29.04.2009
Jaguar has always fought shy of chasing the German establishment, but with the XFR they’re ready to hunt down the BMW M5 and Audi RS6.
If you were following this feature from the beginning then you may already be aware of our behind-the-scenes pictures on Twitter, Chris Harris’ visit to the Goodwood Breakfast Club together with another XFR and XKR and we even took the XFR along to an RMA track day to gauge its appeal amonst its fraternity of hard-core driving enthusiasts (the video of this will be published soon).
As you can see, we certainly lived with the XFR and used it thoroughly, so we hope you enjoy reading our conclusions.
Now read the feature magazine and then let us know your thoughts.
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16 Comments
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
April 29, 2009Posted on DR: New Feature: Jag XFR v BMW M5 v Audi RS6 http://bit.ly/uLRI7
DriversRepublic (The DR Team)
April 29, 2009Posted on DR: New Feature: Jag XFR v BMW M5 v Audi RS6 http://bit.ly/uLRI7
Al
April 29, 2009Great piece, Richard. The living with one for a year was an astute way to end. Although I was staggered by the powerplant of the M5 when I piloted one a while ago, it was the shortcomings of the ‘box that I remember most. I’m sure it would irk me on a daily basis.
Al
April 29, 2009Great piece, Richard. The living with one for a year was an astute way to end. Although I was staggered by the powerplant of the M5 when I piloted one a while ago, it was the shortcomings of the ‘box that I remember most. I’m sure it would irk me on a daily basis.
daytonafan
April 29, 2009Does anyone else think that the sills on the XFR look like the ones on the Aussie V8 Supercar Holdens?
daytonafan
April 29, 2009Does anyone else think that the sills on the XFR look like the ones on the Aussie V8 Supercar Holdens?
Marty
May 1, 2009I keep seeing new Jags on my walk to work, and they really do grow on you. I never thought I’d like a Jag over an M5, but were I in the market for a beefy four-seater I’d be hard-pressed to choose between the two. I guess that’s a combination of growing up a bit and the fact that Jaguar are finally producing cars that can compete with ‘ze Germans’ on a level playing field.
Oh, and a final thought: choosing between the V10 M5 and the Jag would be tough, but as soon as the V10 in the Beemer is replaced with a twin-turbo unit, I’d go with the Jag purely on principle. I’m resolutely against forced-induction M-cars!
Marty
May 1, 2009I keep seeing new Jags on my walk to work, and they really do grow on you. I never thought I’d like a Jag over an M5, but were I in the market for a beefy four-seater I’d be hard-pressed to choose between the two. I guess that’s a combination of growing up a bit and the fact that Jaguar are finally producing cars that can compete with ‘ze Germans’ on a level playing field.
Oh, and a final thought: choosing between the V10 M5 and the Jag would be tough, but as soon as the V10 in the Beemer is replaced with a twin-turbo unit, I’d go with the Jag purely on principle. I’m resolutely against forced-induction M-cars!
Kevin Bird
May 3, 2009Hi Richard
Had an M5 when its was launched, but sold it a month later! Like you I agree its epic when used properly but thats, at best, 1% of the time….
As an ‘old’ bloke needing a four door I have just bought a late ’06 S6 with 24,000 miles for £24K, bargain for a car with most of the RS6′s kit and go.
See you at the ‘Ring with RMA in July?
Kevin
Kevin Bird
May 3, 2009Hi Richard
Had an M5 when its was launched, but sold it a month later! Like you I agree its epic when used properly but thats, at best, 1% of the time….
As an ‘old’ bloke needing a four door I have just bought a late ’06 S6 with 24,000 miles for £24K, bargain for a car with most of the RS6′s kit and go.
See you at the ‘Ring with RMA in July?
Kevin
Richard - DR
May 3, 2009Hi Kevin,
Glad you agree on the M5′s extreme nature. Sounds like you’ve got yourself a great car there in the S6.
