire a larger back seat, a a lot more opulent interior, a internet browser on wheels, a suite of pseudo self-driving technologies, or all 4 at as soon as, but a car this engaging and this capable is now a genuine rarity in this class. The XE is proof that there’s at least 1 automaker nonetheless searching out for enthusiasts. The question is no matter whether there are adequate enthusiasts nonetheless looking for a car like the XE. We believe there are.

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2017 Jaguar XE 1st Drive: Return of the Driver’s Vehicle

Automobile overview: Jaguar 3. V6 Diesel Extended-Wheelbase

Powerful but refined, the Jaguar makes every single journey a special occasion, writes vehicle reviewer Tim Barnes-Clay.

Jaguars are nicely-identified for their sophisticated, sporting lines, and the 2014 model year Jaguar XJ, with its sinuous, modern style doesn’t disappoint.

The robust, muscular reduce half of the vehicle is contrasted with the slim and graceful quality of the roofline, which requires inspiration from the original 1968 XJ saloon.

The front of the car is quite commanding with a big grill and an assertive face – rather like the BMW 5-Series.

Desirable features

At the rear, the vehicle has a clean, sculpted shape, with an absence of unnecessary ornamentation.

The sheet metal of the back panel retains its pure type, with a single leaping Jaguar motif generating a strong, self-possessed statement.

The LED light clusters wrap stylishly more than the rear wings, and feature 3 dramatic red, vertical strips.

It is all incredibly eye-catching.

Luxury cabin

Step inside the XJ extended-wheelbase (LWB) model, on test right here, and you’ll see rear cabin luxury choices which contain airline-style reclining seats with massage function, enhanced headroom and fold-out organization tables.

The entertainment system has been improved with 2 hi-resolution touchscreens, and a specially re-tuned rear suspension set-up enhances rear seat ride comfort too.

The overriding impression is a sense of individual space – a feeling enhanced by the simple kind of the leather-wrapped instrument panel sitting low across the automobile.

At the sides of the cabin, a daring architectural wood veneer sweeps forward from the doors to meet at the front of the auto, emphasising the Jaguar XJ’s potent, dynamic character.

Welcoming atmosphere

This linear, modern day use of wood assists to develop a genuinely welcoming atmosphere.

Behind the wheel, you’re greeted by the rotary manage of the JaguarDrive selector, which, on begin-up, rises into your palm.

Then 3D animations materialise in the virtual instrument cluster and on the central touch-screen.

But the weirdest issue is that there’s no physical instrument cluster show.

-62mph in 6.4 seconds

Rather, a higher-definition screen, which uses delightfully detailed virtual instruments, provides all of the functions performed by traditional dials.

It creates a genuine sense of theatre, but far more importantly it functions well.

Under the bonnet, the XJ oil-burner positive aspects from a potent and efficient 3.-litre V6 powertrain, coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The lump, boosted by twin turbochargers, propels the vehicle from -62mph in just 6.4 secs, then up to 155mph.

Quiet ride

It feels each bit as quickly behind the wheel as it suggests it is on paper: it’s an awesome sensation – reminiscent of taking off in a plane.

But it isn’t all about muscle: on the move in the Midlands-created large cat the low level of road-rumble means you can chat with your passengers without having the need to shout.

Even when you bury your proper foot into the shag-pile carpet there’s not considerably far more than a low grunt from the twin exhaust pipes.

In truth, it is really difficult to tell it apart from a petrol-powered automobile once it is cruising.

You will need to have deep pockets

Indeed, the 2014 XJ LWB model makes every single journey a unique occasion, both for you and your passengers.

But this level of sophistication doesn’t come cut-cost.

You’ll have to splash close to £60,000 for the Luxury 3. V6 Diesel version.

And you will want to have even deeper pockets if you want to drive the greater up the range XJ Portfolio.

