XF is a purring kitty with claws

The XF has a thinly veiled dark side, which is activated by simply twisting the automatic selection knob from Drive to Sport. Do this, and...

Sleek and pleasing on the eye, particularly when decked out in flamboyant Italian Racing Red like the car we had on test recently, the XF is one of the most attractive cars in its class. Ever since I saw the pictures of Johnny Dumfries finishing first in an XJR at Le Mans in 1988 or the famous D-type hat trick wins, I have had a soft spot for the leaping Jaguar badge.

Brimming with snazzy features

I also have good memories of my first drive in an E-type and the many other Jaguars I have driven since, including the wild cat F-type sports car launched in South Africa last year, so I really looked forward to spending a week at the wheel of the XF ... and I was not disappointed.

It is strikingly handsome chunk of gleaming metal, extremely comfortable, stylishly finished and well equipped. Our test car was the Premium Luxury variant of the three V6 models and one of the nine XF variants on sale in this country.

The XF is a pretty good match for the market-leading German brands with much to like about it.

Starting at R575,699 and topping out at R1,3m, the FX range squares up to the likes of Infiniti Q79, Lexus GS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the 5-Series BMW. As to be expected of a sedan in this class it brims with snazzy features such as acres of leather, an excellent sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, electric 10-way adjustable and heated driver's seat, interior mood lighting, rain sensing wipers, auto-dimming rear view mirror, headlamps with auto levelling, navigation mapping, cruise control.... the list just goes on and on.

The car's snobby interior is elegantly matched by its low, sleek profile, huge sporty alloy wheels, narrow, menacing headlights, twin gaping chrome exhaust outlets and prominent shining grille which houses the snarling cat badge.

Power aplenty

But luxury and looks aside, what really counts in this Jaguar's favour are the oily bits combination of a muscular, super-charged 3.0 litre V6 tucked in under its long and elegant bonnet and the fact that it thunders out 250kW and 450Nm which is transmitted to the tar via a super-slick, eight-speed transmission. Jaguar says it will do the 0-100km/h run in 5,9 seconds and sprint on to a top speed of 250km/h before the limiter kicks in.

The car’s snobby interior is elegantly matched by its twin gaping chrome exhaust outlets.

When driven sedately the XF quietly purrs along and swaps cogs so creamy smooth you hardly notice it. However, point the smart saloon towards a motorway, tickle the pleasure-pedal and it is quick to reach cruising speed, happy to chow the kilometres for hours on end in a good impersonation of The Magic Carpet Ride.

However, the XF also has a thinly veiled dark side, which is activated by simply twisting the automatic selection knob from Drive to Sport. Do this, and in an instant the car turns from purring kitty to claws-out wildcat, snarling as though you stepped on its tail.

From zero to jail in seconds

When you shove the play pedal to the floor in Sport mode the Jag scoots out of the starting stalls to reach go-to-jail speeds in seconds, whether you leave it to do its own gear changes in auto mode or choose to flick the Formula One flappies on the steering wheel.

The XF is extremely comfortable, stylishly finished and well equipped.

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In this mode, the big Jag crouches down to cling to the tarmac with even more tenacity. The steering is sharp and nicely weighted and the pleasure is multiplied by the fact that power is transmitted to the black top via the rear wheels. The car behaves remarkably well for its size and you have to push it really hard before the tail starts drifting out. For its size and luxury the XF handles with a sure-footedness that you would expect from a sports car, not from a plush leather furnished snob saloon.

A little thirsty, but having said that...

As cars this segment square up, the XF is a pretty good match for the market-leading German brands with much to like about it. The only niggles some might have is its thirst for expensive forecourt juice and a suspension set-up which is on the hard side and a tad thumpy on uneven surfaces which is fairly common when carmakers seek the middle road between comfort and performance. Considering the driving pleasure nature of this beast I will take performance over comfort any day - and if you can afford a Jaguar and enjoy driving it then fuel consumption should really not be too much of a consideration.

The SX Jaguar Premium Luxury we tested retails for R824,270, which includes a five-year/100,000km service plan.

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