Jaguar XF Supercharged

In the mountains surrounding Los Angeles, on a little-used twisty road, the 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged revealed its true self to me. The Jag's power was tremendous. The braking superb. The handling world-class. All of it came together on this short but entertaining stretch, causing me to pause at the end and say out loud, "Damn! That was fun!"

I was honestly surprised, I admit. I'm not a huge Jaguar fan to start with, and the new Jaguar XF's predecessor – the S Type – was one of my least favorites. Yet from the moment I sat behind the wheel of the new XF, pushed the pulsing Start button, and felt the car rumble to life, I had a feeling this was going to be a different and better driving experience.

The Engine

Under the hood of our test car was the best engine currently available for the XF: Jaguar's excellent supercharged 4.2-liter V-8. All of us loved the engine's power delivery and its immediate throttle response, and with 420 horsepower and 413 lb.-ft. of torque running through the six-speed automatic transmission, it gives up nothing to its German and Japanese rivals. It's smooth and refined, almost too quiet really; we'd like to hear more of this car's growl. There is no whine from the supercharger, and all you notice from the driver's seat is tons and tons of torque. Our only real complaint is that it drank a gallon of premium for every 13.6 miles it went.

The transmission deserves praise as well. It's a traditional automatic – no fancy dual-clutches or anything like that – but the programming on it is stellar. Upshifts are immediate, smooth and quick, but downshifts are just as good, with the engine management blipping the throttle to match the revs to the lower gear. Is the knob-style gear selector gimmicky? A little, but it works well and is a huge improvement over Jaguar's earlier "J-gate" automatic selector. The steering-wheel paddles are right at your fingertips and laid out properly: Left is for downshift, right is for upshift. However, we do wish that in this $65,000 luxury sedan they weren't made of cheap plastic.

Ride & Handling

The suspension on the XF rivals the engine for mechanical supremacy. If you're expecting a floating, wafting ride, you'll be disappointed. However, if you're looking for a car with handling to back up its coupe-like styling, you're in luck: the XF's multilink independent suspension glues the car to the ground and actually makes this 4,200-pound luxury sedan tossable in corners. It grips wonderfully, the big Pirellis on our test car barely making a noise. When it does begin to slide, the front end starts first, but with so much power on tap it's easy to rotate the rear end. The good news is that there's no penalty for this handling when it comes to ride quality, which is sport-sedan firm, but doesn't punish the driver or occupants.

It's not perfect, of course. The stability control is too aggressive in its standard mode, cutting in right when you're really starting to enjoy the car; a less aggressive mode is available at the push of a button, and on the Supercharged version you can shut it off entirely. We also were disappointed by the steering. It's too light and lacks road feel appropriate to the car. It's not actually bad, but it should be better.

Outside & Inside

Yet all this power and handling doesn't come at the expense of refinement. The exterior has been criticized for lacking "Jaguarness," but it also benefits from not being burdened with having to look like one of the company's previous models. We grew to like it during the XF's time with us. Even though it's slightly derivative, it is also luxurious, sporty and attractive, especially in the green of our test car (which one of our editors dubbed "Indian Racing Green" in honor of Jaguar's new owners).

Inside, the XF coddles its occupants with soft leather on the seats, dash and doors, thick carpeting, tasteful wood trim and aluminum and chrome accents. It's also assembled with Lexus-levels of precision and care that we were happy to see. One of the things some of us liked was the fact that it didn't have a traditional Jaguar look inside: There's copious leather, but its application isn't gratuitous. Same with the wood: No longer do you feel as if you're actually sitting inside a tree. Clearly, heavy-handed is out at Jaguar.

There are three heavily publicized elements to the XF's interior that require discussion: the JaguarDrive gear selector; the rotating air vents; and the JaguarSense touch-sensitive glovebox and overhead lights. We decided we like the first two, but are cool on the JaguarSense. The gear selector is cool, we admit: It glides up into your palm, is substantial feeling, and you quickly get used to the idea of twisting a knob instead of moving a lever. The rotating air vents are more of a gimmick, really, but one that gets an "ooh" from passengers the first time they see it. The JaguarSense, however, is a problematic gimmick. You have to be maddeningly precise with the glovebox, using just a fingertip to touch the sensor, not, for example, the whole pad of your thumb. Since it's not lit at night, you have to have the precision of a watchmaker plus robotic spatial memory as well. A traditional button would be much better.

