The dramatically styled Jaguar XF turns heads and raises eyebrows.

The new sport sedan is executive-class transportation that had a development budget to make it a contender in the luxury segment. It replaces the S-Type and X-Type sedans and becomes the new entry model to the brand.

Pricing ranges from $49,975 to $55,975 for two V-8 models that produce 300 horsepower. A 420-hp, supercharged model starts at $62,975, and a higher-performance XF-R will follow.

Jaguar says the pricing compares with that for the competition's V-6 models, namely the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

XF represents a spring-cleaning of vehicle design for Jaguar. Out with the stodgy, in with a new design language that many of us are still learning.

It's about "consistent beauty," Jaguar head of design Ian Callum said at an XF media event in San Diego.

"The proportions had to be fantastic, with a sense of purity in the surface and beautiful lines, something you can look at and not have explained. And believe you me, it's not easy to get that shape."

Nor is it easy to not have it look like a BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, Cadillac or other $50,000 sedan.

The car's coupe profile is aggressive and contemporary, though some design details mimic older Jags. Wood and leather are used liberally, and a band of textured aluminum sweeps across the dashboard and doors with modern flair.

We're not in Olde England anymore; we're on the way to India.

Some will question Ford Motor Co.'s recent sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors. But I expect Tata will be the better caretaker of the brands.

The XF may be the bridge between caretakers.

It uses an expanded architecture of the S-Type, but gives more of everything for about the same price. The V-8 engine, the six-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters and other parts are sourced from the XK coupe and XJ. The rear-wheel-drive XF has a steel body; the XK and XJ are aluminum.

The supercharged V-8 makes the strongest Jaguar statement of the three trim levels. It's ferocious, vaulting from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. A "dynamic" mode sharpens acceleration and shift timing to an enthusiast level.

Even the base model has forceful braking and acceleration, though somewhat muddied at low speeds by a relaxed, drive-by-wire throttle.

The engine note is powerful and audible in the quiet cabin. When driven enthusiastically, the rev limiter holds the engine speed steady at redline, where most systems have a fuel cutoff that's jerky and distracting.

The suspension, even on base models, may be too firm for some users.

This isn't the lush-and-lovely Lexus treatment, and yet, with all this unbridled expressiveness, I wasn't feeling that intuitive "horse and rider" bond that invigorates and satisfies after a hard run through the backcountry.

The interior has a sense of theater, said Callum, the design chief. Many of the luxury details are attractive selling points.

When the car is unlocked and the driver is seated, the starter button pulsates red like a heartbeat. Press the button and the engine fires, four air vents in the instrument panel rotate open and the gear-selector dial rises from the console. The shift dial is more convenient to use than it appears. In durability testing it was doused with 2 liters of Coca-Cola and still functioned without a hiccup.

Also unique among cars in this segment is the touch-sensitive glove-box release. The lightest touch on the small chrome ring embedded in the wood above the door releases the latch, but it also opens when a knee or leg get too close.

Overhead reading lights are switched on and off by waving a hand near the light. That's especially useful at night. And interior backlighting is a cool phosphor blue.

Standard safety features include understeer control logic, which decelerates the car and helps restore grip to the front wheels when needed.

There also are several technology options, such as adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitor, front parking alerts and a rearview camera.

The driver has command-of-view seating, and entry and exit may be the most comfortable of any sedan in this segment. I liked the touch-screen display for cabin functions and audio, but accessing radio stations was more complex than necessary.

There's still plenty of real wood, but my passengers thought it looked fake. The leather is double-stitched and smells wonderful.

In back, the window seats are the preferred positions. The center seat position has no rear head restraint, and the tall transmission tunnel takes away comfortable foot room. The tall trunk space has more room than boots in larger cars. And the space can be expanded by a folding rear seat.

The XF has all the elements of luxury, and it's stylishly different from the competition, even if the theater of a pulsing start button and rotating vents will fade in a week.

S-Type owners returning to the dealership will have much more car to consider. But the XF isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Mark Maynard is driving in cyberspace at mark.maynard@uniontrib.com.

Tune in to signonradio.com and join Maynard's Garage Internet radio at 1 p.m. PT Mondays for an hour of automotive news and reviews. And click into Maynard's Garage blog site at http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/garage/.

Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.

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CNS SPECS BOX

2009 Jaguar XF Premium

Body style: full-size, five-passenger, rear-wheel-drive sport sedan

Engine: aluminum, 300-horsepower, DOHC, 4.2-liter V-8

Transmission: six-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters

Acceleration: 0-60 mph, 6.2 seconds

EPA fuel economy estimates: 16 mpg city, 25 highway; 91 octane recommended

Length/wheelbase: 195.3/114.5 inches

Curb weight: 4,107 pounds

FEATURES

Standard equipment includes: SmartKey keyless entry and ignition, soft-grain leather seats, automatic climate control, heated front seats, Alpine audio system with digital music connection, navigation system with 7-inch display screen, electric parking brake, 19-inch alloy wheels

Safety features include: front and side air bags, side curtain bags, active head restraints, four-channel, anti-lock disc brakes with yaw control, dynamic stability control

PRICING

Base: $55,975, including $775 freight charge; price as tested, $62,250

Options on test car: adaptive cruise control, $2,200; 13-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system with Sirius satellite radio, warm climate package, $975, adds heated and cooled front seats and rear sunshade; advanced vision package, $1,800, adds rear camera, blind-spot monitor, bi-xenon headlights and front parking monitor; heated leather steering wheel, $300

PLUSES: Emotion of design.

MINUSES: Lacks driving soul.

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