Pros & cons

• Very Eye-catching √


• Effective √


• Refined √


• Expensive X

Rapidly facts

• Max speed: 155 mph


• -62 mph: 6.4 seconds


• Combined mpg: 44.8


• Engine: 2993cc, 24 valve V6 twin turbo diesel


• Max. energy (bhp): 271 at 4000 rpm


• Max. torque (lb/ft): 443 at 2000 rpm


• CO2 167 g/km


• Cost: £59,980 on the road

Examine vehicle insurance – you could uncover a fantastic deal in minutes Get a automobile insurance quote

Automobile overview: Jaguar 3. V6 Diesel Extended-Wheelbase

2015 Jaguar XF 3. AWD Tested: A Fashionable Alternative to the Teutonic Trio

Instrumented Test

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Stand out from the herd.

All-wheel-drive sports sedans are a prerequisite for any manufacturer severe about racking up sales in markets where the weather can get frightful. Jaguar learned this the tough way in locations like the American Northeast, exactly where BMW’s xDrive, Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC, and Audi’s Quattro AWD systems rendered the British brand’s merchandise all but invisible.

That is not to say that Jaguar is all of a sudden far more than a bit player in comparison to the Teutonic trio, but its sales veritably exploded when it quick-tracked and retrofitted an all-wheel-drive system to the XF and XJ luxury sedans. And sports-car fans take note: Jaguar not too long ago announced certain variants of the 2016 F-kind would be available with AWD, too.

Despite the fact that the rear-drive XF is offered with engines ranging from a 240-hp 2.-liter turbocharged inline-4 to a stonkin’ 550-hp supercharged V-8, the AWD XF comes paired exclusively with the 340-hp 3.-liter supercharged V-6. We’re not complaining, as the 3.-liter is a brawny beast that churns up 332 lb-ft of twist from 3500 to 5000 rpm.

Mated to a ZF-supplied 8-speed automatic transmission with the requisite paddle shifters, the V-6 delivers its output in a linear style and obediently follows commands to rev, spinning smoothly to its 6500-rpm horsepower peak. The thrust is accompanied by a reserved soundtrack nicely suited to the car’s elegant exterior. We shaved practically an complete second off Jag’s quoted zero-to-60-mph time of 6.1 seconds, with our test driver turning in a 5.3-second sprint. Maintaining the throttle pinned sent the XF by way of the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 102 mph, respectable numbers for a 4385-pound car.

This XF’s accelerative feats can partially be credited to the electronically controlled all-wheel-drive setup, which Jaguar markets as Instinctive All Wheel Drive. Capable of shuffling up to 50 % of the obtainable torque to the front wheels when circumstances dictate, it can also preload torque on the front wheels to optimize traction when accelerating from a dead quit. Once underway, it transfers the bulk of the energy back to the rear wheels for maximum acceleration­. (Do that typically, even so, and you’ll finish up with a low fuel-economy number like our 17-mpg figure. The auto is rated for 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.)

It’s easy to make pals with the XF’s brake pedal, a firm, sincere device that flawlessly relays commands to the binders and operates with a brief variety of travel. Progressive and smooth about town, the brakes respond to deep presses in stride, our test driver noting zero fade on the way to posting a 70-to–mph stopping distance of 169 feet. That metric falls within spitting distance of the competition for instance, both the Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC and the Lexus GS350 AWD turned in 165-foot stops.

But it’s the chassis that remains the XF’s ultimate weapon. With light and accurate steering that’s swift to respond to inputs, the fleet-footed XF is far more reassuring and dynamic in real-world use than its middling .84-g skidpad figure would indicate. The chassis can be cycled via 3 modes—Normal, Dynamic, and Winter—that tailor the engine response, shift traits, AWD system, and stability handle to the task at hand. Winter mode sends 30 percent of the torque forward as the default setting, important when you’re scrabbling for obtain on a snowblown road. Pushed tough in Dynamic mode, the XF slightly understeers, its 19-inch 245/40 tires intimating that physics would like to have a word with you. Push harder and the stability control will intervene just as the tires commence to shout.

