Jag's new cat sports enticing lines and an athletic chassis to match.
By Paul Seredynski (Reprinted with permission from MSN Autos.)

Monday, March 10, is the day for leaping-cat devotees, as Jaguar's sleek, new XF sedan officially hits showroom floors. Luxurious and spacious for its class, the XF contains a melodic V8, handles extremely well and, in the sheet-metal flesh, is gorgeous.

Its muscular looks may not evoke any particular Jaguar, but the fresh, modern take on the marque arrives with packaging and safety benefits that go with a clean-sheet design. If you've ever admired the qualities that Jaguar's cars exude—grace, space and pace—the new XF will not disappoint.

Sharp New Suit
The rear-wheel-drive, 4-door, 5-seat XF will arrive in three trim choices: Luxury, Premium Luxury and Supercharged. The standard equipment list is lengthy, including 18-inch wheels, electrically adjustable steering column and leather front seats, side and side-curtain airbags, automatic speed limiter, a tire-pressure-monitoring system, rear parking assist and an electronic parking brake. Options will include ventilated seats, a blind-spot-monitoring system and Adaptive Cruise Control.

The XF's front wishbone and rear multilink suspension uses components refined from the nimble Jaguar XK coupe, and the XF's sleek profile even matches the windshield and backlight angle of Jag's lithe 2-door. Along with added content, the Supercharged (S/C) version of the XF provides a firmer, electronically controlled adaptive suspension, larger brakes and standard 20-inch wheels to complement its sporting mission.

Same V8, New Soundtrack
In the U.S., motivational choices will be between Jaguar's normally aspirated (300-horsepower) or supercharged (420-horsepower) 4.2-liter V8 engine. Extensive efforts were applied to tune out discordant mechanical sounds that might emanate from beneath the XF's rippled hood, leaving a restrained and melodic V8 soundtrack to permeate the cabin. Hushed at a sedate pace, when given the cane the V8 purrs in a truly inspirational tone. The S/C model ups the volume and urgency of the melody, in a still pleasing but more authoritative baritone.

Both V8 engines are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, and the drive mode is selected via a rotary knob that rises from the center console upon ignition. Manual gear control is available via standard, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, though an impressively intuitive and entertaining Sport program is available in full automatic mode. An adjustable and defeatable traction/stability-control system is standard—including a Winter mode for slick conditions.

Inner Space
Both brighter and friendlier than its German rivals, the XF has a clean and modern interior, with an expansive use of aluminum and tastefully understated wood accents. Storage space is plentiful, with a functional center console, oversize cupholders, large storage pockets in each door and pockets on the backs of the front seats. Though uncluttered, the XF's cabin offers an array of standard tech amenities, including Bluetooth phone syncing, touch-screen display and full iPod integration.

Cool, phosphor-blue "halo" lighting accents the XF's switch gear, and hard buttons for the most frequently used controls (climate, Jaguaro) sensibly complement the intuitive touch-screen. A 9-speaker, 320-watt sound system is standard. The available 14-speaker, 440-watt Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound setup is one of the finer Jaguaro systems ever offered from a manufacturer.

The XF's inviting cabin is spacious enough to keep clients or even in-laws happy, and its richly appointed leather seating and cutting-edge interior should help you feel wealthy no matter where your commute ends. On all XFs, the rear seatbacks can be folded down, increasing the already impressive space in the 17.1-cubic-foot trunk.

On the Road
Jaguar claims the XF's new chassis is the stiffest in its class, and the crisp platform allows for supple suspension tuning. No matter how much the road contorts, the XF handles surprisingly well.

The normally aspirated model is more pleasantly tuned for potholes and everyday commutes, while still exhibiting succinct body control when given its head on country roads. The S/C version is decidedly firm in terms of suspension settings, and on more entertaining lanes stays planted and flat, exhibiting very little body roll. Around town, considering its 20-inch wheels and low-profile rubber, the S/C model still provides impressive compliance.

The XF's steering strikes a most livable balance between feedback and control effort. Though lighter than the Teutonic competition, it gives up little in terms of precision. Combined with accurate steering, the upside of the stiff chassis and deft suspension tuning is a machine that soaks up road imperfections around town, yet seems to lose 1,000 pounds when the road begins to twist. Don't let the looks fool you—the XF's voluptuous shell caches an innately athletic package.

Sweet Sticker
Deep résumés don't come cheap, but pricing on the new XF is shrewd and competitive. The well-appointed Luxury version deftly slides under the $50K mark ($49,975, including destination and delivery charges). The extensively optioned S/C version arrives at $62,975. Few cars, at any price point, hit the sweet spot of stunning looks with moves to match. With the solid, swift and sleek new XF, it looks like Jag has a winner on its hands.

A Boston native covering motorsports and consumer electronics for the past 17 years, Paul Seredynski has been the Editor of Sportbike magazine, press officer for Kawasaki's World Superbike Team, Senior Editor at VIDEO magazine, and Leader of Automotive Media Relations for Porsche Cars North America.