Sport Cars i8 Concept

Slide into the cockpit, and immediately your eyes are drawn to the keyless start/stop button on the center console: It's beating a rhythmic red, as if the XF is coming alive. Press it, and the supercharged 4.2-liter V-8 twists into a muted whir, concealed air vents in the dash glide open, an innovative rotary shift knob -- the so-called JaguarDrive Selector -- rises out of the transmission tunnel. You've just witnessed "the Jaguar handshake," the first of several servings of pizzazz that differentiate this striking new four-door from such classmates as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series.

"You may recognize the grille as being inspired by the original 1968 Jag XJ," says Ian Callum, director of Jaguar design. Then his voice grows almost stern. "But the XF is not a retro car." Quite the opposite, in fact. "We need to attract buyers in their 30s and 40s," admits Mike O'Driscoll, Jaguar's managing director. "The XF is an overtly expressive automobile; it's designed to make you smile. And its success is critical to the future of Jaguar Cars."

Make no styling judgments until you've seen the XF in person. Distinctive as it may look in photos, in the metal the XF radiates a modernity and sexiness that simply don't translate to the printed page. The current XJ8 -- admittedly a considerably larger and more traditional sedan -- appears positively baroque in comparison.

The design flair continues inside. Watch out, Audi: The XF will have your celebrated cockpit stylists grumbling with professional jealousy and admiration. A low, nearly seamless dash sweeps from door to door in a smooth, even plane. Flawless twin-needle stitching finishes the edges. A band of textured aluminum frames the air vents, central seven-inch touchscreen (standard on all XFs), and the console's audio and HVAC controls. Also evident is more hand-rubbed tree than in any Jag in decades; buyers will have a choice of American Walnut, Burl Walnut, or Rich Oak. Like its namesake cat, at night this Jaguar shines: Phosphor blue lighting illuminates the instruments and the edges of the controls (much like the Motorola Razr cell phone, which inspired the look). Prepare to make the jump to hyperspace: You're at the glowing helm of your own Millennium Falcon.

Inside the center console lies an available adapter that allows you to operate your iPod or iPhone (music only) via the central touchscreen. The overhead cabin lights activate not with a button but with "JaguarSense" tap -- as does the glovebox (simply press a small target icon on the dash; Jaguar says the shape was inspired by The Who's "Quadrophenia" album cover). While the lights respond perfectly, the glovebox touch-target requires a carefully pointed finger to work (engineers say such precision was necessary to prevent accidental openings). Options include a DVD-based navigation system, a rear parking camera, radar-based blind-spot monitors, and a 440-watt, 13-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system with Dolby surround sound (all the aforementioned are standard on the XF Supercharged).

Although other markets will also offer a twin-turbo 2.7-liter diesel V-6 and a 3.0-liter gas six, the U.S. will get only the premium V-8s: a 4.2-liter naturally aspirated version making 300 horsepower and a supercharged-and-intercooled variant good for 420 horses. Both mate to a ZF six-speed automatic controlled by that unique rotary shift knob. A fully "drive by wire" system-no mechanical connections between shifter and transmission-the JaguarDrive Selector (the company should've called it something more fabulous, like "Twirl-N-Go") is intuitive, easy to use, and frees up console space for those oh-so-important Big Gulps. Simply rotate the knob to Drive, and you're off. An additional Sport setting quickens the transmission's responsiveness. Or simply pull one of the wheel-mounted shift paddles and you're changing gears manually (holding the upshift paddle for two seconds sends the system back to standard Drive). Particularly in full manual mode, shifts are brilliantly quick-10 percent faster, Jaguar says, than in the XK coupe.

As for the reliability of an electronically controlled shift knob that has to perform its rising and falling act multiple times every day, know this: Jaguar ran the rotary Selector through 68,000 test cycles and also subjected it to the "two-liter Coke test," dumping more than a Big Gulp's worth of Atlanta's world-famous brew onto the console and then ensuring that the Selector continued to function (professional driver on closed course: do not attempt).

The XF's variable-ratio power steering is magnificent, rich with feedback, arcing through its orbit smoothly, and transmitting a linear build-up of forces in corners. The ride impresses, too; the XF Supercharged gets Jaguar's CATS adaptive-damping system, which neatly balances body control with suspension plushness. Rough-road impacts are well absorbed, aided by a body structure (made of 25 grades of steel plus aluminum and magnesium) that Jaguar claims is the stiffest in the class. A composite undertray and a secondary bulkhead contribute to a cabin that transmits almost no wind noise and only a hint of road rumble.

Kick the throttle hard and the supercharged V-8 kicks back with plenty of thrust; Jaguar claims a 0-to-60-mph time of just 5.1 seconds (the normally aspirated XF is said to make the same run in 6.2 seconds). Not bad for a sedan that checks in at more than two tons. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. Perhaps most important, the V-8 makes sounds that will have your own heart flickering like that fancy starter button.

While the XF offers nearly 18 cubic feet of trunk space (and the ability to fold down the rear seats for even more cargo room), its rear compartment is not its strong suit. With a six-footer comfortably situated in the driver's seat, a similarly sized adult sitting behind will be squeezed (things are better on the passenger side, where the front-seater can more easily scoot up a bit). True, the XF's rear bench is considerably more accommodating than the all-but-unuseable rear buckets in the two-door XK, but overall the XF feels more like a roomy four-door coupe than a true five-passenger sedan.

When the XF goes on sale in March, Jaguar will offer three versions: normally aspirated Luxury (base price: $49,975), normally aspirated Premium Luxury ($55,975, with such added standard features as 19-inch alloy wheels-versus the base 18s-heated front seats, premium soft-grain leather, and navigation), and the topline XF Supercharged ($62,975), which comes standard with 20-inch alloys and every feature but an optional heated steering wheel and radar-guided adaptive cruise control. Jaguar expects the Supercharged edition to account for about 15 percent of the XF mix, but given the blown car's content and 120 additional ponies, it's likely the actual percentage will be far higher.

For sure, the XF has the performance and panache to stand out in the premium midsize segment-and attract those younger buyers Jaguar is so keen on. We'll need a comparison test to confirm how the XF stands up against its impressive competition, but a car with a heart is going to be tough to beat.