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2011 Jaguar XF Supercharged

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The Jaguar XF debuted for the 2009 model year, and we fell in love with it immediately. We named it to our 2009 and 2010 All-Star teams and we adored our silver Four Seasons test car, even though it was extremely sketchy in the reliability department. Since the XF's debut, it has received upgraded powertrains across the board, including the awesome 470-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 in the XF Supercharged.

Like our long termer, this Jag is an attractive, comfortable, luxury machine, with a spacious trunk, roomy back seat, and great presence-that also happens to be really fast and handle great. The Pirelli winter tires and heated steering wheel make it a fabulous place to be in wintertime as well. A heated windshield, à la Land Rover, is a new addition that also helps in this regard. Another welcome change in the XF's cabin is an actual push button for the glove-box door, instead of the sporadically operable touch-sensitive dot that frustrated us in our Four Seasons XF. Unfortunately, the touch screen that controls the infotainment systems remains slow and has small buttons that require a bit too much driver attention.

The XF's minor issues and poor reputation for reliability notwithstanding, I would still strongly consider forking over $70K of my money for an XF, which says a lot for this car. I'm not necessarily saying it's the best in its tough class, but I think it's the most desirable.

Rusty Blackwell,Copy Editor

Ha, ha, ha, with 470 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque going to the rear axle, the Jaguar XF Supercharged was ready to rock and roll when I drove it home last night in fresh snow and 17 degree ambient temperatures! Fun. The stability control allows a bit of slippage but of course is there to save the day, and the snow mode for the transmission is helpful for starting off at intersections. Thankfully, our test car was equipped with Pirelli Sotto Zero winter tires; I suspect it would be undrivable in snow on even all-seasons.

Yes, the touchscreen navigation is still dated. I could not sync either my BlackBerry or my iPhone via Bluetooth despite repeated attempts, which was annoying. That quibble aside, hey, the XF is an absolutely lovely car and one that you should test-drive if you're in the market for a BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or Audi A6. You certainly won't see yourself coming and going.

Joe DeMatio,Deputy Editor

We're lucky here at Automobile Magazine in that we usually get to drive a different car every night, but sometimes a car comes along that we don't want to relinquish. The Jaguar XF has consistently been one of those cars; it's comfortable, spacious, it drives well, it has good looks, and it's sporty. Now heading into its third year, the XF is aging exceptionally well.

This particular XF came with the optional supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine that turns this car into a real sleeper. The force-fed V-8 makes an impressive 470 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque. The latter is available at a low 2500 rpm and the power band continues through 5500 rpm. Thankfully, Jaguar equipped the car with Pirelli Sottozero winter tires so we were able to unleash this feline while maintaining control on the icy winter roads.

If there's a downside to this car, it's the fuel mileage: 15 city mpg. Ouch. But that's the price you pay for a 4300-pound, rear-wheel drive, sedan with a big displacement V-8 under the hood.

The as-tested price for this XF rung up to $69,375, which is lower than I would have guessed, given that is has the upgraded supercharged engine. However, the king of all kitties, the Jaguar XFR, is only around $10,000 more, at $80,000. If you can pony up the dough, that's the route I'd take.

Mike Ofiara,Road Test Coordinator

2011 Jaguar XFSupercharged

Base price (with destination):$68,475

Price as tested:$69,375

Standard Equipment:

5.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine

6-speed automatic transmission

Dynamic stability control

Adaptive dynamics

Active differential control

JaguarDrive winter and dynamic modes

20-inch alloy wheels

Active head restraints

Tire pressure monitoring system

Smart key keyless entry and start

Heated and cooled leather front seats

Xenon headlamps

Blind spot monitoring system

B&W 440W sound system

6-CD changer and HD radio

Portable audio connectivity

Touch screen navigation

Bluetooth connectivity

Sirius satellite radio

Options on this vehicle:

Jet headliner -- $575

Heated front windshield -- $375

Key options not on vehicle:

None

Fuel economy:

(city/hwy/combined)

15 / 21 / 17 mpg

Engine:

Size: 5.0L supercharged V-8

Horsepower: 470 hp @ 6000-6500 rpm

Torque: 424 lb-ft @ 2500-5500 rpm

Drive:

Rear-wheel

Transmission:

6-speed automatic

Curb weight:4306 lb

Wheels/tires:20-inch aluminum wheels

Pirelli Sottozero winter tires

Competitors:

Rusty Blackwell

My love for cars started with a book called The Complete History of Chrysler Corporation, 1924–1985 and a triple-green 1973 Dodge Dart Sport 340. The book -- currently tattered and Kool-Aid stained in my Automobile Magazine office -- fostered my appreciation for automotive history. The car -- currently with 51,000 miles and needing quite a few replacement parts in my dad’s garage -- fostered my appreciation for acceleration and how glorious it is to have at least four senses assaulted by a cool car.

Early vehicular favorites slanted heavily toward vintage Mopars. (I grew up in Chelsea, Michigan, where my dad, like most dads in Chelsea, worked at Chrysler’s proving grounds.) '71 Barracudas and '68 Chargers have been high on the dream list since back then, but I’m much more worldly these days, thanks in large part to having sampled much of New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman’s vintage British fleet, so my dream garage’s old Mopars are now joined by names like Triumph Dolomite Sprint, Ford Lotus Cortina, MGA, Sunbeam Lotus, and Jaguar XK120, which fight vehicles like AMC SC/Ramblers, bay-window Volkswagen Microbus campers, and Buick Skylark Sport Wagons for real estate in my daydream thought bubbles.

Old cars were once new, and my affections steadfastly extend to new cars. Since I started working at Automobile Magazine in 2004, I’ve been fortunate enough to have driven the majority of new cars built. Highlights of the late-model cars that currently vie for position with vintage metal in my automotive daydreams (in neutral alphabetical order): Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Ram (oh, so sorry--Ram 1500), Ferrari 458 Italia, Ford GT, Ford Mustang Boss 302, Lotus Elise, Maserati Quattroporte, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, and Porsche Boxster.

Even though I’ve driven just about every new car on the market, from exotics to econoboxes, my personal top speed in a car was established before I had a driver's license, when my dad rocketed me around the Chelsea Proving Grounds’ oval track at 155 mph in a topless Dodge Viper in 1993. Speaking of ovals, an Albion College internship at Michigan International Speedway in 2001 marked my big break into this business, and I’ve attended races at Le Mans, Daytona, Indianapolis, and Eldora, as well as Bandimere Speedway, an awesome drag strip near Denver that I frequented in my previous job as a PR guy for Team Mopar and writer for Mopar Magazine.

The addition of two daughters to my family in the past few years has led me to be much more interested in minivans and family vehicles than with sporty cars, so add a Ford Flex, a Honda Odyssey, and -- keeping the vintage theme alive -- a turbo Plymouth Voyager to the above roll call. Since becoming a father, I've executed more baby-seat installations than the Detroit Tigers have played games. I’ve also learned that a Fiat 500 is not the ideal car in which to take your family of four to a Tigers game, but it will work -- as long as you load the baby through the rear hatch.

If my wife didn’t drive a stick shift (a 2002 Honda Civic coupe) when I first met her, I’d probably be feeding a fleet of old Dodge Omnis and MGBs instead of my family, which formerly included a 1967 MGB/GT Special. Fortunately I have this job to keep me surrounded by cool cars that aren’t also personal money pits. This is better (although I might have a hard time turning down a good deal on a solid Omni or MGB).

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