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Accelerating through the lower gears while settling into the thickly bolstered seatback, I piloted the 2012 Jaguar XF luxury sport sedan to a cruise of 75 miles per hour, enjoying all the while the baritone exhaust note.
There is no hitch in the power delivery; this could be the smoothest powertrain used in a Jaguar.
The XF, with lowered hood, wide stance and sleek body, is an outstanding performer with its direct-injected, 5.0-liter V-8 engine generating 385 horsepower and 380 lbs.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, controlled from a stainless steel shifter dial that rises from the center console. Offering Drive or Sport-shift settings, it adds more control capability with paddle shifters.
Jaguar introduced the XF as a replacement for the S-Type in 2008. It wasn’t until two years later, though, that the most noticeable improvement showed up, when the XF’s 4.2-liter V-8 was replaced with that wonderful 5-liter. The innovative dial-shift replaced an old notchy J-gate shifter used for years by Jaguar.
Alterations to its front end have given the ’12 XF a closer likeness to Jaguar’s bigger flagship, the XJ sedan, though the XF is a foot shorter. Curb weight for the XF is just over 4,000 pounds, with overall length of 195 inches.
There is no all-wheel-drive option for the rear-drive XF. A snow-mode gear lessens its torque for better low-speed traction in snow and on ice. The review model provided to me was equipped with Bridgestone Blizzak 245/40R19 tires. Much appreciated for a family four-door is the nice-sized (17.7 cubic feet) trunk.
Highway cruising dominated my hours behind the wheel, with average fuel mileage of 23.4 miles per gallon. The XF’s EPA rating is only 16/23.
A supercharged version of the 5.0-liter V-8 is optional; it develops more than 500 horsepower. Softgrain leather finish and jet suede headliner lend appeal to the XF interior. New navigation and entertainment screen displays aren’t quite so resistant to the touch as the previous setup. A Bowers & Wilkins 1,200-watt sound system is a highlight.
The surround sound, leather, 19-inch Aquila-style wheels, split-fold rear seat with ski bag and other amenities boosted sticker price on the XF Portfolio to $67,000, from its base of $59,000. Front, side and side-curtain airbags are standard.
A red starter button heads a list of other standard items, along with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, electric parking brake, LED xenon headlamps, rearview camera, heated and cooled front seats, Sirius satellite radio.
Jaguar, which builds its XF models in Castle Bromwich, England, is owned by the Tata Group of India. Ford owned Jaguar from 1990 to 2009.
Outback 3.6 Limited
offers cargo and class
The 2012 Outback 3.6R Limited, the ultimate Subaru, will maintain highway traffic pace with most anything around, show off its renowned all-wheel-drive capability and offer amenities far beyond traditional.
For its 256-horsepower, flat-6 engine, 5-speed transmission with paddle shifters, spacious interior and roomy cargo space, a pricey sticker is charged, $35,886 for the review model I drove.
Subaru, long popular in the Rocky Mountains, made the Outback an outdoors’ favorite with its standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder power, and moves a step beyond in response and quickness with the 3.6R.
Among its options are power moonroof, navigation, harman/kardon audio, rearview camera, puddle lights and splash guards.
