By Jon Quirk
14 December 2007
The Jaguar XF seems to have the makings of a brilliant car. Just as well, because in order to stand any chance of success in the executive saloon arena, it must match stalwart German rivals for dynamics and quality, Japanese saloons for technological gizmos and American saloons for design flair.
An entry-level Jaguar XF with the choice of either a diesel or petrol V6 will set you back £33,900, which isn’t cheap, and Jaguar has also admitted that it isn’t building an estate version. So if you’re interested, it’s the saloon or nothing.
As a pre-cursor to this afternoon’s published Sky Drive of the Jaguar XF, we thought we’d showcase five of the best alternatives you can buy today. Of course, if none of these models float your boat and you’re craving something a little more ‘British’, then you’ll be pleased to hear that the Jaguar XF goes on sale in March.
1. BMW 5-Series
Entry-level: 520d SE £27,000
Pick of the range: 535d SE £39,065- epic performance and dynamics, sensible fuel bills
Dynamically, the big-selling 5-Series is still the most venerated. It sets the standards for the rest of the executive saloons to follow. The 500bhp M5 is a sensational weapon and a brilliant all-rounder but in reality, the 535d is fun to drive and almost as capable. Almost. But while people have warmed over the years to BMW’s ‘flame surface’ styling language, the bold panel pressings on the 5-series still remain slightly awkward for some.
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