V8. Honestly, I don’t know how else to describe this vehicle. Long after the heated and cooled fine-grain Italian leather  seats, single-piece burlwood center console and touch screen navigation fade from memory, the sound of the 4.2-liter V8 under this kitty’s hood will still be with me. From the instant I keyed the push-button start, the song this engine sang was addictive — Oxycotton addictive — prompting juvenile throttle thrusts through otherwise quiet neighborhoods. Is it the best vehicle I’ve ever driven? No, but the Jaguar XF is impressive on several fronts. Hop the jump for a few quick impressions.

The interior on the XF is pleasant —  to a point. There’s still plenty of Ford influences in the form of plastic bits all over, and the navigation can be a little slow. But all of that goes straight out the window once you’re in motion. I spent some time behind the wheel of the naturally aspirated XF, making 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. let me tellyou — the car is quick. As in, stick my foot in the throttle, feel the torque put a stern hand on my chest and suddenly we’re at 80 mph. In a 40… All the while the 4.2-liter out front is bellowing its crack cocaine-flecked song. Delicious.

The car weighs a ton. No, it weighs two tons, a little over 4,000 lbs to be exact, so you’d expect plenty of body roll in the corners. Only that’s not the case. This is an “ask and ye shall receive” machine, with unbelievably neutral steering that begs for a little apex-kissing fun. Lean into a line and the XF wants you to lay on the throttle. Discuss it with the part of your brain that insists on reminding you that you’re driving a $56,000, rear-wheel drive car that isn’t yours, then do it anyway and the Jaguar just digs in. Like the rest of this car, this part makes me giggle.