The appearance of a new model should put to rest any speculation about Jaguar’s demise following its sale to Indian billionaire Ratan Tata.
Here is the XFR – a 510bhp version of the XF that we voted The Straits Times Car of the Year 2008 (the Torque team is on the newspaper’s panel of judges).
The launch of the XFR and the XKR coupe seems to indicate even more effort and expense than when Ford was Jaguar’s overlord.
Let us put things in perspective: 510bhp in the XFR puts it right smack in the middle of the most brutal (and interesting) league of Q-cars, currently occupied by the Mercedes-AMG CLS63 and E63, and BMW’s M5.
Their power ratings hover between 507bhp and 514bhp.
Audi has a formidable member in the club, too, with its 580bhp RS6.
The heart of this XFR is the much-fettered 5-litre AJ-V8 Gen III engine, with just a couple of common components from the 4.2-litre SV8 model like the head bolts and the exhaust tappets.
Jaguar chose to keep with supercharging for the XFR, following studies on how its customers like to use the vehicle in terms of engine revs and throttle openings.
Its studies also show that some 80 percent of the time, an owner’s engine remains below 2500rpm, often with the throttle only partly opened.
This means the engine must be able to deliver plenty of torque between 1000rpm and 2500rpm to do the job.
Jaguar also looked for lightning responsiveness and pull from the low- to mid-end rev range, and it seems that’s what it gets from the V8.
This gives the Cat an edge over the naturally aspirated BMW and Merc until the higher reaches.
Only the RS6 is more brawny.
But at 2.1 tonnes, the Audi is also noticeably heavier than the 1891kg XFR.
Of its rivals, only the BMW M5 manages to weigh less.
Out to prove just how quick this Cat can go, Jaguar held an interesting event at the end of 2008 at the Bonneville Salt Flats, where many land speed records have been set.
A “slightly” modified XFR with 600bhp (thanks to the removal of intake and exhaust restrictions, along with a new supercharger pulley and recalibrated ECU) put on a few aerodynamic tweaks to clock an astonishing 362km/h, beating the record set by the legendary XJ220.
Putting a dampener on the record, the production XFR is electronically limited to “just” 250km/h.
The electronic nanny isn’t all bad news, though.
The traction control definitely helps the XFR to achieve its 4.9 seconds, 0-100km/h timing instead of wasting precious rubber on idle counterproductive wheel spins.
More impressively, the XFR takes just 1.9 seconds to get from 80km/h to 112km/h.
The critical ingredient to achieve this feat is torque – a massive 625Nm of it available between 2500rpm and 5500rpm.
Overtaking is an addictive and painless drug. And where conditions permit, the car will send the speedo needle racing beyond 220km/h in a heartbeat.
Unrestricted, the standard XFR will easily reach 300km/h. Such is the surplus power it possesses.
Plenty of cold, hard metal seems to say that the XFR is no retiree-mobile.
Even though the XFR appears to be pitted against the M5 and CLS63, Jaguar really wants to bring something different to the table.
They pitch the XFR as a Grand Tourer with sports car capability (versus super sports car in a saloon shell).
Its demeanor remains effortless throughout, and it does not make one work too much for the results.
Going by convention, there’s really little need to go beyond 416bhp for practical performance.
But the other reality is that with the German superpowers all breaching 500bhp, the XFR can’t possibly settle for less.
Roots supercharger has been tuned for responsiveness in the low to mid range.
But 510bhp brought a host of tyre-shredding and chassis-distorting problems that Jaguar needed to sort out.
Delivering all those ponies to just the rear tyres without vaporising them required clever solutions.
This comes in the form of the Jaguar Drive Control, an integrated stability system that manages the brakes, engine and active rear differential to deliver maximum attack with minimal slip.
On a wet track, we simulated joining a main road from a side lane under completely soaking conditions while applying full throttle.
Instead of wasting the power – as would be the case with an “open” differential – the XFR was able to accelerate away with little drama.
XFR features bigger air intakes and exhaust pipes to hint at its status rather than shout about it.
With such towering acceleration, the need to “wipe off speed” safely and rapidly is paramount.
The XFR employs a Continental brake system rather than the very popular Brembo.
With the huge 380mm rotors, the brake system is more than capable of soaking up the huge heat load of slowing the XFR from 240km/h without wilting.
This was achieved after hot laps on the new FIA-approved Monteblanco circuit at breakneck pace.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the excellent ZF Automatic transmission that could deliver the traditional smoothness of a torque converter automatic, yet mimic the shift thump of an automated manual (think Ferrari F1, Lamborghini’s e-Gear and the likes).
The engineers have also programmed a throttle blip to smoothen the shift change, so that the car is not upset by any gear change mid-corner.
The accompanying rise in exhaust note is an additional treat.
While no specific weight reduction programme was carried out on the XFR, Jaguar engineers have examined and optimised every component – including the Dunlop SportMaxx tyres, Bilstein adaptive dampers and transmission software – to deliver that blend of comfort and performance we have come to expect of their cars.
But it needs to be said for the XFR that they have really extended the performance envelop beyond any Jag in history, and accomplished this in a thoroughly competent manner to make believers of us all.
Never before have we taken a Jaguar onto a track and actually enjoyed it.
The XFR is a sign that Jaguar has arrived, putting together a properly sorted GT that is as capable on the track as it is on the open roads.
2009 Jaguar XFR 5.0 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type V8, 32-valves, supercharged
Capacity 5000cc
Bore x stroke 92.5mm x 93mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Max power 510hp at 6500rpm
Max torque 625Nm at 2500-5500rpm
Power to weight 269.7bhp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Rear
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 4.9 seconds
Top speed 250km/h (governed)
Consumption 8km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs
TYRES
Type Dunlop SportMaxx
Size 255/35 R20 (front), 285/30 R20
SAFETY
Airbags 8
Traction aids ABS, ESP
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4691mm
Width 1877mm
Height 1460mm
Wheelbase 2909mm
Kerb weight 1891kg
Turning circle 11.5m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE To be confirmed
Warranty To be confirmed
+ Sharp chassis, strong engine, great ZF gearbox
– 250km/h speed limit, losing bhp bragging rights to Audi, waiting so long for a hot Jag
