insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 143

The R-Sport Black is Jaguar's 'last hurrah' for the current XF, before the new one is rolled out, and as such is a real opportunity for fans to get a bit of a bargain. It boasts £8,770 worth of extra enhancement, such as whopping great 20-inch alloys and a bone-shakingly loud 825w Meridian Surround Sound System, but costs just £2,100 more than a standard R-Sport. This is very good value indeed, and the resulting car is nothing short of magnificent. Even though this model has been in production for an impressive seven years, the XF is a stunningly beautiful and stylish car. On the outside, it is not so much constructed as sculpted, almost seeming to have been chiselled out of marble or rock, like a renaissance statue. The resulting car and its eye catching Kyanite Blue paintwork makes you gasp when you first see it, and then it is very hard to break your gaze. And the way it sits low on the road, coupled with the magnificent 20-inch Black Kalimnos alloy wheels, 143 affords the instant and utterly accurate impression that this car is going to be epic to drive. Your first 'wow moment' inside the XF is watching the air vents open and gear dial rise dramatically out of the console as you get inside, and it doesn't stop there. Sumptuous leather, luxurious panels, a plethora of gizmos and gadgetry – the interior is every bit as beautiful and awe-inspiring as the exterior. The seats are incredibly comfortable and the driving position feels perfect the moment you sit down. Finally, upon starting the XF R-Sport Black, you're met with the most glorious roar as the 2.2-litre engine sparks into life. As you pull away, the RSport Black rewards your anticipation with 0-60 in 8 seconds flat, and a top speed of 140mph. Travelling fast on the motorway, the ride is perfectly comfortable and smooth, and on the