Diesel Jaguar is a real cool knock-out

They have absolutely nothing to worry about, however, because the new XF Jaguars are sublime saloons; great lookers, hot performers and with all the class and presence to go eyeball to eyeball with the best of Germany.

smooth, quiet and comfortable

And the two diesel models, particularly the XF 3,0-litre S Premium automatic which I recently spent a very pleasant week with, is better than anything that has emerged from the Jaguar stable for many years.

"It looks like a Jaguar and it drives like a Jaguar."

One of the most outstanding features of this luxury saloon is its comfortable, amazingly quiet, smooth ride.

In fact, the ride quality is almost as good as the class-leading Mercedes-Benz E Class, and silkier than the BMW 5 Series Streptronic, the Audi 3,0-litre Quattro tiptronic and the Lexus GS.

The six-speed shift is pure pleasure; smooth and quick, whether it's left in automatic or when flicking the race-style paddles when travelling in S mode.

No slouch reaching the ton

For a big, heavy (it weighs just over 1,8-tons) luxury saloon it is also no slouch at take-off, sprinting unstressed from zero to 100 km/h in 8,2 seconds.

The 3,0-litre engine wedged in behind a big, macho grille purrs rather than thunders out a robust 202 kW and muscular 600 Nm.

There's no lack of grip - and no lack of style, either.

The classy cruiser handles the road with dignity, even when being thrashed in un-gentlemanly fashion and in short traffic-heavy commuting it purrs along quietly and contently.

In short, it's the sort of car that I could live with quite happily.
Interestingly enough, I've recently had test drives in the Teutonic threesome and the big Lexus and none of them pulled as many admiring glances as the Jaguar.

Tweed tossed

The ultimate compliment came from Her Majesty who regularly occupies the left front seat of the vehicles I test drive: “I really like this car. It feels really classy, like the older Jags and the seats are amazingly comfortable… it looks like a Jaguar and it drives like a Jaguar. I much prefer it to the Bentley Continental which is a bit vulgar in size and looks.”

The living quarters certainly feel younger and zestier and there's plenty of room.

click to enlarge

The XF has also dumped its tweed jacket interior and although the cabin decorations still include lots of leather and wood it is nicely off-set by brushed aluminium and other upmarket shiny bits.

The living quarters certainly feel younger and zestier and the fun commences the minute you press the starter button. Fascia vents roll open gracefully and the automatic gear selector rises from the central console between the driver and passenger… one thing's for sure, your average car thief ain't gonna make a quick get-away in the XF because it does requite a bit of handbook study time to become better acquainted with all the tricks that makes this Jag tick.

Room for a bottle or three

Front seat leg and elbow space is terrific and backseat passengers travel in armchair comfort, couched in leather with individual climate control selected and the music from the plush sound system wafting through the cabin.

The XF doing what it does best.

The boot is more than ample as we found out on a weekend trip through the winelands when we stocked up on several cases of wine, fresh produce and even a bag or two of ‘wingerd stompies' braai wood.

As one would expect from a car as gracious as the XF it has all the mod cons and safety features your heart desires - almost as many airbags per seat than Parliament, ABS brakes with EBD, stability control, electric windows, mirrors and seats, trip computer, key-less entry, Bluetooth connectivity, low-profile, bold-rimmed 20-inch alloys and all the rest.

Not so thirsty, apparently

Classy carriers of this size are not renowned for their frugality, but Jaguar claims this diesel will sip a mere 8,1-litre/100 km in the combined cycle.

It’s time to crack a bottle and drink a toast to the elegant lines of this new addition to the Jaguar family.

There are six XF models from which to choose, and they include the rip-roaring, eye-popping XFR V8 which scorches the 0-100 km/h drag race in something awesome like 4,68 seconds.

Prices for XF range from R565 000 to R955 000. There are two diesel options, the Premium S we drove at R672 000 or a less expensive, just as classy but just slightly slower model at R597 000.

Expensive, I know, but for the price you get a grand saloon that has swapped its fuddy-duddy, pipe, driving gloves and Big Ben pocket watch for Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss and Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

Forget the Scotch and water. It's time to crack a bottle of Steenberg 1682 Pinot Noir Brut 2006 and drink a toast to this elegant diesel addition to the Jaguar stable…