Obtainable in either Sport or Portfolio trim for the very same $ 60,800 MSRP, our XF 3. AWD was the latter, which emphasizes luxury more than, uh, sportiness. That signifies heated and cooled energy front seats, soft-grain leather trim with contrasting stitching and a faux-suede headliner, a heated steering wheel, and adaptive headlamps. Adding a heated windshield ($ 375) and fancy silver paint ($ 500) brought the as-tested value to $ 61,675. (For comparison, a BMW 535i xDrive begins at $ 58,850 adding heated front seats and adaptive headlamps brings the Bimmer’s price to $ 61,250.) If junior-executive club-room chic isn’t your issue, the Sport trim swaps the Portfolio’s 19-inch rollers for 20-inch wheels, ladles on some black exterior trim, adds sport seats, Bond-grain leather, and nets some piano-black interior trim.

Whichever way you go, you will finish up with a satisfying sports sedan with all-weather peace of mind—and a surefire way to stand out from the common luxury herd.

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2015 Jaguar XF 3. AWD Tested: A Fashionable Alternative to the Teutonic Trio

2015 Jaguar XF 3. AWD Tested: A Stylish Option to the Teutonic Trio

Instrumented Test

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Stand out from the herd.

All-wheel-drive sports sedans are a prerequisite for any manufacturer serious about racking up sales in markets where the weather can get frightful. Jaguar learned this the hard way in places like the American Northeast, where BMW’s xDrive, Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC, and Audi’s Quattro AWD systems rendered the British brand’s products all but invisible.

That’s not to say that Jaguar is all of a sudden more than a bit player in comparison to the Teutonic trio, but its sales veritably exploded when it fast-tracked and retrofitted an all-wheel-drive system to the XF and XJ luxury sedans. And sports-car fans take note: Jaguar recently announced certain variants of the 2016 F-type would be available with AWD, too.

Although the rear-drive XF is available with engines ranging from a 240-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 to a stonkin’ 550-hp supercharged V-8, the AWD XF comes paired exclusively with the 340-hp 3.0-liter supercharged V-6. We’re not complaining, as the 3.0-liter is a brawny beast that churns up 332 lb-ft of twist from 3500 to 5000 rpm.

Mated to a ZF-supplied 8-speed automatic transmission with the requisite paddle shifters, the V-6 delivers its output in a linear fashion and obediently follows commands to rev, spinning smoothly to its 6500-rpm horsepower peak. The thrust is accompanied by a reserved soundtrack well suited to the car’s elegant exterior. We shaved nearly an entire second off Jag’s quoted zero-to-60-mph time of 6.1 seconds, with our test driver turning in a 5.3-second sprint. Keeping the throttle pinned sent the XF through the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 102 mph, respectable numbers for a 4385-pound car.

This XF’s accelerative feats can partially be credited to the electronically controlled all-wheel-drive setup, which Jaguar markets as Instinctive All Wheel Drive. Capable of shuffling up to 50 percent of the available torque to the front wheels when conditions dictate, it can also preload torque on the front wheels to optimize traction when accelerating from a dead stop. Once underway, it transfers the bulk of the power back to the rear wheels for maximum acceleration­. (Do that often, however, and you’ll end up with a low fuel-economy number like our 17-mpg figure. The car is rated for 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.)

It’s easy to make friends with the XF’s brake pedal, a firm, honest device that flawlessly relays commands to the binders and operates with a short range of travel. Progressive and smooth around town, the brakes respond to deep presses in stride, our test driver noting zero fade on the way to posting a 70-to-0-mph stopping distance of 169 feet. That metric falls within spitting distance of the competition; for example, both the Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC and the Lexus GS350 AWD turned in 165-foot stops.

