Project Shaguar XFR

[WRXtranceformed]

Edit: Oh and how was the FTR??? Please tell me it is all I have heard it is and more

So I rolled up in the M3, which I guess made the guy believe I had half a clue about driving. Regardless, I still didn't want to be entirely wild 'n' crazy since it had been raining off and on, and 550 hp is... substantial.

At 30% throttle, it pulls pretty hard. At 70% throttle, the back end got squiggly until I got to 3rd gear. We just did a few miles up and down the one street, no chance to really feel out the handling. Interior is a really nice place to spend time. The ZF 8-speed auto is good and can click off fast shifts in Sport mode, whether you use the paddles or let it do things automagically. My opinion of the ZF 'box depends entirely on how it's been tuned by whichever OEM. I loved it in the M235i and only liked it in the FTR. Jaguar hasn't tuned it to rev-match as aggressively or shift as crisply as BMW has.

That said, there was a button with a checkered flag on it near the shifter that I never pressed. So, although I had the gearbox in Sport, part of me wonders if there is an additional "win the race" mode that would change the shift behavior even further, or what all that button really re-maps. Suspension, maybe?

If I were seriously in the market for a car of that price and caliber, I'd go give it a more serious look. It's gorgeous (the one I drove was silver on black) and seems to be a good performer.

Nice! Yeah the flag is "Dynamic" mode, which Jag is kind of vague on its purpose. I drive with this on almost entirely, it seems to give better throttle response and steering and suspension seems to react quicker. Here is what the manual says about Dynamic Mode:

DYNAMIC MODE
(Supercharged vehicles only)
Press to operate. Dynamic mode
co-ordinates the vehicle's control
systems to deliver a high
performance driving experience. This setting
enhances key vehicle systems so that the
vehicle's full potential can be exploited. The
vehicle's responses are aimed at involving the
driver more in focused and purposeful driving,
helping swift progress.
When dynamic mode is selected, TracDSC is
automatically selected. See STABILITY
CONTROL (page 162).
Note: When the transmission is set to
permanent manual mode (i.e. using the
paddles to change gear while in Sport mode)
and Dynamic mode is selected, transmission
upshifts are fully controlled by the driver. This
means that the transmission will not change up
a gear automatically, even when the vehicle's
rev limit is reached. When the rev limit is
reached, the gear position indicator in the
message center will glow amber, to indicate
that the next gear should be selected.
Note: Dynamic mode cannot be active at the
same time as Winter mode. Dynamic mode will
remain selected for approximately six hours
after the ignition is switched off, after which
point it will need to be reselected if required.

Dynamic + Sport mode which you were in is the most aggressive way to drive the car without adjusting the traction control. From there you can dial it up to TRAC DSC for a little less nannying or DSC OFF which I have personally never done because I am nervous about wadding it up somewhere.

I agree about the transmission, I have the ZF 6 instead of the 8 speed and especially in Sport/Dynamic mode the shifts are pretty dang quick. Dan can probably speak to it too since he got to drive it.