Westfield, NJ, March 26, 2008; When I read about the new Jaguar XF, one tag simply stated, “THIS IS THE NEW JAGUAR!” As far as I can remember few if any luxury cars have ever been so anticipated. The XF is the car that is expected to propel Jaguar back to its lofty place as one of the premier automotive brands of the world. If the pre-sales are an indication on how well the newest Jaguar will do, the XF has more than lived up to its billing. This was also one car that I could not wait to see.I was invited to an XF Launch Party at a prominent Jaguar dealership in February. Like a Hollywood Premier, a red carpet awaited starry eyed customers who were also anxious to see the new V-8 XF. We all walked into a dealership that looked and felt more like art gallery than automobile showroom. This room offered the perfect backdrop for the unveiling of the new Jaguar. I took a long look at the pearl colored XF that stood proudly in the center of the showroom. Looking at the XF, I felt the emotional implementation of the design. The exterior of the car gives you a sense of a Jaguar in full flight. The one feature that really surprised me was that even with its coupe-like design the XF provides more than enough room for five adults.Glancing over at the other vehicles that were displayed, I noted that the arrival of the XF could not have come at a better time for Jaguar. The XF is going to be the revitalization of Jaguar. The hype in bringing the XF into the market place is also going to bring a lot of attention to the other Jaguars that are currently being offered like the XK. It was also apparent that the XF is the new foundation/direction that will put Jaguar back on top.I learned that the XF design was headed by Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum and Head of Advanced Design Julian Thomson. This is the same team that produced the award-winning 2007 Jaguar XK Coupe and Convertible. From the very beginning of the design, the team looked to create a vehicle that presents a confident statement. In doing so, the XF possesses a sense of latent power through a look that is dynamic and athletic. The blueprint of the XF clearly retains the most important component from Jaguar’s bygone years, their steadfast belief in beautiful, fast cars. Sitting in the driver seat and starting the car was really cool. When I pressed the start button, the Jaguar Drive Selector or the ‘Jaguar Handshake’ rose up from the console and into my palm. The selector features a rotary shift interface device. The dial can be rotated to select park, reverse, neutral, drive and sequential mode. The Jaguar Sequential Shift works on a shift-by-wire system that replaces manual shift linkages, with electronic commands through paddles in the steering wheel. It also gives the driver smooth and rapid gear changes. The XF will be offered with 300 hp V8 Luxury model, V8 Premium Luxury XF and a Supercharged XF with a 420 horsepower engine. You also have the choice of multiple transmission modes via the “JaguarDrive Control” A system that matches throttle progression, DSC thresholds and shift strategy to the mood and driving conditions that also includes Sport and Winter modes. Every XF audio system features at least eight speakers including a subwoofer. The premium audio system was designed in association with the highly respected audio specialists Bowers & Wilkins. Radio options include Sirius Satellite Radio, Bluetooth communications technology, plus standard iPod and MP3 player connectivity with full-function control through the touch-screen. Other standard features of the XF include Automatic Speed Limiter, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Parking Brake and more. Other available features include “JaguarVoice” control to operate audio and telephone functions, Blind Spot Monitor, Front and Rear Parking Aids and Rear Camera Parking Aid, and Adaptive Cruise Control. The 2009 XF will be priced starting at $49,975 MSRP for the Luxury model. The V8 Premium Luxury XF will have a base MSRP of $55,975. A Supercharged XF will retail for $62,975 MSRP. The XF should fit very nicely in that mid-line luxury car market. Even with Jaguar adding a lot of cutting edge elements that enhance the overall quality and performance, the XF, it is really not a technically difficult car to understand, it’s very user friendly and you won’t have to go to space school to learn how to drive it!. For more information about the new Jaguar XF log onto If you would like to reserve an appointment to take a test drive at a dealership near you, just click on theAppointment Link.
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