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Jaguar XF V6 Diesel Premium Luxury Auto

BRITAIN’S best premium saloon just got better.

By late April the Jaguar XF will begin to roll into dealers’ showrooms with a three-litre V6 turbodiesel under the bonnet in place of the car’s already excellent 2.7 litre oil-burning unit.

After a year of sales success that flies in the face of recession, Macrae & Dick Jaguar is looking forward to the new diesel power plant that is being hailed as the most efficient performance oil burner in Europe.

Over the weekend of March 28/29 potential customers will be able to sample the new three-litre at Macrae & Dick’s Inverness showroom. That’s when a test drive event is being staged to introduce the new car to the north in both its guises – standard 240bhp XF and the sporting 275bhp XF ‘S’.

Lined up with the new diesels will be the XF’s most powerful petrol models – the new 510bhp 5.0 supercharged SV8 XFR that costs £59,995 and its normally-aspirated sister, the £49,900 385bhp V8 Portfolio.

But it’s the new diesels that take the technological biscuit.

The 12-month-old 2.7 litre V8 turbodiesel XF has already established itself as one of the world’s finest in its class – but the extra 300cc has turned it into a star.

The extra power is just the tip of the iceberg. Jaguar engineers have taken this fine design and made it pull even more strongly and run smoother, quieter and cleaner. But what is even more dramatic is that this new powerhouse is also more economical.

A big part of the XF’s success is its performance – and diesel lovers have queued up to put their money down for the 2.7 litre. History is about to be repeated with the latest three-litre twin-turbo wiping away the opposition on efficiency and delivery.

The beauty of Jaguar chief designer Ian Callum’s XF creation is that it has become adopted as the new "face" of the iconic badge. I was one of the sceptics when I first drove the car in France last year – not totally convinced about its bland nose.

But the car’s beautiful side profile and elegant rear with a back window pitched at exactly the same angle as the first E-Type coupe, won me over.

The XF’s flowing coupe lines make this an elegant saloon with lots of interior room front and back. And, on reflection, even the Lexus-esque nose on the car is becoming familiar and identifiably Jaguar.

But I still think it’s a pity the manufacturers saw fit to make the imposing "wire grille" effect nose intake out of chromed plastic! It’s just not right on a car costing between £32,900 for the 238bhp three-litre V6 petrol to £59,900 for the XFR. Too "lucky bag" for my taste.

But it’s a small criticism. The rest of this fine British luxury sporting express is superbly designed and built. Even the rather glitzy alloy trimmed dash with its clever powered air vents that gracefully open when the ignition is activated, underlines the modernity of the XF.

Compared to the S Type it replaces, the XF is sharper, more dynamic and with agility that belies its near two-tonne road weight.

Riding on large 19-inch alloys shod with 245/40-section low profile Dunlop Sport 01 tyres did little for the car’s road noise refinement but surface roar was minimal considering the amount of rubber contact with the tarmac and the car’s firm suspension. On the plus side the XF’s grip was incredible.

It was all too easy to forget the rear-drive XF was diesel-powered. Torque delivery is incredible and the new 3.0 engine builds on the 2.7’s already smooth pulling power and puts it to good use through the standard paddle-shift six-speed automatic.

If you need to be reminded just how much torque is being produced all you have to do is switch off the standard DSC traction control and feel how anxious the tail is to step out of line on a loose surface. Best to keep it engaged.

The new engine, even in its lower 240bhp tune, produces 16 per cent more power and 15 per cent more torque than the 2.7D. It is also a lot more efficient with up to 10 per cent improvement in consumption delivering average 42mpg. The CO2 emissions are impressive too at just 179g/km.

The third-generation AJ-V6D power plant is a very lightweight engine that warms quickly and burns efficiently. Using the latest common-rail injection technology reduces waste and energy loss to a minimum – a real advance in diesel power that is uncannily quiet right through its range.

Driving a Premium Luxury diesel model last week proved just how sophisticated this new-wave Jaguar has become.

The seats are superb, fully power adjustable and exceptionally comfortable. The boot is big with a standard 500 litre capacity that extends to 963 litres with the rear seats folded.

The power steering is a little lifeless, but the quicker I went the more feedback I got. Crossing the west Highlands to Torridon was a joy and the steep 2000-foot climb up the Bealach na Ba towards Applecross was a delightfully effortless surge with the diesel growling softly to itself under the XF’s bonnet power bulge.

Everywhere I went the dark grey Jaguar press car turned heads. That’s not always the case with modern cars – but the XF’s presence was a constant talking point.

Since its arrival the XF has been a big seller in the Highlands – particularly in diesel form. But there is a market here too for the petrol V6 and V8 models and interest already in the mighty XFR.

But I’d be content with the 240bhp three-litre twin-turbodiesel. In standard Luxury guise at £33,900 it wants for very little. My Premium Luxury model was on the pricey side at £37,500 but with no increase in the cost of a three-litre compared to the equivalent 2.7D cars, it still represents great value for a luxuriously appointed large sports saloon.

If you really feel the need for the three-litre 275bhp ‘S’ model you’ll have to be prepared to spend significantly more. The Luxury ‘S’ 3.0D will set you back £36,900 with the Premium Luxury at £40,500.

Personally I’d be perfectly content with the punchy and silent 240bhp XF.

You might find the car’s style a little brash – the dash and its stylised front wing vents split opinion. But there’s no denying the quality, the finish and the feeling of control as you hit the pulsating electronic "start" button and select "Drive" on the elegant rotary dial that rises gracefully from the central console.

Rating: 9/10

FINAL THOUGHT: The Jaguar XF turbodiesel was motorsnorth’s 2009 Premium Car of the Year – and that was with the old 2.7 litre engine. Fitted with the new three-litre version of the same V6 oil-burning design a superb car has become great. The style still raises the blood pressure of some S Type aficionados but I suspect even they will warm to this outstanding British luxury sports saloon’s exceptional qualities.

Jaguar XF V6 Diesel Premium Luxury Auto

• Price: £37,500 (XF 3.0 Premium Luxury)
• Capacity: 2993cc
• Power: 240bhp
• 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds
• Maximum speed: 149mph
• Economy: Combined 42mpg; Urban 30mpg
• CO2 emissions: 179g/km
• ESP: DSC Standard
• Insurance: Group 18