HSV Senator Signature v Jaguar XFR 2013 Comparison

HSV Senator Signature

Not so much:
>> Some tech oversights
>> Fuel consumption
>> High brake pedal

Price: $83,990 (MRLP)
Engine: 6.2-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 340kW / 570Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Wheels / Tyres: 20x9.5 / 275/35
Fuel / CO2: 12.6L/100km / 300g/km
Safety: Six airbags / Five-star (ANCAP)

Jaguar XFR II

Not so much:
>> Tight rear legroom
>> Four-star safety rating
>> Compact instrument panel

Price: $189,545 (MRLP)
Engine: 5.0-litre eight-cylinder supercharged petrol
Output: 375kW / 625Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Wheels / Tyres: 20x8.5 / 255/35
Fuel / CO2: 11.6L/100km / 270g/km
Safety: Six airbags / Four-star (ANCAP)

We’ve driven the new Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) range both on road and on track. And we’ve compared the performance flagship of the new GEN-F range, the barnstorming GTS, against its natural rival, the FPV GT R-SPEC.

Now, it’s time to pit the ‘executive express’ of the HSV line-up, the sparkling Senator Signature, against one of its stalwart European foes, the scintillating Jaguar XFR.

Jaguar launched its supercharged XF range at the NAIAS in 2009, and since that time the hard-charging ‘R’ saloon has staked its reputation alongside many deserved rivals. In fact, it even won a head-to-head comparison against the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG conducted by motoring.com.au back in 2012.

But the game has moved on. And Jaguar, despite some minor tweaks along the way, has let the XFR age gracefully. It arrives with an adaptive dynamics program, dual-mode eight-speed transmission and menacing 5.0-litre supercharged engine, but it can’t quite match the technological wizardry, or assertive cubic capacity of its Australian-built antagonist, the HSV Senator Signature.

The Senator Signature storms into view with a trick adaptive damping arrangement known as Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), a multi-mode six-speed automatic and a Chevrolet-sourced, normally-aspirated, 6.2-litre V8 with sufficient bark and bite to send tree-huggers scurrying speedily for the sanctity of their Priuses.

But perhaps these differences are to be expected; not least because of the glaring difference in design age, but more so because each are aimed at very different ends of the sports sedan spectrum. Indeed, the pricing alone separates the pair by an astonishing $105,555!

In fact, you could buy two Senator Signatures and a base model Volkswagen Golf for the same price as just one XFR. And just wait until you see the Jag’s options list.

If it walks like a duck...
It seems that Melbourne’s ever-variable weather has worked against us every time we’ve attempted a back-to-back performance test this year. Relentless rain plagued us for much of this comparison, which is great if you’re a duck, but less so if you’re a high-performance rear-drive sedan.

Unlike our HSV/FPV test, this two-car tête-à-tête was conducted entirely on public roads. Hence, performance figures are contained to those within the realms of the state speed limit (see breakout box below).

The HSV gets its power from cubic displacement whereas the Jaguar is force fed by means of a supercharger. The 1813kg Senator Signature delivers 340kW at 6100rpm and 570Nm at 4650rpm against the 1875kg XFR’s 375kW at 6500rpm and 625Nm between 2500 and 5500rpm.

It seems like a clear win to the Jaguar, though power delivery tells a different story.

Jaguar’s Gen III AJ-V8 has a very snappy rush of torque almost from idle. Combined with a tightly-calibrated throttle this sees the XFR jump from the blocks and accelerate relentlessly to what its maker says is an electronically-capped top speed of 250km/h.

The HSV’s LS3 Gen IV eight-cylinder is an entirely different proposition. The revs pile on aggressively after an initial ‘lull’, meaning the Senator Signature is more placid at low speeds -- and doesn’t require the feather-footing of its English adversary.

It might sound like this difference in delivery makes the Jaguar a little more lively, and to an extent that’s quite true. Though being unable to restrain this enthusiasm can make the XFR a might uncomfortable for passengers in day-to-day situations. In the wet it makes getting away from a standing start a trifle difficult.

Not nearly as difficult was bringing either car to a stop. The anchors on each are sufficiently sized so as to provide ample stopping power, and both seemed capable of resisting fade after repeated hard stops.

Unfortunately, our test equipment was on the fritz and an accurate stopping distance could not be ascertained. Of note, however, is the feel through the pedal...

