This 2012 Jaguar XFR is one finely dressed assassin. With elegant white paint that shines and looks sporty and a dark, leather-laden interior, this XFR is spot-on as to how I would spec out a Jaguar—if I ever have the means to acquire one.
I was supremely impressed with the cabin, which has pleasing touch points everywhere. I mean, everywhere. The leather on the doors, the headliner and the white stitching made a Mercedes-Benz that I drove recently look pedestrian. Add in the carbon-fiber veneer that bisects the dash, and you have one stately interior. It's hard not to like a sinister, jet-black interior in an athletic-endeavoring luxury sedan. It makes the correct statement that this is expensive, but it's there to be driven. Just in comfort.
Speaking of that, dialing up dynamic mode from a button in the center console adds a bit more response to the car, though it's fine in the base setting. This supercharged V8 is a rocket, achieving irrational speeds effortlessly. The transmission is generally smooth, though the kickdowns can be a touch unsettling. With tornado warnings in the area on the night I piloted this Jag, the ground was generally wet, which meant some outrageously fun tire spinning for me.
The XFR is a big car, and it handles well. Personally I like large, rear-wheel-drive sedans, so this luxury liner's dynamics are tailored my tastes. I've been impressed with Jag's styling, with the raked C-pillar, subtle curves and elegant styling cues such as the quarter-panel vents and tasteful yet bold grille. This is a smart, contemporary look for Jaguar. Add in the dark wheels, and you have a sporty look with a slight sinister streak.
The negatives? It does enjoy fuel. And the electronics can be a bit challenging to pick up during a one-night stint, though I did figure out the climate and audio expeditiously enough.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This is a wicked kitty, from the exterior trim to the power under the hood. While I think this wrapper, along with the new XJ look, can be too easily mistaken for some non-Jag, that's more of an observation that everyone is making handsomely styled machines these days. It's nothing that a leaper on the hood wouldn't clear up; the grille-mounted cat-face badge is hardly as easy to distinguish.
Like others, I love the highly refined power this beast can generate. The Jag's acceleration and a bit of wheelslip feels buttery smooth in its delivery, without any trace of sudden unexpected slip or harsh stability-control intervention. That alone makes it a joy to hammer around the slightest of bends. Add in the exhaust roar on acceleration, and the car is a sensory delight. Ride in this R trim is on the taut side, but it's not overbearing. The brakes are instantly responsive and spectacular. Steering is spot on and provides some road feel without intruding on the general sense of luxury.
All of that is great, but the car could use some of the same responsiveness applied to its electronics. Several times I pushed the Start button to shut down the engine, only to get zero response. Push and hold longer, and then it reacts. The same goes for controls such as the redundant audio and climate controls, some of which take more than a second to respond to a push, more than enough to make you push a second time as you wonder whether the button is working. This is an obvious flaw that seems easy to fix in a world full of high-speed processors.
I love Jag's application of rolling vent covers and the rising shift knob—that shifter is far simpler and easier to use than the electronic shiftgear offered by many other luxury competitors.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Jaguar XFR—that's about the midsize Euro performance field at the moment, right? The question is, will German car buyers go for a Jag? It's a good enough car, in my opinion. There's more than enough power here and it is very smooth, as are the shifts. The steering initially feels too light but it firms up nicely and the car feels solid and downright agile. The ride is a bit stiff but not too much so, and it's quiet at speed. It's a terrific performance cruiser.
The interior is well built, but I would want wood in my Jag, even if I opted for a performance version. I also found the center touch screen far too fiddly and requiring too many steps to do things like simply change the radio station or dial up some air at my feet instead of my face.
When the XF debuted we said it was a make-or-break car for Jag, and clearly it's been mostly successful. As I said, the Germans don't have much if anything on this car. The question is, does the performance-car customer know that?
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Back when we had our long-term Jaguar XF Supercharged, I always used to get stopped in parking lots and approached at gas stations asking what I was driving. And why wouldn't they? The XF was a stellar-looking car then, and it's still eye-catching in 2012.
The 2012 model year saw the debut of a facelifted XF with a revised grille, hood and front fenders now with triangular side vents. And with LED accent lights being all the rage, Jaguar added those to the front headlight assembly is what they call a “J-Blade” arrangement. On this XFR there are larger lower fascia openings, black mesh grille inserts, a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and quad exhaust outlets.
Inside, the seats are new for more support, and more hard buttons were added to the center stack to make navigating through the touch-screen interface quicker.
Most importantly, the $13,900 price premium over the XF Supercharged gets you 510 hp in the XFR, which is a 40-hp jump to propel you to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, instead of 4.9 seconds. Not only is the 5.0-liter blown engine responsive and powerful, but it sounds great. And as always, the six-speed ZF automatic transmission is on hand cracking off quick shifts. I remain very impressed by this drivetrain pairing.
Toss it around and the XFR is a willing partner, responding to steering commands instantly and making it easy to place the car wherever you want it. The body is so well controlled and the stick in corners is impressive. However, I always like some heft when it comes to steering feel, and Jaguars are always tuned to be light.
The beefy brakes with red-painted calipers look slick behind the gunmetal rims and also get thing slowed down in short order. Pedal feel is firm.
In all, the XFR is a gorgeous luxury performance sedan and it packs enough punch to be considered among the German brigade that includes the vehicles Raynal mentioned above. And we can expect a new Audi S6 in the not too distant future. Would I take the XFR over those? That's a tough one. I haven't driven the new BMW M5 yet, but I do like the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG a lot.
2012 Jaguar XFR
Base Price: $82,875
As-Tested Price: $88,440
Drivetrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 510 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rpm, 461 lb-ft @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,306 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 17/16.3 mpg
Options: Adaptive cruise control ($2,300); special paint trim ($1,500); piano black veneer ($790); jet headliner ($525); red brake calipers ($450)
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