[lebreeze]

It was a beautiful day today almost felt like spring. So I washed and took some pics of my brothers new XFR. I think it's a absolutely beautiful car. And the interior is one of the best I've ever seen. Pretty much the entire interior is wrapped in leather. And I also love the alcantara headliner. The car is super fast but doesn't feel as fast as my C63. That maybe just because it's a lot smoother. The shifting is really quick with no lag. Enjoy

[mixja]

Interior looks dated to me but nice looking car from the outside and very fast...

[ooowowizstev]

Nice pics but was never a fan of that car.

[footie]

Originally Posted by mixja

Interior looks dated to me but nice looking car from the outside and very fast...

I have to agree, even though Jaguar updated their interior styling there is still a lot of traditional looks to remind you that it's a Jag first and foremost, I think they have done a much better jod with the new XJ.

[ns2000x]

This is a perfectly timed post for me.
I am not buying until the end of the year, but considering the costs of the two cars I'm considering in Canada I'm looking for opinions.

M3 Sedan - 6spd, M-Drive, Novillo Leather, 19" Wheels, EDC
XFR - Heated Windshield

I would keep either car for 7 or 8 years, so will finance.

The current (and likely to repeat deals are):

M3 Sedan 4.9% finance 48 months (<- this is a special rate in Canada 7.19% is standard)
XFR 0% finance (any term) $4000 Cash Back


Total cost of the M3 is: $96,633 CDN (including taxes, fuel surcharges, etc)
Total cost of the XFR is: $93,010 CDN (including taxes, fuel surcharges, etc)

The XFR is actual cheaper in Canada when the finance rates, and offers are factored in.

I'm not concerned about which is faster, both exceed my minimum "requirements" on that front. I'm interested in opinions (with an full knowledge I'm on the M3 forum).

Buying an M3 in Canada seems like a battle, one I was all gearing up to fight. Then out of the blue, just as the Jaguar sales associated predicted, Jaguar Canada make it so easy to get in to an XFR. My focus starts to wonder back in that direction.

Cheers

OP - your brothers car looks fantastic, what are yours and his initial impressions of the "driving fun" shall we say?

[footie]

I'll start the ball rolling by answering your question to the best of my ability as I own an XF at the moment and previously owned the M3 before it, plus I have had enough seat time in the XFR to understand it's differences between it and the ordinary XF and how it differs to the M3.

Plus points of ownership with the XF/XFR
1/ Heated windscreen is absolutely brilliant and something that more car makers should offer as it works within 60 secs in light frost and when combined with the blower approx. 2 1/2 mins in heavy frost, easily halving or bettering the time expected in a normal car.
2/ The seats are extremely comfortable for long journeys and give a decent amount of support for spirited driving.
3/ The 5.0L supercharged engine is a monster and combined with the ZF auto it works seamlessly between a cruiser and a full on sports saloon, it simply never runs out of power.
4/ The suspension in my opinion offers be far the best compromise between luxury and sportiness of any car in this or any other sector.
5/ It looks like a 4 dr Aston Martin from side on or viewed from the rear, plus it's nose isn't the normal German stereotype which is a breath of fresh air.
6/ Options are cheaper than with the German brands and you luckily need to add very few, namely the B&W speakers, rear camera+front sensors and possibly heated wheel.
7/ More standard kit than most others offer.

Minus points of ownership with the XF/XFR
1/ On summer tyres and in even mild frost it's not the best car to make progress, but in the slightest of snow it is plain awful. So in Canada you will need to think about chains and proper snow tyres in the winter months.
2/ Heated seats take an age to warm up.
3/ Sat-Nav is old hat, though it works surprisingly well.
4/ Touch screen is not a wise move in my opinion, you need to hit the required spot on the screen which means taking your eye off the road.

Plus points for the M3
1/ Great thing to drive with more involvement than the XFR can offer.
2/ An engine that loves to rev and wills you on to do just that.
3/ Manual gears means you have more control.
4/ EDC, a better option than stock suspension as you can balance the comfortable.
5/ Chassis is a marvel and gives more control than just about any of it's main competitors.

Minus points for the M3
1/ Engine though great it does lack low end grunt when compared to what the Jag has to offer.
2/ It's no where near as refined as the Jag, be that on the motorway, the city or on back roads.
3/ Surprisingly it's not anymore economical.
4/ It's ride quality though good because of the EDC, it's again no where near the class that the jag has to offer.
5/ Image but not in a negative way, it's just that when compared to the XFR you will appear to others as a yuppie/wideboy where as the XFR gives an air of class.

