The first Jaguar XF rolls off the production line from the company’s Castle Bromwich plant and straight into the historical annals as one of the Jaguar exhibits in the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Collection. Jaguar says the new four-door sedan carries a distinctly more sporty look, and seats five adults comfortably. 

The range starts with the Luxury 2.7-liter V6 diesel to the 4.2 supercharged V8 petrol model. The SV8 is the only variant that comes with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard while the other three models offer a choice of 17, 18, 19 or 20-inch wheels. 

However, the most interesting feature is undoubtedly the rotary JaguarDrive Selector™, which allows the driver to shift gears by rotating a knob. This knob flushes with the surface of the gear selector plate but emerges slowly to rest snugly in your palm when the car engine is switched on.

Another first for the XF is the JaguarSense™ - a touch-sensitive system to open the glovebox lid or control the overhead console lights. The XF’s second-generation Pedestrian Contact Sensing™ System builds on the one first introduced in the XK to significantly reduce pedestrian injury in the event of a collision. The XF will go on sale in 66 markets worldwide, with first deliveries to UK in March next year.