While we're at it, there are a few other faults. We mentioned the plastic shift paddles – they should be metal or at least have a rubber touch surface – and the turn signal and windshield wiper stalks also felt a little wonky. The multifunction navigation system should have tasks like the seat heating and cooling controls broken out. We also wished that the seats had more lateral support.

However, most of this falls into the area of minor quibbles, and there is a lot more here to like that whine about. The interior is supremely quiet, the back seat is roomy enough for all but the tallest passengers, and the rear seatbacks fold down to expand the trunk space, rare in this class of car. In between your twisty bits, you can soak up countless miles behind the wheel of the 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged and barely notice as the earth turns beneath your wheels.Full story

Source: http://www.myride.com

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Lincoln MKS

New luxury car offers the latest in connectivity.

The all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS is something different for this proud luxury marquee: a full-size sedan with its sights set on the young (by Lincoln standards). As such, the MKS is a lavishly equipped full-size luxury sedan, both grand and, in its way, grandiose. It combines an elegant new look for Lincoln, combining elements of the marque's long, impressive history with technology that, by Lincoln's lights, points the way to the luxury-car future.

From the first glance, this MKS is nothing if not a serious entry. It has dignity and clout that is likely to win over Lincoln's traditional older clientele. Its muscular, long body is trimmed plenteously with gleaming chrome highlights, giving it the flash of a thoroughbred American sedan.

The MKS interior seconds the motion; this is a sedan with class-leading roominess in the rear compartment. The styling and materials throughout, typified by elegant standard-equipment leather upholstery, confirm that this is an automobile for those accustomed to fine surroundings.

But it is in technology, more specifically, in comprehensive connectivity, that the MKS will make its bid. The MKS offers unprecedented real-time, real-world onboard communications. Lincoln marketing executives said time is the ultimate luxury and therefore the electronics systems in the MKS were designed to save the owner time. Following on Ford's successful Sync voice-activated audio systems, the MKS goes one long step further. Its Next-Generation Navigation System with Sirius Travel Link allows the switched-on owner to control vast audio programming resources, follow threatening regional weather patterns in real-time, stay informed about traffic jams ahead, keep up on the latest sports scores and find movie listings and start times.

We found its big eight-inch display easy to read and its systems easy to operate, something that can't be said of some much more expensive German cars. You can load personal CD photos on your in-dash monitor. You can find all local gas stations, listed either by nearness or in order of price per gallon. We followed the progress of a violent storm on an in-dash Doppler radar monitor, a new kind of automotive thrill. Pressing a couple of buttons displayed the five-day forecast. The system will play DVD movies with incredibly rich surround sound, and the touch-screen monitor takes running your iPod to new levels. Its voice command system indicates this technology has moved beyond the gimmick stage.

But the MKS is more than an electronics base; it must meet the standards of the contemporary automobile, somewhat as its superb forebear, the Lincoln LS, did so successfully. As a dynamic platform for freeway motoring, the MKS is first-rate, stable, steady, confidence-inspiring. It would be entirely at home driving coast to coast, and delivering an impressive 24-mpg EPA highway rating, this seems an enticing mission.

The MKS comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available for improved capability in foul-weather. A 3.7-liter dohc 24-valve V6 engine powers the MKS, delivering 273 horsepower. It works with a six-speed automatic transmission to post an EPA-rated City/Highway 17/24 mpg.

