2010 Jaguar XFR, an AW Drivers Log:
EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: Wow, this thing is plenty fast. It has all the delights of the XF–the good looks, the comfortable ride–along with 500 hp.
Im always impressed with the curb appeal Jags have, even in the car-jaded Detroit area, and the XFR is certainly no exception. People see this car and take notice. I mean, its not an E-type or anything, but theres still something very appealing about this cars look.
Other than the touch-screen display, which makes you go through several pages to get to the things you need, I like this car a lot. Its quiet and very comfortable; you just want to take off on a long, long drive.
COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: Lucky I had errands to run last night, because I got to spend time flying around in this XFR. Holy velocity, Batman, this car is fast! And what a sweet sound coming from underhood. That growl is like music. And its a good thing this Jag has solid brakes, because when youre behind the wheel, all you want to do is drive fast.
Add that to all of the things I loved about our long-term XF–beautiful materials, great sound system, smooth ride and handling–and this is a complete package.
I did notice that the seatbelts seemed to have less give and were tighter than those in our long-term Jag. Maybe its because they need to keep you in the seat when this rocket blasts off. Either way, its a small nit in an overall great car.
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: I had this car for the night, and its just like our long-term Jag, so it felt familiar. The major difference was the amount of power. It was easy to beat everyone off the line from a stop and not have to worry about them ever catching you.
The XFR has some nice details that make the car look really sporty, such as the mesh grille, the slits in the hood, the large wheels and the tapered body. The car looks very smooth and fast while just sitting in the driveway. It has an air of elegance and luxury.
The interior is nice, but I could do without the suede and leather everywhere. Like our long-term Jaguar, this also has my favorite feature: the shifter dial that surfaces from the center console at startup. Its sleek, trick and unique. The car is also not overdone with ?R badges everywhere, just a couple to let you know you are in something special.
You do gulp at the price difference of more than $13,000 from our XF Supercharged to this XFR, but its worth it, because you can tell this car packs more of a performance punch just by doing a quick lap around the parking lot.
2010 Jaguar XFR
Base Price: $80,000
As-Tested Price: $80,000
Drivetrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 510 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rpm, 461 lb-ft @ 2,500-5,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,306 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 17/18.3 mpg
Options: None
