12 Sep 07
The XF is the car that must save Jaguar - and happily, this four-door coupe revealed at Frankfurt stays true to the essence of the C-XF concept shown at Detroit 2007, with the majority of that car's striking exterior and interior intact.
The roof line of this production car is slightly higher than the C-XF's, and an extra seat has been added to allow five adults to sit in comfort inside. The headlamps are thicker for technological and legal reasons and the wheels smaller, down from the concept's 21-inchers to 17-20 inches for production. Add on conventional 'grabbable' exterior door handles to replace the sleek hidden conceptual ones plus a shallower front grille and you're there on the outside.
Inside, more changes are apparent to the concept's strikingly dark interior. The seats are fatter and the dash more conventional, but it still bristles with innovation, modernity and 'surprise and delight' features.
Get into the car and the starter button pulses red. Press it and the automatic gear knob rises out of the centre console to meet the driver's palm while the air vents rotate open from flush with the dash. All wood is real wood, including a modern straight-grained oak, and aluminium flourishes abound.
The dials and ambient lighting glow blue, and proximity sensors allow the sweep of a hand to activate the overhead console lights and glovebox release - a useful touch removing the need to find small switches in the dark. The central touchscreen also claims a world first by being able to display and manage iPod track information.
Despite the coupe looks, boot space is significantly better than the S-Type's 400-810 litres with 540-960 using a tyre repair kit instead of a spare.
Engines are carried over from the S-Type - a 2.7-litre V6 diesel, 3.0 V6 petrol and 4.2 supercharged V8 - but the 2.7, expected to take most sales still gives 199g/km CO2 emissions, and is liable for band F road tax. However, in Luxury trim, it's expected to command best-in-class residual values, according to price-guide experts.
Prices start at £33,900 for the 2.7 Luxury to £54,900 for the 4.2 SV8. Orders can be placed now for March 2008 delivery.
Check out the rest of our Frankfurt Motor Show coverage
Video: Jaguar XF: the inside line
Feature: Jaguar's brave new world