We found it cruises very nicely, smooth and quiet. It isn't a sport sedan along the lines of a BMW, however, and doesn't respond well to hard driving.full story

Source: http://www.myride.com

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Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited Review

Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited – 2008 Review: On the dash of our 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited was a small cubby behind a little door, about where you’d find the navigation screen on more expensive models. Wait…more

expensive than our nearly $30,000 test car? The nav’s absence – along with many other missing features usually common at this price – is part of this Subaru’s problem. Once a quirky take on the whole crossover concept, today the Outback has a tough time making a case for itself against competitors like the Honda CR-V, living up to its “Limited” nomenclature in ways Subaru probably didn’t intend.

What We Drove
Our test car was a 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i with the Limited package. An Outback with the automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive is $25,240 including the $645 destination charge. Our car’s Limited and VDC package added leather seating, a monstrous moonroof, upgraded audio system, dual-zone climate control, titanium-look trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and, obviously, Subaru’s Vehicle Stability Control. The package added $3,100 to the price. Individual options included a $212 cargo management system, $456 XM satellite radio and $304 worth of auto-dimming mirror and security package. The total came to $29,512.

Performance
As the base model, the 2.5i is equipped with Subaru’s base engine, a 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder mated to a willing four-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. With more than 3,400 pounds to haul around, the little 170-horsepower engine has its work cut out for it, and that, coupled with the transmission, probably accounts for the disappointing 19.8 mpg we got. Initial torque delivery is good, but it falls off quickly and you soon discover that maybe making the stretch to the turbocharged XT may have been worth the extra payment. It never feels strained, but it’s never very sprightly, either.full story

Source: http://www.myride.com

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Ford F-150 and Driving the 2009 Ford F-150 Off-road

It's funny how sometimes the best developments come just after the final bell has rung. There are surely those of us who can remember a stock splitting hours after we dumped all of our shares, or a blazingly-fast computer becoming available as we're loading software onto what's now a dated MacBook. The phenomenon can also be seen with the recent debut of the 2009 Ford F-150 pickup, possibly the best full-size light-duty truck to ever come out of Dearborn at a time when buyers are zeroing in on smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles. But unlike that now-worthless day-old laptop, there remains a strong market for pickups, and the new Ford F-150 has been designed to grab the lion's share.

(2009 Ford F-150 Platinum model shown)

While Dodge has admittedly sacrificed some utility in the name of comfort, Ford is launching the 2009 F-150 under the tagline, "The And Solution." That represents the truck's focus on comfort coupled with a class-leading payload capacity; a fuel-efficient SFE variant that delivers up to 21 mpg and a 7,500-lb. towing capacity; and a host of features that should appeal to everyone from the soccer mom to the contractor looking to downsize from his Super Duty. Like every vehicle, the 2009 F-150 has its faults, but when viewed against its even its toughest competition, "The And Solution" just might be The Best Solution.

The Engine

For 2009, the Ford F-150 powertrain lineup includes three V-8 engines and two automatic transmissions. Entry-level models feature a 16-valve, 248-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 mated to a four-speed automatic. An all-new six-speed automatic is paired with an available 24-valve, 292-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 or the top dog that came with our F-150 Lariat SuperCrew test truck, a 24-valve, 310-horsepower 5.4-liter V-8 (320 horsepower when running on E85 fuel).

Despite major competitors offering engines with significantly more power, Ford has done wonders with the tried-and-true 5.4-liter V-8. At idle, there's a pleasant rumble from the exhaust, but once underway, all you'll notice is the engine's refinement. This would become especially obvious if you were to do back-to-back swaps from the F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4X2 to its competitors, which with the exception of the 2009 Ram, suffer from more noise and vibration at full throttle, though the competing engines feel more powerful. What really sets the new Ford F-150 apart from some of its competition is the new and overdue six-speed automatic transmission. First gear allows for quick starts, giving you the sense that the 5.4-liter V-8 ponies up greater stats than it really does.

As we discovered during a rather aggressive towing exercise, Ford's six-cogged tranny is extremely smooth, even under full throttle on a steep incline. Plus, tap the tow/haul mode button and you'll be able to elicit downshifts with a slight tap of the brake pedal, a very helpful feature when you're headed downhill trailering more than five tons of cargo.