The Jaguar’s brake offered strong initial bite with a firm pedal thereafter. The HSV seemed almost the polar opposite, though in many ways this made the Senator’s braking more predictable. The high level of modulation and accurate feedback made a soft stop easier to achieve in the HSV, and given most Senator Signatures will spend their time shuttling suits and not whittling-down lap times, this is probably a good thing.

It’s a shame, then, the HSV’s pedal sits quite high in relationship to the throttle when compared to that of the Jaguar XFR.

The Jaguar’s (ZF 8HP) eight-speed automatic seems to have an advantage over HSV’s (6L80E) six-speeder. More gears means better fuel consumption and closer ratios mean smoother shifts...right?

So why, then, does the XFR express a light ‘thump’ between gears, even when driven at middling speeds? And conversely, why can’t HSV put paddle shifts on its GEN-F range?

I guess they’re rhetorical questions. But it’s peculiar to note these very obvious ‘flaws’ in both vehicles’ transmissions. On test, the results meant that neither felt ideally suited to their application.

Sure, the shifts were decisive enough, but given the HSV transmission’s willingness to respond more quickly to throttle inputs across a wider range of scenarios, we’d have to say that, in relation to their aspirations as sporting sedans, the GM transmission wins by a whisker.

There were no such qualms from the HSV’s tiller. Even during repeated changes of direction, the level of assistance remained unvaried. Though we did notice a hint of ‘free play’ dead ahead, especially with the Driver Mode dial placed at its softest setting (Tour).

The Driver Mode preference dial also adjusts the Senator’s suspension damping through three settings (Tour, Sport and Performance), while also adjusting the exhaust system, throttle and transmission calibration, stability control and steering modes. It’s a nifty gadget that provides the HSV with a level of flexibility not offered in the Jaguar, and one that is evident at either end of the performance scale.

That’s not to say the XFR’s continuously variable hydraulic dampers don’t allow its suspension to work, or that the arrangement itself isn’t an impressive compromise between ride and handling.

As we’ve noted previously, the Jaguar’s suspension arrangement is entirely capable, though it can’t match the plush ride of the Senator’s Tour mode, nor the outright agility offered in Performance mode. At these ends of the suspension spectrum, the more modern HSV has the Jaguar licked.

The colour and the shape
It’s pretty evident as to where the Senator has come from. There’s no disguising its VF roots. But look around the car, both inside and out, and perhaps more than any other HSV, the Senator is quite understated, and luxurious.

It’s got a lot of features, the instrument panel is concise and easy to read, it’s got head-up display and a sophisticated lap timer and engine data program, and the touchscreen is both larger and easier to operate than that of the Jaguar.

On the other hand, the XFR seems better assembled. The fit and finish, quality of materials, and the overall level of attention to detail, is of a very high standard; though the little things let it down.

The instrument panel, for example, is small. And should you have the centre screen on a function other than road speed, the analogue speedo dial is hard to sight.

The Jaguar also misses out on some of the technology found standard in the HSV. Misses includes, lane keeping assistance, forward collision prevention, and the aforementioned driver-selectable electronic adaptive damping system. Oh, and we couldn't get the Bluetooth audio streaming to work with an iPhone 5 (even though the telephony function worked just fine).

Not that the Senator was perfect. The HSV did not present a switch for the front foglights amongst its cluster (despite having foglights fitted) and the electrochromatic mirror failed to dim for the duration of our test. [The Senator was build # 0001 and may have been a pre-production model].

Then there’s the question of space. The Jaguar offers four litres more boot space than the HSV but, conversely, has less cabin space.

The Senator Signature trumps the XFR in practically every other respect with more front and rear seat shoulder room, more front and rear seat leg room and more rear seat headroom. In fact the only area where the XFR betters the Senator is front seat headroom.

It’s hardly a surprise, really. The HSV is a fractionally bigger car in almost every dimension. It’s millimetres longer and wider, and offers more room between the axles. It is, however, shorter in height overall, and offers a (slightly) better turning circle.

Given the gaping disparity in list price, greater technology levels and its superior safety score, we’re awarding the win to the HSV. The Senator Signature is an accomplished package that in this company offers a clear ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advantage.

Performance figures (as tested):
0-60km/h: 2.9sec (HSV) / 2.7sec (Jaguar)
0-100km/h: 5.3sec (HSV) / 4.8sec (Jaguar)
NVH @ 80km/h: 76dBA (HSV) / 74dBA (Jaguar)
Fuel Consumption: 17.0L/100km (HSV) / 15.8L/100km (Jaguar)

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