But it’s the chassis that remains the XF’s ultimate weapon. With light and accurate steering that’s quick to respond to inputs, the fleet-footed XF is more reassuring and dynamic in real-world use than its middling 0.84-g skidpad figure would indicate. The chassis can be cycled through 3 modes—Normal, Dynamic, and Winter—that tailor the engine response, shift characteristics, AWD system, and stability control to the task at hand. Winter mode sends 30 percent of the torque forward as the default setting, key when you’re scrabbling for purchase on a snowblown road. Pushed hard in Dynamic mode, the XF slightly understeers, its 19-inch 245/40 tires intimating that physics would like to have a word with you. Push harder and the stability control will intervene just as the tires begin to shout.

Available in either Sport or Portfolio trim for the same $ 60,800 MSRP, our XF 3.0 AWD was the latter, which emphasizes luxury over, uh, sportiness. That means heated and cooled power front seats, soft-grain leather trim with contrasting stitching and a faux-suede headliner, a heated steering wheel, and adaptive headlamps. Adding a heated windshield ($ 375) and fancy silver paint ($ 500) brought the as-tested price to $ 61,675. (For comparison, a BMW 535i xDrive starts at $ 58,850; adding heated front seats and adaptive headlamps brings the Bimmer’s price to $ 61,250.) If junior-executive club-room chic isn’t your thing, the Sport trim swaps the Portfolio’s 19-inch rollers for 20-inch wheels, ladles on some black exterior trim, adds sport seats, Bond-grain leather, and nets some piano-black interior trim.

Whichever way you go, you’ll end up with a satisfying sports sedan with all-weather peace of mind—and a surefire way to stand out from the typical luxury herd.

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2016 Jaguar F-sort Gains Manual, AWD Options, and the 550-hp R Model Goes Topless!

Official Pictures and Information

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We want to shag this Jaguar even much more.

Excellent things come in 3s, a cliché confirmed by Jaguar’s trio of major updates to one of our favourite sports cars, the seductive F-variety. Each and every of the 2016 F-type’s bonuses were expected in some form or another, with one becoming something we’ve been desperately anticipating like jungle cats licking their chops more than a wounded elk. Or maybe we’re far more like home cats eyeing the nip—either way, the very good stuff has arrived: The F-kind finally will offer you a manual transmission.

The other 2 huge enhancements the 2016 F-kind comes packing are maybe more vital, if not as glorious. All-wheel drive joins the option sheet, even though the leading-of-the-line, 550-hp F-sort R coupe is now available in roadster kind. Jaguar also tossed the F-type’s hydraulic power steering help in favor of an electrically boosted rack for far better fuel economy and enhanced precision. The steering method also gets a stiffer column intermediate shaft.

The Fine Print*

All 3 adjustments arrive with some asterisks, with the manual transmission’s caveat getting that it can only be paired with the supercharged V-6 in either base 340-hp or spicier 380-hp S guise. Opting for the manual negates the option to select all-wheel drive, but the purity of a rear-drive, stick-shift sports vehicle makes that a fair trade to us. If 4 driven wheels suit your fancy, know that AWD can only be ordered on the more effective V-6 F-kind, while it comes normal on the R models. That final bit appears like a bit of a drag to us, given that a huge component of the present (rear-drive) R coupe’s appeal is the ease with which it can be pitched sideways, the cacophony emanating from the tailpipes shattering bystanders’ eardrums.

To add one much more note, the 495-hp V-8 S roadster—this model was by no means offered as a coupe—is dead. Jaguar figures that if you want a supercharged 5.-liter V-8, you’re most likely mad sufficient to skip correct to the R’s 550-hp take on the idea. That pares down the lineup to 3 distinct models: F-type, F-sort S, and R. The old trim designations, which incorporated every single version’s engine sort (i.e., V-6, V-6 S, V-8 S, and so on.), are gone, and for the 1st time every engine is supplied in each coupe and convertible body types.

