Video:
Jay Leno takes the new Jaguar XF for a spin
The new Jaguar XF took top honours at the 31st annual motoring 'Oscars', the
What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2008.
The Jaguar beat 14 category winners during a glittering ceremony held at the
Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane.
What Car? editor, Steve Fowler, said: “It's a crucial time for Jaguar as the
sale of the company draws closer. Judging by the XF, its future looks very
good indeed.
“The XF has it all - it looks fantastic and has a classy, futuristic interior
that gives it a real sense of occasion. On top of that it's great to drive,
whatever mood you're in, and is a sound ownership proposition, too.
Considering the quality of opposition it beat to win our Best Executive Car
Award, it was an obvious choice for the overall Award."
Accepting the award Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars, said:
“Jaguar is creating a new generation of cars that started with the XK, and now
continues with the all-new XF – a four door, five passenger car that has the
heart of a sports car and the looks of a grand tourer . . . We're very
pleased with the reaction that the car has received, and our customer order
bank is growing fast. We're grateful to What Car? for this wonderful award.”
What Car?'s Green Award went to BMW and Mini for the first time. The award
recognises the company's achievements in reducing carbon dioxide emissions
across their new range of BMW and Mini cars.
“Nobody has done more to reduce CO2 for buyers of all types of car,” said
Fowler. “Whether you're a supermini buyer or looking for a large 4x4, BMW
and Mini offer some of the greenest cars on the market.”
British car makers did particularly well at this year’s awards. Land Rover
again dominated the 4x4 categories with the new Freelander 2 named Best
Compact 4x4 for the second year and the Discovery winning the Best Large 4x4
award for the fourth year running – while the Oxford-built Mini Cooper S won
the Best Hot Hatch award for the second year in a row.
Audi came away with the most trophies, including Best Performance Car for the
new R8 and Best Coupé for the TT. Ford's new Mondeo was named Best Family
Car and Best Estate, while last year's Car of the Year, the Vauxhall Corsa,
was again named Best Supermini.
What Car? Car of The Year winners 2008
Car of The Year -- Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury
Supermini -- Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Club air-con 5dr
Small Family Car -- Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 120 Match 5dr
Family Car -- Ford Mondeo TDCI 140 Zetec 5dr
Estate Car -- Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Zetec
Compact 4x4 -- Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD4 GS
Large 4x4 -- Land Rover Discovery 2.7 TDV6 SE auto
Hot Hatch -- Mini Cooper S
Coupé -- Audi TT 2.0 T-FSI
Open-Top -- Volkswagen Eos 2.0 T-FSI Sport
Performance Car -- Audi R8
MPV -- Citroen Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi SX
Compact Executive -- BMW 320d ES
Executive Car -- Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury
Luxury Car -- Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI
Green Award -- BMW / Mini
Safety Award -- Mercedes
Security Award -- Audi
Come on, Dick, the government owned them before, and that was what they've spent the last 25 years recovering from. Now the corner has been turned, this would send them straight back.
And, Jack, the realities of life are that some people can afford a car like this, so comparisons between other cars in the same market are reasonable. Of course we can sympathise with those that can't afford one - maybe the aspiration to be able to own one is enough motivation to help them pull themselves up?
Peter, Prague, Czech Republic
I think it looks like a little too much like the new mondeo with different soft body panels on, bonnet, lights, bumpers etc? are the based on one main chassis/ body design ?
Andrew, Dover,
I do wonder which planet car magazine journalists are on, or indeed just how excessive their income is. Describing the XF at £33k+ as a "sound ownership proposition" demonstrates a person so far out of touch with the realities of life to render their opinion worthless.
Jack Conroy, Brighton, UK
Now to put some Nanotechnology into it to make it cheaper... Tata very much for a final fling?
Gerry Watts, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Guess you didn't hear the news Chang - Jaguar is second only to Lexus in car reliability these days - satistically proven around the world. Combine that with the killer looks of this beast and they should have a big time winner - wish them luck.
Robert Baker, Ascot, UK
Will it still be car of the year once it's been in and out of the dealer's for constant faults and left you stranded on the M4?
Chang Park, Epsom, UK
It's seem so kind, Dick of Aberdeen, for the government to step in and mop up a failing private enterprise, but I really doubt Jag would have built such a great car if directed from Whitehall. More likely they would produce a rust bucket (Trabant, anyone?). Government should keep its nose out of private endeavour. Otherwise, companies become lazy and fail to respond to what customers really want.
Jason, Vienna,
Looks excellent!
Lets just hope its not a rust bucket like some of it's ancestors
Phill , The Wirral, England
A modern Jaguar? AT LAST. Great looking style
R J Wood, Whitehills, Aberdeenshire
I'd like to thank our glorious financial institutions and our wonderful patriotic government for having stepped and acquired both Jaguar and Land Rover on behalf of the nation.
DickW, Aberdeen, Scotland
It is nice to see that some top British Designers and Engineers are having their work aknowledged by the Motoring Oscars.
Dominic Tattersall, Burnley, England
The new Jaguar XF looks like a cross between a BMW and a Volvo. Oh dear...
Andrew, Seattle,