Both are great cars but in very different ways. Where as the XFR is more a competitor to the M5/RS6/E63 and it's ride/handling and performance has been gearing to beat these cars, the M3 is developed to compete in a class below and it's ride/handling and performance in far more in your face.

All I will say as a closing note is that the XF has been one of the best cars I have ever owned, never missed a beat, never failed to amaze and will be sadly missed when it goes.

[ns2000x]

Originally Posted by footie

All I will say as a closing note is that the XF has been one of the best cars I have ever owned, never missed a beat, never failed to amaze and will be sadly missed when it goes.

Thanks footie for taking the time to answer that so well. Of note, in Canada there are only two options available for the XFR,

1) Heated Windshield - a must at only $300
2) Adaptive Cruse Control - not worth it at nearly $4000.

Everything else is standard.

Winter tires/tyres are a given here, and you make a good point, that 20" winters will require a larger investment than 18" winters on an M3.

[footie]

Originally Posted by ns2000x

Thanks footie for taking the time to answer that so well. Of note, in Canada there are only two options available for the XFR,

1) Heated Windshield - a must at only $300
2) Adaptive Cruse Control - not worth it at nearly $4000.

Everything else is standard.

Winter tires/tyres are a given here, and you make a good point, that 20" winters will require a larger investment than 18" winters on an M3.

Well in that case the heated windscreen is a must in my opinion and I agree about adaptive cruise control, it's nice but not worth the money.

I would also like to say that if you are into your music at all then the XF's B&W system is a real gem, easily the best OEM system I have encountered and that includes the A8's B&O, the Naim system in the Aston, or the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus LS. It make every journey all the better when the music is so beautifully reproduced.

I would actually factor in on your price (regardless of car) a spare set of cheapest alloys with snow tyres because best will in the world the last thing you want to do is damage either the ones on the Jag or the M3. Oh and btw I wouldn't go for 20" snow tyres on the XF, much better to go with 19" or even 18" as it's still designed to run with these sizes and as you pointed out will be cheaper.

[Kyoshi71]

Beautiful car

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Kyoshi71

Beautiful car

Too bad its value will drop exponentially quicker than all others in class. A fool and his money soon part ... as the saying goes.

[ns2000x]

Originally Posted by footie

Well in that case the heated windscreen is a must in my opinion and I agree about adaptive cruise control, it's nice but not worth the money.

I would also like to say that if you are into your music at all then the XF's B&W system is a real gem, easily the best OEM system I have encountered and that includes the A8's B&O, the Naim system in the Aston, or the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus LS. It make every journey all the better when the music is so beautifully reproduced.

I would actually factor in on your price (regardless of car) a spare set of cheapest alloys with snow tyres because best will in the world the last thing you want to do is damage either the ones on the Jag or the M3. Oh and btw I wouldn't go for 20" snow tyres on the XF, much better to go with 19" or even 18" as it's still designed to run with these sizes and as you pointed out will be cheaper.

The B&W system is standard on the Canadian XFR.

A second set of snow wheels & tires/tyres is standard practice where I live in Canada. The problem with the XFR from what I have read is that the brakes are so large, that very few 19" rims fit over them. I'm assuming that 18"s are the smallest set of wheels I could fit over the M3 brakes.

[ns2000x]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Too bad its value will drop exponentially quicker than all others in class. A fool and his money soon part ... as the saying goes.

There's no doubt the depreciation will be steep. I guess it depends if you are one to flip cars, or keep them. If it is the later, the depreciation is a moot point.

[footie]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Too bad its value will drop exponentially quicker than all others in class. A fool and his money soon part ... as the saying goes.

And does an M5 or M6 hold their value any better?

When you move into this caliber of car you expect to loss money, but it will lose no more than anything else of this type or price bracket.

In fact because you need to add little or no extras you haven't thrown that money down the drain.

[M3 Montreal]

Originally Posted by footie

I'll start the ball rolling by answering your question to the best of my ability as I own an XF at the moment and previously owned the M3 before it, plus I have had enough seat time in the XFR to understand it's differences between it and the ordinary XF and how it differs to the M3.

