Expensive motorway fuel and a slight miscalculation, meant the far from thirsty Jaguar XF KEITH WARD was driving was almost running on fumes. The sun may have been setting on Keith’s journey, but as he reports, a bright future beckons for Jaguar under its new owners.

The Jaguar XF is impressively economical for such a powerful car.

ON a sprightly afternoon drive through the byways of the inspiring Yorkshire dales, the Jaguar XF seemed to dance its way, swift, poised and elegant, enough to put joy in the heart.  Then, with the sun going down, a “low fuel” message illuminated on the dash and I recalled the dire warning in the handbook of the SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE if you run dry.
Earlier in the day, faced with a forced motorway fill-up of diesel in this borrowed car at an extortionate £1.47 a litre (£6.68 a gallon!) I admit I had tried to estimate my maximum need for the day.  Now, village after village came up without a pump in sight. Are they all on red diesel from a can around here?
The Dales became a diesel desert with me praying for an oasis. Miles left in the tank according to the trip computer were relentlessly counting down. In mild anxiety I reduced speed to a nurse-along rate. The Jaguar continued to purr.
At last, another village with – yes! – a pair of antiquated pumps. At dusk, nobody around. In the far gloom of a cluttered, oil-fragrant workshop, past a grimy white Silver Shadow (local weddings a speciality), the chap mending a puncture apologised for not coming out. He’d heard me, but thought I was passing through.
Not to worry. At whatever pump price (not easy to read), he obliged with 30 quid’s worth (better to be safe) and I was on my way.
Perhaps pumped up fuel prices in general are making motoring misers of us. Or is it just me?
All this is not to denigrate the Jaguar’s thirst. In fact it averaged near-40 mpg in a week’s usage, not bad from a 275 PS, three-litre, twin turbo, V6 automatic. It matches, for instance my own six-year-old, six-speed manual,136 PS diesel MPV.
The XF, a mix in looks and feel of sports car, coupe and luxury saloon, is Jaguar’s best-seller, a challenge to the German big three – BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Spearheading the updated 2011 model year diesel versions, this S variant gains some of the sporting garb of the XFR in terms of appearance, improved driving dynamics and an upgraded interior.
Our top Portfolio-trim version also wore an optional £1,250 adaptive dynamics pack. Allied to low profile tyres on 20-inch wheels, handling becomes the priority, the ride noticeably knobbly on some surfaces.
Top of the range features include leather seats, interior mood lighting and seven-inch full colour touch-screen display. Slip behind the wheel and it’s a starship experience. The start push-button throbs red, eager for the fray. The circular gear selector rises to hand and four louvred dashboard vents glide open. The big diesel is impressively quiet, even from cold.
Generous overall, the boot is shallow and long (1,100 mm or 43 inches) so it’s a far reach to the back of it.
These are happier days for Jaguar. New owners Tata Motors of India, who bought Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) from Ford in 2008, have managed to preserve its three UK plants, sign a new pay deal with its 16,000 workers, order a £5-billion expansion which means a string of new models as well as 1,500 extra jobs at Halewood alone, head it currently for a £1-billion profit this financial year.
This is on the back of a sales surge in Asia, with the award-winning XF leading the way for the revitalised Jaguar brand, more than making up for a 10 per cent dip last year in the recession-hit UK. In its Indian summer, Britain’s favourite big cat can smile once more.

Happy days – investment by new owners points to a brighter future.

THE VITAL STATISTICS
Model: Jaguar XF 3.0L Diesel S Portfolio
Body: Four-door, five-seat saloon; length 4,961mm; boot 540 litres; weight 1,820 kg
Engine: Diesel; 3.0-litre V6; rear wheel drive; twin turbo; six-speed automatic
Power: 275 PS @4,000 rpm; max torque 600 Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Pace: 155 mph; 0-60 in 5.9 secs; 50-70 in 3.2 secs
Fuel: On test 38.9 mpg; official combined 42.0 mpg; tank 69.5 litres
CO2: 179 g/km; annual VED £300 1st yr then £200; tax liability 27%
Insurance: Group 45
Tyres: Dunlop Sport 255/35; ZR 20
Service: Every 16,000 miles
PRICE: £46,900