The Outback averaged 22.8 miles per gallon; EPA rating is 18/25. A look back Fifteen years ago this month, I was flown to Santa Barbara, Calif., to drive the Volvo C70 Coupe concept. Excerpts of its review: Those conservative, traditional Swedes have turned emotional. And a new Volvo coupe, making its world debut on the hills winding around beautiful Santa Barbara, Calif., has absolutely run away with those emotions. The C70, to be on the market by late summer as a ’98 model, was introduced to the automotive press last week. Americans haven’t seen or felt anything like it from Volvo. The new zip hasn’t zapped safety. “We will always be known for safe cars,” said Helge Alten, president of Volvo Cars of North America. Power is from a high-pressure turbocharged 5-cylinder of 236 horsepower. My passenger and guide on a drive around the Santa Barbara country was Dan Johnston, product information manager for Volvo. On a lonely, straight stretch of road, I sent the C70, with the blessing (urging) of Johnston, to a high rate of speed. “See,” said Johnston, “it’s rock solid at xxx miles per hour.” The route took us past the Reagan Ranch; lunch was at the famous Pea Soup Andersen’s at Buellton. The C70, featuring a Dolby surround sound system with 12 high-end speakers, is expected to be priced in the $40,000 to $42,000 range. 2012 Jaguar XF Portfolio $67,000 (price as tested) MPG City 16 Highway 23 Vehicle type: Midsize luxury sedan Wheelbase: 114.5 inches Length/Width/Height: 195.3/73.9/57.5 inches Weight: 4,067 pounds Engine: 5.0-liter V-8 Transmission: 6-speed automatic Fuel mileage: 23.4 mpg Fuel tank: 18.4 gallons Warranty: 5 years/50,000 miles basic Competitors: Mercedes-Benz E class, BMW 5 series, Lincoln MKS, Audi A6, Infiniti M56 Built at: Castle Bromwich, England Parts content: United Kingdom 61 percent, Germany 21 percent, U.S./Canadian 4 percent THE STICKER $59,000 base $3,000 19-inch Aquila-style wheels, soft-grain leather seats $2,300 Bowers & Wilkins sound system $700 heater leather steering wheel, heated windshield $525 Suede headliner $875 Destination PLUSES Smooth V-8 power Exterior style Refined interior MINUSES Fuel mileage No AWD option
A supercharged version of the 5.0-liter V-8 is optional; it develops more than 500 horsepower. Softgrain leather finish and jet suede headliner lend appeal to the XF interior. New navigation and entertainment screen displays aren’t quite so resistant to the touch as the previous setup. A Bowers & Wilkins 1,200-watt sound system is a highlight.
offers cargo and class
The Outback averaged 22.8 miles per gallon; EPA rating is 18/25. A look back Fifteen years ago this month, I was flown to Santa Barbara, Calif., to drive the Volvo C70 Coupe concept. Excerpts of its review: Those conservative, traditional Swedes have turned emotional. And a new Volvo coupe, making its world debut on the hills winding around beautiful Santa Barbara, Calif., has absolutely run away with those emotions. The C70, to be on the market by late summer as a ’98 model, was introduced to the automotive press last week. Americans haven’t seen or felt anything like it from Volvo. The new zip hasn’t zapped safety. “We will always be known for safe cars,” said Helge Alten, president of Volvo Cars of North America. Power is from a high-pressure turbocharged 5-cylinder of 236 horsepower. My passenger and guide on a drive around the Santa Barbara country was Dan Johnston, product information manager for Volvo. On a lonely, straight stretch of road, I sent the C70, with the blessing (urging) of Johnston, to a high rate of speed. “See,” said Johnston, “it’s rock solid at xxx miles per hour.” The route took us past the Reagan Ranch; lunch was at the famous Pea Soup Andersen’s at Buellton. The C70, featuring a Dolby surround sound system with 12 high-end speakers, is expected to be priced in the $40,000 to $42,000 range. 2012 Jaguar XF Portfolio $67,000 (price as tested) MPG City 16 Highway 23 Vehicle type: Midsize luxury sedan Wheelbase: 114.5 inches Length/Width/Height: 195.3/73.9/57.5 inches Weight: 4,067 pounds Engine: 5.0-liter V-8 Transmission: 6-speed automatic Fuel mileage: 23.4 mpg Fuel tank: 18.4 gallons Warranty: 5 years/50,000 miles basic Competitors: Mercedes-Benz E class, BMW 5 series, Lincoln MKS, Audi A6, Infiniti M56 Built at: Castle Bromwich, England Parts content: United Kingdom 61 percent, Germany 21 percent, U.S./Canadian 4 percent THE STICKER $59,000 base $3,000 19-inch Aquila-style wheels, soft-grain leather seats $2,300 Bowers & Wilkins sound system $700 heater leather steering wheel, heated windshield $525 Suede headliner $875 Destination PLUSES Smooth V-8 power Exterior style Refined interior MINUSES Fuel mileage No AWD option
