Quick Drive
2012 Jaguar XFR a Quick Drive with txGarage
Jaguar has been hard at work since 2008 trying to update their brand from old school English into the modern day of automotive design. The 2008 XF was a big step forward for Jaguar and now has another giant leap in 2012. This is easily one of the most beautiful and elegant sedans on the road. Jagur has really hit its mark with streamlined front fenders and revised side vents. You’ll also notice the slimmer headlamps that incorporates the circular design but keeping the slim look. The grille has larger openings and the entire car looks more cut and muscular.
In “R” trim the 2012 XF gests a 510-horsepower 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine. This is matched up to a 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode and paddle shifters. The “R” has always stood for top performance within Jaguar so did they hit their mark with this 2012 XFR?
Absolutely. This car looks a decent size from the outside and sitting inside is no different, but once you start driving it hard you’ll forget all about those extra doors behind you. The XFR feels light and drives more nimble than pretty much any sedan I’ve ever driven. I took the XFR out on the road to get a good feel of the suspension and how this car acts on rough, tight roads. It worked incredibly well to soak up the bumps while at the same time giving the driver the feedback you need to give the right input needed.
I enjoyed the car so much that I jumped back in with one of our local Texas car enthusiasts from Burnout Radio, Nick Malone. With Nick we decided to take the XFR out on the track and see just how it would handle some serious driving. Acceleration, with this 510-hp supercharged V8, seemed effortless. Coming up on the first tight corner you need to push hard on the brakes. Pushing the brakes shows just how well balanced and weighted this car really is; there was no drama, just plenty of stopping power. Coming quickly out of the corner, you’ll feel the rear start to step out with ease, and then you remember this is a sedan you’re throwing around this track!
All in all the Jaguar handled the street and track very well. It’s exterior is designed beautifully and the interior is technically and aesthetically cool. If I were in the market for a performance sedan this would most definitely be on the top of my list. We definitely can’t wait to get our hands on one of these for an extended review but until then we’ll have to settle for reminiscing with photos.
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[photos by: txGarage, Jonathan Gallegos, and David Lynn Cole ]