A personal touch goes a long way in creating and sustaining bonds; be it with animate or inanimate things. When designing or creating objects of functionality and value, a craftsman uses his heart to bring out the best in himself and transfer it to his skilled hands and subsequently to his product. These skills are not developed in a day or two; they are reared and mastered over years.
Some say that it takes at least 10,000 hours of specific performance to master an art or trade.
What keeps one from dropping out when attempting to complete these 10,000 hours? It's probably the passion and enthusiasm towards one's work.
A product created with such passion is rarely forgotten and if marketed to the right audience, makes its way into the owner's life and stays there for a significant period. It stirs your emotions every time you look at it or feel it, and most proud owners would go out of their way to keep it in pristine condition.
At certain levels, it doesn't really matter if it is a little high maintenance. It isn't the economics that really get you to buy such a product or this type of car. You could read hundreds of reviews or comparative charts and test results, but an enthusiast isn't looking for what a test driver looks for. It doesn't matter what the test driver thinks, because all he can tell you is how good or bad the car performs within a certain segment. He can rarely tell you the reasoning or the rationale behind the brand loyal enthusiast.
Jaguar is one such brand that has managed to keep this passion alive, through the years. From its early days as part of the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922 it has created a following which includes royalty
as well.
Jaguars hold Royal Warrants from British Royalty. Such warrants are not granted just on overall performance or reliability ratings. They are granted to cars that make a statement; and in this case, a Royal statement. They are for cars that have always had high quality, finesse and timeless designs. When the agency handed over the new 4.2-litre Jaguar XF to me for a test review, I had mixed feelings.
Somehow, I had an opinion about luxury car makers and about how they just couldn't make cars to suit the general masses that really care about reliability, fuel economy and specific performance. I felt that they couldn't do it because they've never had the need to. It would be like having to wear a tux to an overnight desert party camp. But I was wrong!
The new Jaguar XF has managed to keep up the standards expected from it. The earlier S-type Jaguars that the XF replaces had the British car prices and American car reliability and looks that were something in between. They weren't exactly the best blend. The XF didn't feel anything like that. In fact the XF looked and felt great. The engine had the grunt that was expected from a V8 but muffled to the extent required for a powerful yet elegant luxury car. This car is competing in the luxury sport segment and is comparable in terms of price, power and handling.
The insides are as good as can be expected from a car in this league. Perfectly stitched leather seats and a perfectly laid out dash... Turn on the ignition, and the air conditioning vents open up and the gear shift slides upwards while the computer checks all systems and gets you ready for a great drive. The gear shifter is basically a circular knob which is to be rotated to select your gear position.
Quite classy and a change from the 'J' style shift pattern usually found in these cars. Paddle gear shifters behind the steering wheel help in bringing out the best performance in this vehicle in sport mode. The interior lights and glove box are touch-sensitive.
No buttons or hinges, just the human touch. The blind spot assistant located in the side view mirrors helps you when you need to change lanes, especially if you have a stiff neck or
if you couldn't do a shoulder check.
Adaptive cruise control is also part of the package and is now a standard feature in cars of this segment. The sound system with iPod compatibility and other luxury features and keyless entry system were comparable to other cars in this segment.
The Jaguar logo that came up on my iPod screen when connected looked pretty cool. The seats are air- conditioned and can be controlled through the multi-function touch-screen interface on the dash. Rear seat legroom and boot space are quite abundant as well, making this car a good choice for those who like to be chauffeur driven.
The handling on this vehicle is quite refined and long distance driving fatigue is almost non-existent. The 300 hp that this engine churns out and sends to the rear wheels is good enough to take you from 0 – 100 km/h in around 6 seconds. The supercharged version of the same car produces around 420 hp.
I am not a big fan of the all-wheel-drive system in luxury or sport sedans. I prefer a well-tuned, rear-wheel-drive system like in the BMWs and the Ferraris and therefore the Jag's system felt pretty good to me. I am of the opinion that an all-wheel-drive system is not necessarily superior; it's just a little different and works better in certain situations… like in snow for example.
To sum things up, this is not a car where the technical specifications hold much significance other than to the extent that they need to keep up with the segment that they are in. This car appeals to a non-technical power loving classy individual with a passion for cars that have a strong image and are built in a remarkable way.
Like its mascot which is the third largest in the cat family, this brand is intended to be in the top few in the world, and I hope it stays that way!
Philip Shane is a Dubai-based motorhead
