MUNICH – Alongside a raft of design changes, Jaguar has also introduced a high-tech diesel powerplant as part of its 2012 model year XF line-up. Given our affinity for the larger displacement 6- and 8-cylinder engines this model plays host to, it’s fair to say that Jaguar has really put the cat among the pigeons (it had to be done) by slotting a four-cylinder diesel into its executive saloon. Does this bode well for the XF or is this tantamount to having its claws removed?
The 2,2 AJ-i4D engine shares some commonality with the turbodiesel unit currently doing service in the Land Rover Freelander and has been touted by the company as its most fuel-efficient engine to date. It has been re-engineered for use in the XF, being longitudinally mounted and clad in sound-deadening materials to improve NVH. It also plays host to Jaguar’s first tandem solenoid starter start/stop system – basically a system that, among other things, helps keep the fluid pressure in the transmission at an optimal level to ensure that re-starting the engine is as rapid and lurch-free as possible.
Despite the initial misgivings that applying a four-cylinder turbodiesel to a large saloon may have presented, I have to say that the combination of highways, snaking mountain roads and town dawdling that our route encompassed showed that Jaguar knows what its doing. The refinement is commendable, with just a hint of diesel thrum detectable under acceleration and although the smooth manner in which the torque presents itself may give the impression that the car isn’t all that torquey, the 450 N.m on offer means it doesn’t feel sluggish in the least. The new ZF-sourced 8-speed transmission also proved smooth and didn’t hunt madly to make the best of the 140 kW served up at 3 500 r/min. Jaguar claims a believable 0-100 km/h time of 8,5 seconds and a top speed of 225 km/h, which is impressive for such a small engine – especially when you consider that its combined fuel consumption figure sits at 5,4 L/100 km and CO2 emissions at 149g/km. Given that the start/stop system analyses 70 input parameters to best determine when to do its thing, the unit reacts swiftly to any hint of loafer twitch on pedal – even so, you still get the feeling that you’d be more comfortable taking a gap at a busy junction with this feature switched off…
I’ve garnered a fair amount of scorn in the CAR offices for not being the biggest fan of the current XF’s design, but I felt that I had a valid reason. That reason was called the C-XF; a concept sculpted by automotive styling aficionado Ian Callum to showcase Jaguar’s future design direction at the 2007 North American Auto Show. When I heard this lithe creature was to form the aesthetic basis for the firm’s 2008 E-Class/5 Series rival I couldn’t wait for the covers to lift from that curved nose to reveal those menacing, narrowed headlamps. So when the first-generation XF was unveiled, my dismay at the scalloped forms that the final product wore was almost of theatrical proportions. Sure, the rest of the car was lithe and groundbreaking, but…that nose….
Fast-forward three years and I’m delighted to say that the company’s decision to re-style the car from the A-pillars forward has produced a very handsome machine. Jaguar’s chief designer for the XF, Wayne Burgess, explained that the new car’s design not only brought it into line with the striking new XJ, but that its demeanor was to be more aggressive – that the narrow headlamps, topped by frowning “eyebrow” lines on the re-styled bonnet, give an impression of the car eyeballing the road ahead with a “bring it on” air. Factor in LED daytime running lights in a now-signature “J-blade” pattern, a refreshed front bumper, more upright grille and a re-tweak of the rear chrome bar bisecting the now LED tube-detailed brakelamps and the new XF now looks as it should.
The XF’s interior has always imparted a sense of occasion, so Jaguar was loath in meddling too much with what’s essentially a winning formula. The sometimes-difficult-to-read brittle silver switchgear has made way for classier, more legible black rubberized items. That rather naff-looking monochrome info display between the speedo and rev counter is now a colour screen, while the sat-nav gets upgraded software a full-colour 7-inch touchscreen interface and a new audio module with a 30GB hard drive, CD/DVD/USB/iPod/Bluetooth connectivity and the seats gain some welcome side bolstering. Chuck in a choice of several new colours and trims, and while the changes are minimal they are nonetheless very effective.
In 2,2D guise, the XF goes to show that the stigma surrounding the application of high-tech, low-displacement diesels in premium saloons is very much unfounded. It does nothing to blunt the XF’s engaging dynamics while its fuel-sipping habits will make it a hit with those reluctant to donate most of their disposable income to OPEC. As such, its arrival here in October will be eagerly anticipated…
