Test Drive Jaguar XF since 2007 Sedan

Rebirth classic

You can paint your hair into some radical color. You can quietly folded. It is possible, on the contrary, to divide Donaga in front of everyone. You can start to threaten to the whole voice of the song right on the street. You can beat your head with a scatter. But nothing of the above will not attract, perhaps, so much attention as attracted to itself a new Jaguar XF on the streets even such a sophisticated city as Moscow.
 
Already after the first pair of minutes behind the wheel of Jaguar, I realized that I would not have a quiet life in the days of the test drive. The views of all others seemed to be directed at me. And I understood how it should feel (if they have considerations), exotic fish in the aquarium or what was the Andersen naked king. But, of course, not my modest person forced everyone to turn the neck. People liked my kitty. Wonderful, emerald green kitty. No, this definition is not the consequence of the acid worker. People who wrapped up following XF, will understand me very beautiful, delightfully overflowing in the sun with color, remotely reminiscent of the legendary British Racing Green.
 
Parked the car near the editors, I sometimes fired out the window and saw that the madness continued. Around the car constantly walked several people, with undisguised curiosity looking at, studying her and peering through the glass inside. Once again, going outside in order to poison yourself to the usual number of nicotine, I discovered about XF a couple of boys, one of which, not quite understanding that for a wing car in front of him, expressed various assumptions. What is the second, apparently, more knowledgeable in this matter, answered him: Yes, you cho! Well, Jaguar, lap!
 
I stand, watching these boys, and I myself think: is it Jaguar? (At this place, another portion of readers will consider me at all in the right mind, but there is a meaning in my words.) Beautiful? For most definitely, yes. English in English? Perhaps, it is. Solid? Which one! Compared to the previous S-Type, its successor has grown significantly in size. Elegant? Without a doubt! Take a look at the highly inclined front and rear windows, a stylish hood with a paddle and a magnificent back with an elongated width of a chromed plank with a jaguar inscription. But something is still wrong.
The breed is not traced so clearly as before. The heir to the glorious MK is guessed with difficulty. The idea that the true English values \u200b\u200bin the design are lost, constantly moving somewhere in the depths of the subconscious. Where is the classic four-headed lighting, where is the mandatory sloping trunk? They are not here. And those who remember the legendary models of HC and the XJS of past generations, it cannot but upset.
 
But it is impossible not to recognize all the absurdity of conversations that Jaguar should remain jaguar. In the modern automotive world it is impossible, we want it or not. British, working on the creation of XF, understood it perfectly. As they understood that on some branded traditions, now they will not go far that something else needs to increase sales. The concept of car C XF, represented on last year's Detroit Motor Show, showed that the new Jaguar will be different. And thousands of people around the world frozen waiting for a serial sedan. The fans of the brand were waiting for the start of sales with the hope that XF would still come out more like her classic models. The rest, realizing that the return to the past would not be, waited for the Jaguar XXI century original and high-tech. And, as we see, it is their hopes that were justified.
 
It is worth recognizing: despite the fact that in the appearance of modern Jaguar you can hardly see the English car, it is impossible to be called ordinary. A squat silhouette in combination with some amazing designer finds by air intakes on the front wings, powerful hips, original lighting and firewalls on the sides attracts views like a magnet. The car really reminds the cat prepared to jump, tense and assembled. Once again I run a look at the smooth surfaces of XF and I understand that, perhaps, in fifty years later, they will talk about this, as a representative of the classical English school. Everything flows, everything changes.
 
The Jaguar XF interior may not be so comfortable as the previous company models. He conquers to others: filigree quality manufacturing and a number of innovative solutions. Chairs, convenient landing in which you find the first time, sewn from magnificent light skin. The top of the front panel and the steering wheel are also separated by the skin, but dark brown. Seams are ideal. Finish with wood and metal everywhere to the place and leaves no doubt in his infancy. Severally falling out of the chic setting of microclimate and windows control blocks, borrowed from Ford, but taking into account the cosmic blue highlighting do not even remember it. In the dark, this neon glow literally fascinates!
 
I click on the engine start button, and at the same time, as a hip with a juicy grumble, a long-term 4.2 liter eight comes to life, two things happen in the cabin, which cause a children's smile at my physiognomy: a rotating cylinder grows from the central tunnel, with the help of Which is the choice of a mode of operation of a 6-step automaton, and, cooking around its own axis, ventilation deflectors appear, which before that were disguised as a metal finish of the front panel. None nor another has ever met any of the serial cars. Original solutions! Although, of course, worth more than money and potentially fraught with superfluous faults.
 
In the jaguar movement is incredibly comfortable. The suspension with adaptive shock absorbers Cats calmly, without fuss, works irregularities, almost not disturbing passengers. Again, like a cat, gently stepping on their paws. Perhaps E CLASSE, and 5 Series, with whom XF is designed to fight, he is not rivals here. With the growth of speed, I notice that the volume of the Bowers & Wilkins audio system (not there Bose!) Does not increase. And this is not necessary! Silence in the cabin at any sobility speed. Only the voice of the motor and the baritone of a perfectly configured release on high speeds slightly makes his way just so as not to forget about 300 power forces, no more. And outside this sound is simply Blood! Here the breed is not doing this jaguar!
 
I leave for a familiar wide view of the highway with one thought: really the whole point was in creating another comfortable liner? Is it really possible to lose the control record and speed to its competitors? I translate the lever, turning (I do not know how to call it in Russian, but in English there is a wonderful word JOG) this most jog automatic gearbox in position s, and the cat is beast! The reactions to gas become much sharper, the suspension is going, the box causes the engine to spin to the very top and keeps the transmission to the last. Beautiful automatic. Steal petals Empty toy for homegrown Schumachers. XF rushing forward. The set of the second hundred almost also rapidly as the first. You do not have time to blink, and on the speedometer is already 200 km / h.
 
The steering wheel with high-speed maneuvers is nice with a pleasant informative severity. Perhaps, it can be said that the XF controllability is unsolvedly inferior to the XK coupe, if he is inferior at all. Immediately flew 20 km highway. I turn on the butterfly of the junction, noting very small rolls and an excellent balance of the car, and come back to the city. Speed \u200b\u200bof about 180 km / h cruising. There is a feeling that you are 100120 slowly. In the cabin, the same silence and calm. But on each maneuver or overtaking, the cat strains the muscles and again rapidly rushing forward, predictively devouring a kilometer for a kilometer. Blimey! Fine!! But this is an XF version with the usual, and not more than a 400-strong turbocharged motor !!!
 
It seems to me that the defenders of English classicism in vain spits after a new Jaguar XF. Do not like externally? And the classic should be reborn. Do not like the strange interior? But he is still perfectly crouted and, moreover, has acquired a lot of interesting, original and perfectly executed stuff. Almost arguments. They are nothing, even compared to how the XF is superb.
 
I, of course, not Nostradamus, but, I see such a future. XF is waiting for success. Moreover, it will buy many people who did not have no ideas about Jaguar, and not least for him and modern, and at the same time different from other design, to be the center of attention. And they will definitely not regret buying, calling this car in motion. And those who accept XF are now in the bayonets will understand that it was the real Jaguar when the next generation of the model appears. So it was always, so it will continue
 
Dmitry Krotov

 
 

A source: Magog Motor [May 2008]