I guess that's what seperates me from all the owners on the forum. Much of my joy in the cars I've owned has been working the engine over with a manual transmission...I guess I have some learning to do...the engine has won me over and I'll find out soon!

 

Not true. All my cars are manual shift, until the Jaguar came into my life.

It is important to realize that the newest automatic gearboxes are manual shift with an automatic function. They all use a clutch of some kind, some use two clutches.

The ZF transmission in the XF is a lockup automatic. It uses the lockup clutch electronically controlled from second gear upwards. This is the only reason I could buy the car with an automatic. Truly the best of both worlds.

The new DCT type gearboxes are truly amazing. No human driver can shift as quickly or effectively.

The last of the manumatic gearboxes appear on exotics like Lamborghini but they are so crude now I predict they will be dropped next time around in favour of either the latest DCT or the newest ZF type which uses only an electro-mechanical clutch with no torque converter. The torque converter is almost dead . Ferrari no longer offers a manual transmission of any kind, all DCT type. Even Porsche has caved with their truly exquisite PDK (should be called PDQ it's that quick), and they were the first to try and convert the sportscar driver to automatics!

For road cars expect the newest automatics to incorporate a powerful electric motor instead of a torque converter. These new real hybrid transmissions will give an additional bump in torque on demand plus seamless stop start technology and kinetic energy recovery.

Stay tuned and don't bother buying any more driving shoes!

 

Oh, I've heard all the twists and turns on why the new manumatics are great...I'm just not feeling it, something about dropping the clutch and rolling onto the throttle on the way into a corner...

But, as I say...I'm sold on everything else aobut the car and I'll be manual-less for the first (and I hope only) time in my life. I wanted a manual XTerra but found a good used auto this summer...

 

Agreed, keep at least one manual shift for fun. In fact, consider a low powered rear drive sports car with a manual gearbox. I am. I love the Miata but hate convertibles. Tired of waiting for Mazda to see the obvious market for a tin top Miata I see Toyota/Subaru have hit the jackpot with their new BRZ/FRS/GT86. Talk about a half price Porsche Cayman.

So, waft or monster any road you want in the automatic XF in full manual mode, then on the weekend go for a stonking but fairly slow drive in your retro sportscar with manual everything (traction control OFF naturally). Sideways but attracting no attention from the police!

Just don't think you can drive a manual shift Cayman as rapidly as a PDK equipped Cayman, cannot be done.

 

Did you see this comparison?

2013 Scion FR-S vs. 2012 Porsche Cayman S – Comparison Test – Car and Driver

Cheers,

- Will

 

Yes I did. I drove the Scion version. I have driven several Caymans. I really love this new Subaru BRZ. It is very impressive for the money. Keeping my XF but maybe getting the BRZ until the F Type comes out. Maybe keep the BRZ and trade th XF on the new baby Jag which will have awd and probably the supercharged V6. The Evoque will provide the platform and we'll get the V6 as well!

 

This is an interesting topic that you have gotten on. I recently purchased my 09 XF because I was looking for a sport sedan. Something with 4 doors that could go 0-60 in under 7 seconds and the XF had that and more. A friend of mine purchased a FR-S at the same time (He bought it about 2 weeks before me and got it about 3 weeks after me ) Either way he is putting about $10K into it and its going to turn out to a fast sporty car for $35K-ish brand new. Definitely a great choice but just wasn't for me. He is loving the car though and has put almost 2,000 km's on it in about 3 weeks (trying to break it in to put the mods on it). Either way I will take my XF any day!

 

What would I change?
1. The satnav is rudimentary, and slow. I believe that this is a fair comment, but in this day and age, people underestimate the 'value' of such a tool.

2. The odds and sods bins in the centre console could do with a rethink, especially the front one, which when people play with it, they comment on its appearance and function (not in a nice way).

3. Add space to the rear leg room, somehow.

4. Avoid the Ford parts bin for the wiper and lights stalks. They are flimsy.

5. Fix the low-speed clatter of the 2.2D engine, and remap it so that the whole car doesn't vibrate when the revs drop and the torque band slips (up inclines).

