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What is it?

It’s Jaguar’s new design hero – the S-type is dead, long live the XF. But does it drive like it looks?

The XF’s all-new shape has successfully jumped a couple of design generations to re-establish modernity as a core value at Jaguar for the first time since Sir William Lyons was in charge.

And the first question I had was answered before we left the car park: this car is as fine to behold in the real world as it was on the motor show stand. Better lookin...Read the full article

Subhead: "...the XF drives every bit as good as it looks"

Is that even English?

i must admit, i'm not huge fan of ( a lot ) modern cars and as much as i was proud a british marque was producing a class leading car i wasen't 100% on the car, but seeing that picture of it sideways, it looks fantastic, still not 100% on it from the front, but still 10 times better looking than the 5 series(Y)

There is something sad about the way you British motor press praise the products of "British" brands (even Rover 75!). Is it the the clear, unmistakable readiness to applaud or the fact that these products are often make or break items? This vehicle is Ford's? last minute hope to increase the price before Jag/LR are sold to an Indian conglomerate or to a venture capitalist, remember?

What difference does it make for Jaguar if XF is as good as you say (which is questionable in itself, anyhow)?

 

Bloody hell Steve, this bloke Reha must be good! He's not even driven the car and already he knows you're talking nonsense. Maybe he has powers denied to us ordinary mortals and doesn't need to rely on what, 30 years of experience driving new cars for a living? Nope, he just sees the truth in a cosmic sort of way, perhaps by intuition. Hire him immediately!

I haven't driven an XF, but I did sit in one at MPH 07, and everything was perfect about it, just that grille. Sorry but who thinks of these grilles?

i agree with you 100% griffin911.  surely there could have been something better that would fit with the rest of the car.

seems that citroen are leading the car design stakes currently.

 

I don't understand your point Reha. Why is it sad the way the "British" press applaud this car? The journalist obviously thinks it is good (whereas you would have no idea as you have never driven it) and is therefore conveying this to the readers. If you think he is being biased, then I can say that Swedish journalists have been equally full of praise. Also, consider that Steve Cropley is not British but an Aussie!!

I also don't understand the point you make about this product being Ford's last minute hope to increase the price of Jag/LR. So what???? Good for the consumer I say. 

What is there not to understand? Anyone who has read a bit of printed word and motoring press would identfy that the piece does feel strongly biased. I have been reading this magazine since about 14 years now and I do want to respect it. Biased writing brings out precious little respect, as you might admit. Why not use part of that pre-mediated seeming critism often saved for BMW for example? Because seeing that Autocar CAN critise a brand's products increases the value of praise they recieve.

Whether Steve Cropley is british or aussie is beside the point, as long as Autocar is british. 

And for your comment: "So what???? Good for the consumer I say." You're damned right. It is also mighty good for Tata/Mahindra that Jaguar is being sold to them with its engineering/development talents intact.

 

Oh, okay then. Crystal clear. Seems as though you are mighty pleased that Tata are about to take over Jag/L-R for nationalistic reasons. If they are able to provide the financial and technological backing required to maintain a company with these two's reputations then so will I. But it is a very tall order... 

 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I guess you assume that I am Indian. Well, I am not.

 My point is that it looks sad to see intelligent and capable writers still going "nationalistic" on certain companies' products, just because they used to be "British." This residue of "rule Britania" mentality has little relevance today, when your Mini is owned by BMW, Jaguars/LR by Ford (soon to be owned by Tata as it appears) and the remains of British Leyland/Rover Group by SAIC.

It is not much to expect unbiased writing, devoid of banging british drums, is it?

*cough* 2001 S-type *cough*