Quick Facts: Sleek design highlights future Jaguar design cues. XF contains more real wood in the panels and inserts than any Jaguar since the 1960s. Touch-screen panel controls navigation, entertainment and environment. Gear selector for automatic transmission is a dial in the center panel.

Put simply, the Jaguar XF shows off what you get when you put your soul behind designing a mid-size sport sedan.

From its muscular exterior lines, to the finishing touches in the interior, to its powerful engine choice, the XF promises to be one of the more exciting new cars of 2009.

The bold styling of the XF starts at the front with its prominent grille and distinctive headlights. Move back to the passenger compartment and you'll notice the sweeping lines and tall beltline. The lines flow to the back of the car with its wrap-around taillights and chrome accents on the trunk.

Inside, passengers are wrapped in the luxury that made Jaguar famous. There's an interesting mix of classic and modern -- from the real wood inserts (more real wood, in fact, than any Jaguar since the 1960s) to the touch-screen panel that controls most of the environmental, navigation and entertainment systems.

Even shifting the XF into gear is refined. There's no stalk to move. Instead, a dial pops up in the center panel and can be rotated to select the appropriate gear.

Up front, there's plenty of power to move the XF down the road. The 4.2-liter V-8 comes in a naturally aspirated version good for 300 horsepower, or a supercharged version that boosts power to 420 horsepower.