6. Make the touch screen usable for right-hand drive cars: actually, the touch screen (as with most cars) is counterintuitive and makes for a challenging time on the move: it's madness in cars to require eye focus just to adjust something.

7. Offer a mute button for the stereo (there isn't one if you have a phone paired).

8. Allow the stop-start to work in S mode, if that's what the driver wants.

9. Ditch the single exhaust pipe on the 2.2D models.

10. There's too much reflection on sunny days from the dash elements that are shiny. And they get hot in the sun!

11. Speed up the rear parking camera operation so that I don't have to idle in the garage for two minutes each morning.

Other than that, the XF is perfect!

 

Hit 'em all. Not too bad really for such a bold new design. The touch screen is definitely the worst thought out feature but even the best of these is still pretty poor and bad ergonomics.

 

BBR have just brough out a fairly cost effective SC kit for the MX-5/Miata. There is a review in this month's Evo, I think (haven't got a copy yet!). It gives it 235bhp an about 190 lb ft. That could be a very lovely car indeed. The new Scion FR-S looks great but lacks a little torque for my tastes - is it like a Honda S2000? I hated that car for its weedy engine alone...

 

Toyota has told its dealers that a bolt on supercharger will be available from TRD for the Scion FRS Toyota GT86. It should also bolt onto the Subaru version.

The flat four is tuned for high rpm output. Drive it like you stole it and it is just fine. Below 4,500 rpm it is a bit low on torque. The Honda was just silly, though I never drove one. To get it to go required you use the 9,000 rpm redline. Just silly for a road car. The Subaru is much easier to drive at low speeds.

 

Toyota TRD has a Supercharger for the Sequoia too!!! If we end up with a 2012/2013 Sequoia next year instead of a GL350 diesel mercedes it will get supercharged for we take delivery.


&

12.992 @108 mph on street tires!!!!

 

Replace the flimsy engine bay plastic cover fasteners with something more substantial. Flatten the hump at the back of the boot. Nit-noys, really.

 

But you can just push the volume button and the whole thing shuts off... push it again and it's right back where you were instantly...

I don't understand this one... Mine works instantly...

Cheers,

- Will

 

The only thing as lots of people have already mentioned is the screen is slow. For me I use the USB for all my songs. I have packed over 50 albums and it becomes slow which is understandable. I think the CPU used is not fast enough. I would love for them to be able to upgrade this so alleviate some of the slowness. Even if this is a paid option. I plan to put all my collection into a USB hence if they assume that everyone will have at least 200 albums on there they should use the most advance technology to cater to this. Apart from this I don't have any bad words to say about this car.
The BMW 3 series I had before was relatively new and in the hot weather the padding on the side doors would fall apart because of the glue used.
At least I am not getting this now and it is quality and can hack any weather. I like it simple but well done. I'm sure most of us who buy the Jaguar are seasoned drivers who have experience a wealth of cars and knows a good car when they see it.

BTW have you seen the Tesla S? They ripped off the Jaguar look.

 

The headlights don't give enough distance to the front at night. I live in Germany and some of the autobahns don't have speed restrictions so I can go as fast as I want but at night you really have to limit yourself unless you can use your brights. My wife has a volvo and you can see at least twice the distance than the XF. I wish this could be adjusted.

 

Is this on the steering wheel? Or are you referring to the dashboard? (it needs to be found instantly, without losing concentration: I've never had a car without a mute button on the steering wheel, so find this puzzling)

Actually, an earlier commenter made a valid point: this thread isn't just about criticism, but rather 'what you would change'.

I think that this is a tough one, because it's pretty near perfect already, and everyone will have their own views about what could be done, but no-one really understands what cost would be involved to make it perfect.

Here in Australia, the XF is already quite expensive (and more than rivals in the same class, generally), so I'd be conscious of cost increases, though of course the opposite is a problem - if the price becomes keener over time, the resale value drops for existing XFs!

If there was one thing that I could change at no, or little, expense, it would be the touch screen - why modern car designers believe that they are better than buttons I'll never know, but if we must have the things, make them responsive, so that we aren't distracted when fiddling with the thing! It's a safety issue. Nothing more.

 

I will second this. I need to fill up at least twice a week here in Dubai, lucky I don't actually have to pay for it!


2009 SV8 XF