Plus points of ownership with the XF/XFR
1/ Heated windscreen is absolutely brilliant and something that more car makers should offer as it works within 60 secs in light frost and when combined with the blower approx. 2 1/2 mins in heavy frost, easily halving or bettering the time expected in a normal car.
2/ The seats are extremely comfortable for long journeys and give a decent amount of support for spirited driving.
3/ The 5.0L supercharged engine is a monster and combined with the ZF auto it works seamlessly between a cruiser and a full on sports saloon, it simply never runs out of power.
4/ The suspension in my opinion offers be far the best compromise between luxury and sportiness of any car in this or any other sector.
5/ It looks like a 4 dr Aston Martin from side on or viewed from the rear, plus it's nose isn't the normal German stereotype which is a breath of fresh air.
6/ Options are cheaper than with the German brands and you luckily need to add very few, namely the B&W speakers, rear camera+front sensors and possibly heated wheel.
7/ More standard kit than most others offer.

Minus points of ownership with the XF/XFR
1/ On summer tyres and in even mild frost it's not the best car to make progress, but in the slightest of snow it is plain awful. So in Canada you will need to think about chains and proper snow tyres in the winter months.
2/ Heated seats take an age to warm up.
3/ Sat-Nav is old hat, though it works surprisingly well.
4/ Touch screen is not a wise move in my opinion, you need to hit the required spot on the screen which means taking your eye off the road.

Plus points for the M3
1/ Great thing to drive with more involvement than the XFR can offer.
2/ An engine that loves to rev and wills you on to do just that.
3/ Manual gears means you have more control.
4/ EDC, a better option than stock suspension as you can balance the comfortable.
5/ Chassis is a marvel and gives more control than just about any of it's main competitors.

Minus points for the M3
1/ Engine though great it does lack low end grunt when compared to what the Jag has to offer.
2/ It's no where near as refined as the Jag, be that on the motorway, the city or on back roads.
3/ Surprisingly it's not anymore economical.
4/ It's ride quality though good because of the EDC, it's again no where near the class that the jag has to offer.
5/ Image but not in a negative way, it's just that when compared to the XFR you will appear to others as a yuppie/wideboy where as the XFR gives an air of class.

Both are great cars but in very different ways. Where as the XFR is more a competitor to the M5/RS6/E63 and it's ride/handling and performance has been gearing to beat these cars, the M3 is developed to compete in a class below and it's ride/handling and performance in far more in your face.

All I will say as a closing note is that the XF has been one of the best cars I have ever owned, never missed a beat, never failed to amaze and will be sadly missed when it goes.

Great points and I absolutely LOVE the Jag! It's almost a cheaper version of the Aston since they somewhat copied the style.

The reason I would personally NOT buy the Jag is because I love to track and the M3 is a WAY better track car mixxed in with great Daily Driver.

If I ever get sick of tracking the Jag would be great although I would buy one that is slightly used since Jags depreciate like crazy!

[Epik]

I think the exterior is a well balanced design. I don't like the chrome bits and the grille design though.

Some of the interior bits look cheap too. Like the 80's cheap sony/panasonic walkman player style buttons.

Jaguar also strikes me as an Aston knockoff brand.

Still, pretty nice car.

But a Vantage is way more and only a 2-seater. So the Jag is much better value as the 4-door rapide is ridiculously priced.

[Subw00er]

Nice Ford.

I know, I know, its a Tata, but designed under Ford, so its still a Ford.

[captainaudio]

Originally Posted by Epik

I think the exterior is a well balanced design. I don't like the chrome bits and the grille design though.

Some of the interior bits look cheap too. Like the 80's cheap sony/panasonic walkman player style buttons.

Jaguar also strikes me as an Aston knockoff brand.

Still, pretty nice car.

But a Vantage is way more and only a 2-seater. So the Jag is much better value as the 4-door rapide is ridiculously priced.

The reason that Jag and Aston look similar is because they shared the same design team.

ca

[captainaudio]

Originally Posted by Subw00er

Nice Ford.

I know, I know, its a Tata, but designed under Ford, so its still a Ford.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[J-boogey]

looks sick

[GnokGnik]

I am not a fan of Jaguar, but those XFs and XFRs are such beautiful and luxurious cars.

As a GT car/Street car, I would pick that over a M3 any day.

[captainaudio]

I did several laps of Monticello in an XKR and then rode for a few Hot Laps with Davy Jones.

It is a very capable car and is faster than my 335i and is much better at handling bad road surfaces allthough I will have to say that the 335i gives it a good run for a lot less money.

CA

[GnokGnik]

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I did several laps of Monticello in an XKR and then rode for a few Hot Laps with Davy Jones.

It is a very capable car and is faster than my 335i and is much better at handling bad road surfaces allthough I will have to say that the 335i gives it a good run for a lot less money.

CA

The whole Jag range doesn't seem too "tracky" to me