Four years ago Jaguar was, if not dead, then certainly on life support.  They had clung to their old ways and traditions despite overwhelming evidence that a change was needed.  Finally, three years ago the change happened, and sales have increased steadily since then and Jaguar is once again healthy.

The Jaguar XF is everything you would want in a luxury sedan and if it, after all, a Jaguar.  That fact alone gives it several bonus points for anyone looking to impress the Joneses.  The 2012 Jaguar XF is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 385 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission is standard.  This V8 has gone from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, very impressive for a luxury sedan.  The fuel economy is about industry average with 16/23 mpg.

The turbo-charged XF gets 470 horsepower and can go from 0-60 in a remarkable 4.5 seconds and that, my friends, is flat-out flying.

Of course this is a Jaguar so of course you get all the luxury you can handle.  New this year are sleeker styling with new headlights and taillight; the interior has new seat design, better controls and a much better audio system.  Ooh, and the new touchscreen electronics are really cool.

As far as competition, you would have to look at the BMW 5 Series, the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, and the Audi A6 and A7.  All have better fuel economy and all have better head and leg room.  Having said that, we go back to the main point, that this is a Jaguar.  The XF looks like a sleek cat, handles like a puma on steroids, corners on a dime and is as quiet as you could ask for in a sedan.  Jaguar has always done well with interior noise, insulating the engine so it is remarkably quiet.

The XF has four trims and depending on which one you get you will have either 18-inch or 19-inch wheels, but seriously, it doesn’t make much difference.  This is, after all, a Jaguar.   All of this and more for around $50,000.  In the world of luxury sedans, with the serious competition going on, that’s a lot of car for $50,000! 

Of course, replacement auto parts will be expensive.  Make no mistake about that fact!  You can pay through the nose for new aftermarket parts or you can save considerably on used parts at a salvage yard.  The choice seems an obvious one but maybe, to those who have money to blow, it isn’t.

Either way, you can drive this beautiful automobile with confidence and flair.  It is, after all, a Jaguar!