Less than a year after its launch, the diesel version of the Jaguar XF has a new, stronger heart. David Thomson takes its pulse.
When Jaguar launched its new XF saloon last year, the diesel version was the weak link in an otherwise impressive line-up. Though it was refined and performed well enough, the diesel's 2.7-litre power plant had neither the cubic capacity, the power, nor the torque to survive direct competition with the German rivals against which it would inevitably be compared.
That has all changed with the 2.7-litre motor being phased out in favour of a new 3.0-litre unit. A twin-turbo V6 like its predecessor, the 3.0-litre is offered under the XF bonnet in two levels of tune.
Opt for the standard version, and you will get a handy 16% boost in torque and 15% gain in power over the old engine. The serious gains, though, are reserved for the full-noise 3.0D S model, as tested, with power pumped up by 33% to 202kW and torque by 38% to a whopping 600Nm.
If you are looking for cheek-by-jowl parity with the Germans, Jaguar now has it; the car's most obvious rival - BMW's 535d - musters 210kW and 580Nm.
Achieving these increases, in tandem with a counter-intuitive 10% fuel efficiency gain and 12% reduction in emissions, has required far more than an extra 300cc and a tweak to the turbo-boost.
Fuel is supplied to the engine by new-generation common rail injectors that control the amount of diesel flowing in far more precisely than previously possible. The turbos, meantime, are of different sizes and operate in a parallel sequential manner, with the larger of the two operating from low revs, and the smaller secondary turbo kicking in with more thump from 2800rpm on.
The paper gains lead to decisive improvements in real-world performance. The new XF 3.0D manages the 0-100kmh sprint in 6.4sec, which is 22% better than the 2.7D mustered. Even that time, quick by sports car standards let alone those of a four-door executive saloon, does not fully capture the eagerness of the engine from little more than 1200rpm, or its responsiveness when a decent prod on the throttle demands a burst of in-gear acceleration for overtaking.
There is also a delightful smoothness to the car's responsiveness, and a portion of the credit for this must be assigned to the well-proven six-speed ZF automatic transmission than brokers power delivery to the rear wheels.
The application of full power and torque to the road is also accomplished very nicely, thanks both to the car's substantial tyres, and the back-stop of traction and stability control systems. With those systems off, though, one could imagine the 3.0D S delivering a grin-inducing bundle of over-steering fun on a closed track, especially in the wet.
While nicely balanced and steering very well, the XF 3.0D S - like its rivals - is too big to provide the agility necessary for a rewarding back-road blast. It runs more sweetly over wider, open spaces with a mix of third-, fourth- and fifth-gear bends, the only trouble being that it could cover such ground at a pace far in excess of that permitted by law.
Take a more relaxed approach and the 3.0D may be the most accomplished of the XF range as a long-distance cruiser, with the refinement and frugality of the engine complementing the firm but comfortable ride that is a feature of the range.
There has been no facelift with the installation of the new engine, so the 3.0D still features the lovely coupe-like styling and classy and cosseting cabin that have marked the XF out as special from its 2008 launch.
Reprising the interior highlights of the test car, almost a year after last sampling an XF, means features such as proximity rather than press-button release for the glove box, map lights and the superbly clear centre touch-screen stand out as enduring highlights. The Bluetooth interface is seamless, as is the ability to connect portable music devices to the sound system via connection points in the centre bin. The boot also gave surprising evidence of its capacity by accommodating a large musical keyboard crossways.
The JaguarDrive rotary gear selector is the novel feature of the cabin design, and while its operation remains an object lesson in well-executed design, the way it rises up from the centre console on starting (accompanied by the opening of the car's air vents) may seem gimmicky over time.
Though the interior is beautifully trimmed, the test car lapsed in an otherwise impressive display of build quality when the dashboard developed a minor but irritating sympathetic vibration with the engine running at idle.
Those who judge a $134,990 car in part by its creature comforts and safety credentials should be well satisfied.
All the major items including satellite navigation, leather trim, power seats, cruise control, keyless start, dual-zone climate control and a premium sound system are standard.
The XF also carries a maximum five-star occupant protection in the European NCAP crash-test regime, deploying a multiple airbag array.
As for those who ask about its ability to rival the best from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with its new engine, the XF 3.0D meets the mark in the performance and comfort stakes. Where it follows a very different path is in its visual design. This is a key part of what establishes the XF as a milestone for a company looking to the future, after too long spent harking back to the past.
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