The Finer Print, No Asterisks

The manual transmission is a 6-speed unit offered by ZF, and Jaguar boasts that the shifter’s throws measure just 1.77 inches. There’s a dual-mass flywheel to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness, and it backs up to a low-inertia single-plate clutch. Jaguar claims to have placed the pedals in such a way that heel-toe downshifting is a snap, and we can not wait to verify their arrangement from behind the wheel.

All-wheel-drive F-kinds advantage from a sporty front-rear torque split in which 100 % of the engines’ may well is sent to the rear axle till slip at the front is detected. In such situations, the system’s brain can shuffle up to 50 percent of the torque to the front axle. Adding a differential to the front shifts the F-type’s weight distribution forward by 1.2 percent, and Jaguar’s specifications sheet indicates that the F-type S AWD coupe and convertible pack an extra 177 pounds, whilst the newly AWD R coupe gains 143 pounds more than the rear-drive 2015 version. More weight isn’t a welcome improvement for automobiles that are already on the heavy side of factors, but we suppose that’s what absurd levels of horsepower are for.

Every F-kind so equipped gets a nifty AWD badge, a specific hood—the R included—with wider-set and relocated heat-extraction vents compared to regular F-types, and body-colored rocker panels and rear-fascia trim.

Stuffing in More Stuff

In addition to the flotilla of technical upgrades, Jaguar also boosted the F-type’s regular gear roster. The previously optional 770-watt Meridian surround-sound audio technique is now normal across the line, as is proximity entry and start, 14-way energy seats, and InControl Apps. The last item is a new suite of Apple and Android smartphone integration functions that also contains remote engine beginning (on automatic automobiles) and the ability to remotely lock or unlock the car, check fuel level, and if the windows are up or down. All coupes get the previously further-price panoramic glass sunroof, whilst the R coupe receives a power hatch, too. The F-variety S now comes with a flat-bottom steering wheel, adjustable Dynamic sport mode, and the sweet-sounding active exhaust system.

Pricing for the 2016 F-variety lineup will not be obtainable till closer to the official on-sale date this coming spring. We’re told the manual F-sort will expense less than a commensurate auto with an automatic, and we wouldn’t be shocked if the R coupe’s cost rises slightly. Of course, of utmost significance to us is driving the 2016 F-type—especially the manual version and the all-wheel-drive R models that Jaguar predicts will hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Seeing as how we recorded a 3.5-second run a rear-drive 2015 F-variety R coupe, Jaguar’s estimated time could be very conservative . . . and it just might give the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S a run for its money.

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2016 Jaguar F-sort Gains Manual, AWD Options, and the 550-hp R Model Goes Topless!

Hennessey’s Jaguar F-Variety R Coupe Has 623 Seriously Pissed-Off Horsepower [Video]

Jaguar’s gorgeous F-sort R is already a cracking very good sports vehicle, a single that’s factory-rated at 550 snarling horses from its supercharged 5.-liter V-8. As is standard for Hennessey Overall performance, although, that wasn’t adequate. They’ve turned the wick up with the HPE600 F-kind R, to the tune of 623 horses at the crank. Watch and listen as this cat blasts through quarter-mile in significantly less than 11.6 seconds.

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Very first, it’s sort of cool to see the vehicle deploy its automatic spoiler, programmed to rise at 70 mph, in the drag strip’s burnout box. Then it rips to 60 in 3.5 seconds, on its way to an 11.57-second quarter tripping the lights at 123 mph.

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Hennessey says the supercharged cat dynos at 518 rear-wheel horsepower on 93 octane pump gas, and that the screaming quarter-mile was completed on the car’s stock Pirelli P Zeros at factory-advisable pressures. We believe it—but whilst the vehicle is of course rapidly and sounds phenomenal, but we have been hoping to see even better numbers. We tested the factory 550-horse car and achieved an identical 0–60 time and a quarter-mile run within .3 second and 1 mph. The HPE600 package is applicable to any Jaguar or Land Rover powered by the supercharged 5.-liter V-7

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Jaguar Commercial Employs Evil MI6 “Q” Character, Underground Lair, Holograms to Fantastic Impact

Jaguar advertising has been on a roll lately, with the whole “British villains drive Jags” thing resonating well with the brand’s outsider industry position and its really seductive lineup. The firm’s most recent commercial, however, may well just best them all, with a treasure trove of intelligently sinister references, as nicely as a confident swagger befitting a brand on the rise.