The RMA day in July is very tempting, especially as the new facilities will also be completed. I really fancy a go on the trackside rollercoaster. We’ve christened it ‘The Brown Hell’ in the DR office…
Richard - DR
May 3, 2009Hi Kevin,
Glad you agree on the M5′s extreme nature. Sounds like you’ve got yourself a great car there in the S6.
The RMA day in July is very tempting, especially as the new facilities will also be completed. I really fancy a go on the trackside rollercoaster. We’ve christened it ‘The Brown Hell’ in the DR office…
Dave
May 4, 2009I’d be interested in how the cars compare for over-the-road speed. I seem to remember a piece by Chris Harris featuring the RS 6 and M5 estates, wherein he said that the M5 really couldn’t keep up, mostly due to quattro and the towering torque spread of the RS 6.
Also, given Jaguar statement that the XFR is quicker than the RS6 in overtaking, did that actually turn out to be the case?
Dave
May 4, 2009I’d be interested in how the cars compare for over-the-road speed. I seem to remember a piece by Chris Harris featuring the RS 6 and M5 estates, wherein he said that the M5 really couldn’t keep up, mostly due to quattro and the towering torque spread of the RS 6.
Also, given Jaguar statement that the XFR is quicker than the RS6 in overtaking, did that actually turn out to be the case?
Steve
May 4, 2009@Dave – Dave, I find it difficult to believe that the XFR would be quicker than the RS6 in overtaking. I lived with both over several days and they have quite different characters – the XFR would best be described as an “iron fist in a silk glove”, with it’s softer power delivery and preference of the auto box to stay in higher gears. You can overtake effortlessley in the RS6 by either staying in 6th or dropping down to 5th, whereas the XFR requires a more concerted ‘kick-down’ effort and doesn’t pull as strongly in the mid-range.
The RS6 was certainly the one which most easily gained speed for the least effort and its power delivery was the most dominant on the road. The reason why an M5 driver might struggle to keep up is more to do with the immediacy of the RS6′s responses rather than its 4wd traction, but both M5 and XFR steer much better than the RS6 and are therefore more agile and rewarding to steer.
The Jag is the type of car that has a calming influence on your driving style, but the power is not as accessible as the RS6 nor as brutal – that doesn’t seem to be its remit.
Many powerful cars suffer from feeling restrained, you know they’ve got 500bhp+ in their somewhere but it’s not until the throttle is firmly opened that you ‘really’ feel it. The RS6 is one of those cars that you know has monumental power from the first few yards of movement, The XFR is almost polite by comparison – keeping it’s power under wraps until really needed.
Steve
May 4, 2009@Dave – Dave, I find it difficult to believe that the XFR would be quicker than the RS6 in overtaking. I lived with both over several days and they have quite different characters – the XFR would best be described as an “iron fist in a silk glove”, with it’s softer power delivery and preference of the auto box to stay in higher gears. You can overtake effortlessley in the RS6 by either staying in 6th or dropping down to 5th, whereas the XFR requires a more concerted ‘kick-down’ effort and doesn’t pull as strongly in the mid-range.
The RS6 was certainly the one which most easily gained speed for the least effort and its power delivery was the most dominant on the road. The reason why an M5 driver might struggle to keep up is more to do with the immediacy of the RS6′s responses rather than its 4wd traction, but both M5 and XFR steer much better than the RS6 and are therefore more agile and rewarding to steer.
The Jag is the type of car that has a calming influence on your driving style, but the power is not as accessible as the RS6 nor as brutal – that doesn’t seem to be its remit.
Many powerful cars suffer from feeling restrained, you know they’ve got 500bhp+ in their somewhere but it’s not until the throttle is firmly opened that you ‘really’ feel it. The RS6 is one of those cars that you know has monumental power from the first few yards of movement, The XFR is almost polite by comparison – keeping it’s power under wraps until really needed.