So, is the Jaguar XFR for sale now? No, but it’s getting close!

Back in August last year I wrote a piece about the new Jaguar XF hoping, really hoping, that this was the car that would save Jaguar. And despite its ‘Japanese’ looks it’s stacking up to be a very good car indeed. Modern, fast, clever and very much a ‘now’ car. It’s received great reviews, and sales are promising, but there’s a long way to go.

What’s needed these days is a performance model at the top of the range, so even those driving ‘lesser’ models feel good that their car is ‘almost’ the barn-storming top of the range. Think M5 for BMW,  E63 for Mercedes and RS6 for Audi. Well, the Jaguar version, the XFR, has shown itself at Goodwood this weekend, and it promises to be a star!

500bhp. 0-60 in under 4 seconds and great handling. This will really give the Germans something to think about. It promises to be as fast, if not faster, than anything comparable, plus it has the style and grace (and pace!) that Jaguars should have. It has wider wheel-arches, lowered suspension and skirts and a new nose. It looks every inch the mean German-basher it is designed to be, even under that nose disguise.

The Jaguar XFR will probably not be unveiled until the Paris show in October, but this jaunt at Goodwood was a great way to ‘tease.

Can’t wait!

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Jaguar have announced details of the new XF – the S Type replacement – and probably not before time, as the S Type was really starting to look old.

To be honest, although it was obvious the ‘Retro’ look of the S Type had lost its appeal (it lost that in the first year) I’m not too sure about the styling of the XF. To me it looks a dead ringer for a Lexus GS, which itself is not exactly a ‘Stand Out’ looker! But if Jaguar are to survive they have to move forward – and quickly.

Jaguars have always been about grace and pace, and the styling has always been very much their own. That has been its strength over the years, but also its weakness. The XJ was the last real leap forward (and that was in 1969!), and although they make some lovely cars, they have got saddled with a fuddy-duddy, old man reputation. Its a bit unfair considering how good, and quick, their ‘R’ models are, but that’s how it is. They hope to change that with the new XF – the first real styling change for a very long time.

The XF is based on the old S Type underpinnings, but there’s nothing wrong with that as the S was a very well-sorted car. The usual range of engines and trim levels are available from the start, but the real fun is in the SV8, a barn-storming brute with real performance and a 0-60 time of just over 5 seconds.

I do hope the XF works for Jaguar. It would be a real shame to see the marque go the way of other great British cars of the past, but this is a really critical move for Jaguar (especially as Ford are trying to off-load it), so fingers crossed it takes off. Still not sure about the Nippon styling though!!