The X250 generation of XF was developed from the previous S-Type, so the XFR uses much the same suspension design as the model it's based on. That means coil-sprung double wishbones at all four corners with an anti-roll bar at each end.
At the back Jaguar used a GKN electronically controlled locking differential, officially described as Active Differential Control. It uses an electric motor to rotate a cam gear that activates the limited slip clutches. If there is a problem with the differential, it's almost always down to this motor. If a new motor is needed, it will set you back £550 plus fitting.
There have also been some reports of a very slight oil weep from the differential. It's nothing to worry about unless it develops into a more obvious drip, so keep an eye on the ground under where the car is normally parked. Specialists recommend checking the differential oil level at every service, so any worsening should be spotted before damage is done.
Up front, 380mm ventilated discs take care of stopping the 1,891kg XFR, while at the rear are 326mm discs. Front brake pads last around 30,000 miles and rears for half that as they operate the traction control. New front pads are £80 and rears £60 from a specialist plus fitting. Jaguar issued a recall in 2014 for the XFR as the right-hand rear brake pipe could foul on a bracket, leading to a loss of brake fluid. Check the service record of any car to be sure this work has been carried out.
The hydraulically assisted rack and pinion steering is robust, but a juddering from the front end is most likely down to worn suspension bushes, so account for that in the price you pay if the car suffers from this. The lower shock absorber mounts are a known weak spot, but new bushes are less than £100 for a set of four. However, you will need to account for an hour per corner to fit these bushes. The lower suspension arms also tend to need replacing on higher mileage cars, and a full set of four will be around £1,200 fitted.
Original equipment Dunlop tyres last well but most owners are underwhelmed by the wet weather traction of the Sportmaxx rubber. Pirellis are reckoned to be a better replacement, but they wear more quickly. Budget on around £340 for a pair of front tyres and £400 for the slightly wider rears. All XFR models have 20-inch alloy wheels, with the R-S getting its own unique Varuna wheels.
Check tyres for uneven wear as an indicator of the suspension geometry being out of kilter You might also find the tyre pressure monitoring system can might cause a fault code to appear, but in most cases it's the valve that needs replacing as the sensor's battery runs flat after about five years.
PHer's view:
"Steering is accurate and grip levels are high, the standard Dunlops are OK in the dry and rubbish in the wet, wear rates though are superb and I saw 10K miles on a set, tried also OEM Pirellis that were grippier everywhere but lasted 3K miles - pays your money!"
Simon Skinner