Jaguar presents this new car named XF as a replacement for the S-Type. It's still a sedan with capacity for five passengers but coupe look. The Jaguar XF is the concretion of the C-XF concept car presented at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show. Although the XF is somewhat higher and more comfortable than the mentioned prototype.
The director of design of jaguar, Ian Callum, explained that just as the XJ6 left a legacy of design, he hopes that this model will leave the same contribution to the English brand for the future. And the truth is that it's a good intention, because while Jaguar's designs were always excellent, the lines were aged, with their origins in the 1960s.
This change of features began more gradually with the XKsport, although with greater restraint. The new lines of Jaguar impact in principle because they disrupt a tradition of almost fifty years, but they may mean a rebirth for the brand.
One of the biggest challenges was to achieve passenger comfort in this car that tries to combine the habitability of a sedan with the aesthetics of a coupe. For this purpose a large platform was developed, which according to Jaguar engineers is one of the most rigid in the market segment in which it competes.
To highlight is the fact that increased rigidity did not demand weight gain, even relieved from the previous Jaguar S-Type. Thus the Jaguar XF manages to have a large interior space and a huge trunk, only surpassed by that of the Audi A6.
Customers of the Jaguar XF will be able to choose between four engines, one diesel and three nafteros. The diesel impeller is a V6 biturbo of 2,700 cm3 displacement. This engine delivers a power of 207 horsepower and a torque of 435 Nm. Thus, the XF Turbodiesel reaches a top speed of 230 kilometers per hour and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. This engine registers an overall consumption of 7.5 liters every 100 kilometers.
Among the naphthas versions there are one V6 and two V8. The V6 version has 3.000 cm3 displacement, 240 hp and a maximum torque of 293 Nm. With this engine the Jaguar XF accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 238 km/h. The overall consumption is 10.5 liters every 100 kilometers.
V8 engines have the same cylinder, 4,200 cm3, their difference is that one is normally sucked and the other turbo. The aspirated version develops an apotence of 300 hp and achieves 411 Nm of maximum torque. With this engine the car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and achieves a top speed of 250 km/h, while its average consumption reaches 11.1 liters every 100 kilometers.
Finally, the 4.200 cm3 turbocharged V8 delivers a power of 420 hp, 560 Nm of torque, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds and achieves a maximum speed of 250 km/h.
All engines without exception transfer their power through an automatic six-speed transmission. With readjusted ratios, this car gains improvements in consumption efficiency and power delivery.
The gearbox can be with a new selector, named “Jaguar Drive Selector”, allows you to choose for the sequential control option, so that the driver must pass the gears manually from the cams located behind the wheel.
A meritorious aerodynamic coefficient (Cx) of 0.29, very competitive in its market segment, is combined with rivals such as the Audi A6, the Volvo S80 and the Mercedes E-Class.
To clearly demonstrate Jaguar's safety efforts, the Jaguar XF was equipped with dual phase driver and passenger airbags, plus side and head airbags. Additional features include safety systems such as ABS, curve braking control, electronic braking force distribution regulator, traction control (connected to brakes and engine), traction torque adjustment, blind angle control, etc.
To conclude, it remains to say that the brand incorporates a two-phase stability control, which combines the normal DSC function (on and off) with the Trac DSC, which allows for greater sliding of the wheels before acting.
© Adrián Blanco 2007 - No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
Tokyo Motor Show 2007
Citroën C5 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Honda FCX Clarity Ford Fiesta 2009 Toyota iQ