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Jaguar’s XF sedan looks so spectacular that it swivels heads wherever it goes.

The XF replaces the S-Type and its heritage design with a stunning shape that moves the Jag sedan into the cutting edge of styling. The XF’s design, with its aggressive nose, wide-eyed headlights and coupelike roofline, has a powerful stance and svelte lines. Some design details, such as the front fender vent and the shape of the tail, mimic details found on the XK coupe.

The sporty look, however, does not come at the expense of efficient packaging. Jaguar said the XF’s waistline rises to meet the roof rather than the roof coming down to meet the waist, and that preserves interior space. The rising waistline results in a high tail that yields good aerodynamics while allowing substantial luggage space. The coefficient of drag is 0.29.

The XF is powered by a 4.2-liter V-8 that provides 300 horsepower in normally aspirated form and 420 horsepower when supercharged. Jaguar said the normally aspirated XF will accelerate to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds while the supercharged version will do so in 5.4 seconds.

Prices begin at $49,200 for the Luxury model, $55,300 for the Premium Luxury model and $63,700 for the supercharged version. The test car was a supercharged model from Jaguar’s press fleet.

In June, Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile company, purchased Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Co.

While the supercharged engine is fun when you tromp on the throttle, most buyers will be more than happy with the regular engine and the corresponding lower price. Fuel economy for the non-supercharged engine is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. Mileage of the supercharged model is 15 in the city and 23 on the highway.

In addition to having striking styling, the XF sports a number of technological features. A main one is a shift-by-wire automatic transmission that uses a console-mounted dial selector instead of a shift lever. The dial is not only simple and intuitive, it consumes less space than a shift lever.

The transmission can be shifted with paddles on the steering wheel, and because shifts are controlled electronically, they occur faster than they would if made by a manual linkage. The transmission has winter and dynamic settings that interact with the sensitivity of the throttle, shift points and vehicle stability control.

The XF, even with the 20-inch wheels on the high-performance model, has a smooth ride and responsive handling. The test car had an annoying whine from the driveline at 40 mph, but I’m fairly certain that was an aberration.

The cabin of the supercharged model had brushed aluminum trim and small sections of real wood. The air vents pivot closed when the engine is off and open when the car is started. That’s a nifty idea, but hardly necessary since the vents are almost always open. The front seats could use great lateral support.

Jaguar’s touch-screen controls for audio and navigation have menu systems that are not as intuitive as some competing systems.

The audio system has eight speakers. Bowers & Wilkins designed the optional audio system. Jaguar plans to offer digital audio broadcasting and Sirius satellite radio along with Bluetooth connectivity for telephones. MP3 players can also be used with the audio system and can be controlled through the audio system’s touch screen.

Other available features include voice control for navigation and telephone functions, a blind spot monitor, front and rear parking aids, rear parking camera, adaptive cruise control, electronic parking brake and automatic speed limiter.

Price

The base price of the test car was $63,700. The optional adaptive cruise control brought the sticker price to $66,210.

Warranty

Four years or 50,000 miles.

2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged

Engine: 4.2-liter, 420-hp V-8

Transmission: automatic

Rear-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 114.5 inches

Curb weight: 4,017 lbs.

Base price: $63,700

As driven: $66,210

MPG rating: 15 city, 23 hwy.

To reach Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tom@tomstrongman.com.