Ride & Handling

Unlike Dodge, which has taken the unusual approach of putting rear coil springs on its 2009 Ram, Ford has stuck traditional rear leaf springs, though they have been stretched and lengthened to improve the 2009 F-150's ride and handling characteristics. The effort has paid off, and the result is a full-size pickup truck that's almost as smooth as the Ram, yet doesn't sacrifice any capability. The redesigned F-150 tackles rough pavement without the bothersome bucking exhibited by many large pickups. On the road, the 2009 Ford F-150 does a commendable job of staying controlled and on course, much better than comparable Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra models. Running through an autocross course with about 850 pounds of weight strapped into the bed, the Ford F-150 proved itself with limited body roll and a generally more responsive feel.

Part of that is due to a steering system that's superior to what's offered in other full-size trucks. The 2009 Ford F-150 provides more feedback and has been updated with new dampers that limit vibration. Braking is also commendable in all city and highway situations, and after repeated usage -- the pedal is easily modulated, and we had all the available stopping power needed with no worry of fading.

Interior & Exterior

Behind the 2009 Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4X2's more rugged, Super Duty-esque exterior is a truck equally focused on passengers and cargo. Ford will tell you that the seats have been redesigned for greater comfort, but we didn't notice a significant difference. Nevertheless, our 2009 Lariat's leather-clad power buckets were plenty cozy and offered plenty of thigh and back support. Triple-setting heating and cooling certainly didn't hurt. The leather-wrapped steering wheel included a handy tilt adjustment, and power pedals are intended to compensate for the lack of a telescoping function. Long, padded armrests replace the parts found in the old Ford F-150, but even our upscale Lariat model lacked padding on the doorsills. Out back, the 2009 SuperCrew gets an extra six inches of room, which makes this one spacious truck. Fold the seat up, and Ford is happy to point out that the flat load floor will allow you to carry bulky items inside the cab if inclement weather rules out the open bed.

Speaking of the bed, there are a number of new features designed to improve the 2009 Ford F-150's utility. The tailgate step introduced in the Super Duty is now available, as is a cargo management system that incorporates side rails, a folding bed extender, and storage bins. These removable containers are waterproof, but they're also cumbersome and limit the bed's capacity. Dodge's Ram Box, though overpriced, is a more innovative solution. The new Ford F-150 is also available with a new retractable side step bolted to the frame forward of the rear wheelwell. This device is a solution to existing owners' complaints about the tall bed being difficult to access from the side. The stiffly-sprung step means Ford can keep its deep bed, but new owners will be required to pay extra for easy side access – seems that kind of thing should be standard.

Other enhancements to the new F-150 include the Microsoft-developed Sync hands-free communication system, a voice-activated navigation system with an eight-inch touch screen and real-time traffic information courtesy of Sirius Travel Link, and a 390-watt Sony sound system.

Not found on our test truck but bound to be immensely popular is Ford's Work Solutions technology, created for those who use their trucks on the jobsite but potentially serving a wide variety of buyers. Among the components is an in-dash computer that uses Sprint's broadband network to provide high-speed Internet access (a wireless keyboard and printer are available), an electronic tagging system that allows you to track tools and other gear through the computer, a locking cable system fastened to the bed and designed to keep items safe and secure, and a fleet management system that allows business owners to track the use, location and diagnostics of their working F-150s.

Driving the 2009 Ford F-150 Off-road

With on-pavement testing complete, we hopped into a Ford F-150 FX4 to evaluate the 2009 Ford F-150 pickup's off-road prowess. Our route took us along rutted trails and through sticky mud pits, giving us the opportunity to work the skid plates, utilize the FX4's on-demand four-wheel drive system, and determine just how far you can get with a set of Goodyear LT tires. We'd like to say that it was all business, but frankly, nailing the throttle and hearing a V-8 scream as mud flies while the 2009 F-150 scrambles for traction is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Though the undercarriage and even the radiator fan were thoroughly clogged with moist soil, we're happy to report that the Ford didn't falter.

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Source: http://www.myride.com

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