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Make room at the no-limits table, folks. Jaguar is making a serious play in the luxury sports sedan market and they're all-in.

It's no secret that Jaguar has a lot riding on the new XF, which hit show rooms the mid March. The XF is a completely new car for Jaguar in what they hope is a new era for the company. They're hoping the XF becomes a milestone vehicle, one that signifies the future, yet remains true to the essence of the great jaguars of the past. The English automaker with a rich history has struggled to be a serious player in the luxury sports sedan market dominated by the likes of BMW, Lexis, and Mercedes. If Jaguar wants to lure drivers away they know that they will have to be bold, and the XF fits that brief, with dramatic styling, flowing lines and a distinctive new face. The new XF is going to force the players in this market to take notice.

Resolutely true to the Jaguar philosophy of creating beautiful, fast cars, the XF's abilities match its looks with a unique blend of ride, handling and refinement. The four-door XF has the visual excitement of a coupe, but more than enough room inside for five adults to enjoy an interior that is contemporary in style with top grade wood inlays, leather, and aluminum finishes.

The performance of the XF is nothing new for Jaguar. With a 5.1 second 0-60 mph from the ground pounding 420 hp supercharged model and a 6.2 second 0-60 from the 300 horsepower luxury model, you'll have no problem telling officer that "I had no idea I was going that fast." The impressive XK coupe that hit the market last year was the impetus for the muscle and brawn that the XF brings to the table. It has the same impressive suspension and supercharged power plant as the XK but with an updated shift-by-wire six-speed transmission that gives the driver a wide variety of performance options to choose from.

The shift-by-wire transmission replaces manual shift linkages with electronic commands, which makes for quick, smooth acceleration through the gears and reduces cabin noise. There are number of traction control and performance options that are offered on the XF, but none of them are as cool as the dial-shaped gear shift selector that rises out of the console when the car is started.

The keyless ignition button pulses like the heartbeat of the machine, and when you press it the Bond-car interior comes to life. The gearshift selector rises up, and the hidden air-conditioning vents rotate into view. Press the little checkered flag button next to the gear selector-it stiffens the suspension and adjusts the shift pattern-grab the steering wheel mounted paddles, and prepare for takeoff.

The electronic package of the XF is impressive as well. The intuitive touch screen control system in the dash is easy to use and offers a myriad of options from MP3 ports and controls to navigation systems and backup cameras. Voice activation, blind spot monitor, adaptive cruise control, and air conditioned seats all help to remind you that you're in an English luxury sports sedan, which I guess means that you are polite and civilized as possible as you blow past the less privileged in your 420 horsepower beast.

Jaguar has obviously put a lot of thought into the interior of this car. It does have the largest cabin in its class but things like lower-shouldered front seat, while still remaining comfortable, allow for a very open feel between the front and rear seats. The ear-popping 12 speaker sound system from Bowers and Wilkins that is as good or better than any other on the market, rounds out an already impressive interior. All the amenities that are offered on XF definitely help make that long Sunday drive through the tight-cornered canyon very comfortable.

At the Jaguar test drive I got a chance to take the XF on a nice Sunday drive through the hills outside San Diego. It was smooth, comfortable, and got some nice looks and polite waves from the more affluent members of society. It also got a great big "you're number one" salute from the guy in the old Jeep as we blew by him at 150 on a short straightaway just outside town.

At the end of that straightaway a nice gradual appeared, perfect to see how the suspension reacted to high-speed cornering. As the car sat into the turn I saw that yellow triangle "suggested speed for this turn" road sign that read 35 mph. I glance down at the speedo-it read just under 115. At that moment I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

As the XF spit me out of the back end of the turn I had two thoughts; where's the nearest show room-because I gotta get one of these, and; thank God for the air-conditioned seats, because my shorts could use some airing out. Very few cars would make it through a turn like that with an average driver like me behind the wheel, and certainly no cars in the $63,000 range. The performance of the XF will make you a better driver than you are, while the amenities will make you feel you spent more money than you did. The performance, features, and styling make the XF a whole lot of car for the money.

The XF comes in three trim packages that range from $49,975 for the 300 hp luxury model, to $62,975 for the supercharged model. Reviews on the XF will compare the XF to a variety of cars, and yes there are a lot of cars out there that can stack up nicely against the XF. The difference is that they are all going to cost $20,000 to $30,000 more than the XF. There's no doubt that Jaguar wants to be a serious player in the "no limit high stakes" luxury sports sedan market.

With the XF they just may have a tough hand to beat.