Mixing elements from the villainous series of spots, this newest ad, dubbed “British Intel,” sees a dashing young man entering what looks like an evil mastermind’s underground lair. The clever references start quickly: The man’s character is based on Q, James Bond’s MI6 tech guru, only he’s appropriately evil his turns of phrase mimic these of Q’s, but come across in decidedly unheroic terms. He outlines Jag’s signature features making use of an appropriately sinister holographic interface from a London Underground tube service bay. (Q’s laboratory has been located in a similar Underground location in some Bond films.)

“Every mastermind demands a button that wreaks havoc,” our sneaky presenter says prior to an engine starter button materializes and a wicked exhaust note cracks. This is followed by: ”If you need to get away at light speed, you can’t beat an aluminum chassis,” and “With power like this comes fantastic chance.” At this point, we are provided a glimpse of the new XE sedan just before the presenter throws a sheet back over it prior to adding, “Not yet, my pretty one.”

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It is a fantastic and entertaining spot that communicates most of what sets Jaguar apart from the usual luxury brands. The spot ends with evil Q accelerating down an empty London Underground tunnel in an F-variety R coupe and exclaiming, “Oh yes, there’s a technique to our madness.” Fans of British obscurities will get pleasure from that closing shot, considering that the Jaguar drives through London’s closed-down Aldwych Tube station, which marks the end of a one-stop, dead-end Underground line beneath Westminster. For the duration of World War II, the station and its attendant tunnels and anterooms had been used to retailer valuables from the British Museum. Later, one of its 2 platforms was closed and the tracks removed, creating it an ideal place from which to orchestrate a dark plot . . . or film this Jaguar commercial:

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Jaguar Commercial Employs Evil MI6 “Q” Character, Underground Lair, Holograms to Fantastic Impact

Jaguar XJ Sparks Dealership Fire Outdoors Boston, Destroys 19 Cars

October 13, 2014 at 10:29 am by Clifford Atiyeh | Photography by Sudbury Fire Division

An older Jaguar parked overnight at a dealership outdoors of Boston burned to the ground final month and brought 18 other new Jags, Land Rovers, Variety Rovers, and Jeeps down with it.

The news was first reported on September 22 in The Boston Globe and revisited final week. Sometime just before 1 a.m. at Herb Chambers’s Jaguar Land Rover dealership in Sudbury, Massachusetts—about 20 miles west of downtown Boston—a fire started in a 2004 XJ8 and quickly spread. Strangely enough, this specific XJ8 was on the lot to undergo repairs to earlier fire harm, despite the fact that it is unclear how the auto had suffered the prior harm. Sudbury fire chief William Miles stated there was no evidence of foul play or arson and that the fire originated inside the vehicle. Several of the cars have been burned so badly that all firefighters could determine had been seat frames.

“When the news media arrived, they have been seeking for an arson story, but that wasn’t the case,” Miles told us. “It was clear it was a mechanical failure.”

Some of the 19 vehicles were customer cars, and at the moment it is unclear no matter whether one particular or a number of insurance coverage organizations will spend out the estimated $ 750,000 in damages. Chambers, who owns 54 dealerships in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and took in practically $ 2 billion in sales final year, is not too concerned.

“The excellent news is nobody got hurt, and they’re just cars,” he told the Globe.

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Chambers is lucky he didn’t have his 1995 McLaren F1 or his 1972 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Spider on the house, as he sometimes does for the Cars and Coffee meetups he hosts at his dealerships.

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Jaguar XJ Sparks Dealership Fire Outdoors Boston, Destroys 19 Cars