In my first round victory in the Face-Off World Cup, I noted that 10 years ago it would've been a struggle to pick a British car worth buying. Maybe a Vanquish or DB7? An XKR? They were nice enough, but there were more appealing choices. While Land/Range Rover, Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce were revitalized and Mini reborn (mostly by Germans), Jaguar soldiered on as a relic of the past. Even when a new XJ debuted with an advanced aluminum chassis, it was dressed to look like the Duke of Edinburgh's weekend runabout.
Starting under Ford's ownership and carried over under Tata's, Jaguar is in the midst of a renaissance that began with the XK, intensified with the XF and will reach its crescendo with the XJ.
Yes, the new styling is controversial, but good styling so often is. People will love it and people will loath it (or rather, just complain about the blacked-out C pillar). The opposite is a car like the Lexus LS 460 or Hyundai Equus, which say nothing and play it safe. They may not repulse, but nobody will yearn for them either.
Jaguar went out on a giant limb with the XJ and I noticed that most people who encountered our Caviar-colored XJ L Supercharged found it to be a striking automobile. Pull up to the valet with a bunch of S550s, 750s and A8's and I know which car will be left out front.
The interior is spectacular and it seems just as nice as a Bentley Continental. The dash and doors are swathed in rich leather, available in multiple tasteful two-tone combinations with contrasting piping. The expanse of wood that wraps around the cabin and appears to wrap behind the dash is beautiful. Even the few bits of plastic are given a rubberized texture for the buttons and a rich, high-gloss black finish for the center console trim to disguise the fact they are indeed plastic. There's lots of nice chrome, too, though some of it can be so blinding in direct sunlight that it becomes clear the car was designed in a country where the sun seldom shines.
Yet, I could've told you all that after seeing the car at multiple auto shows. Indeed, I was in love with the XJ before I even drove it. Then, like discovering your celebrity fantasy babe actually has a personality to go along with her looks, the XJ L Supercharged proved to be even better to drive than I could've imagined.
Just take a look at the numbers: zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds (faster than an E63 and M5) and 60-0 in 106 feet. The handling's not quite as sharp as those super sedans or our long-term 750i, but for a long-wheelbase limousine, the XJ L Supercharged is a revelation. You forget how big it is -- not because of electronic trickery like active rear-wheel steering -- but because of its highly communicative steering and light-weight aluminum structure. Indeed, the XJ weighs 258 pounds less than our 750i despite being a long-wheelbase model and coming packed with more stuff.
I could go on, but you'll have to wait for my full Edmunds test drive in the coming weeks. In short, the XJ is brilliant and I truly believe its brilliance will assure Jaguar's survival.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
By shaddai
on July 28, 2010
10:58 AM
The rear looks cheap and otherwise ugly, otherwise I like the styling.
By fuhteng
on July 28, 2010
11:48 AM
I find it unattractive in person. That grill could eat a Smart for breakfast. I am happy Jag has a super-lux competitor for das Germans though.
By subytrojan
on July 28, 2010
12:16 PM
I prefer the XF's styling!
By johnnyturbo
on July 28, 2010
01:43 PM
Apart from the elegant greenhouse, I don't care for the XJ's styling. The sides look bloated and the rear is too abbreviated for such a big car. And was Salvador Dali in charge when they were working on the taillights?
http://www.dailyartfixx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/the_persistence_of_memory_1931_salvador_dali.jpg
But once within and underway, that didn't matter as much. I must say this is a helluva car. The cabin couldn't be nicer in design and materials and the performance is at once supremely polished and, should you choose, pulse-quickening.
By brn
on July 28, 2010
03:48 PM
What made Jaguar a Jaguar was the styling. Tata is heading down a dangerous road.
By wrinklebump
on July 28, 2010
07:59 PM
It's nice but it an A8 it ain't
By blueguydotcom
on July 29, 2010
01:23 AM
We saw one at the Getty this past Saturday. Wow that's a bad looking automobile in person. Really, really bland.
By gkish
on July 29, 2010
06:05 AM
Almost 2/3 of the first 2 build waves were pre sold. 75% of all XJ sales are coming from previous German car buyers. At $79k for a long body, you have to add up on avg. $20 in options on a S550 to match the standard list of equipment on the XJL.
2011 Jag's come with a 5yr/50k warranty and 5/50k service plan (free oil/wipers/brakes).
German cars barely have leather on the seats, Jaguar is putting leather on the dash & door rolls with a suede cloth headliner. Everything you touch is soft grain leather, real wood or metal. It matches a Bentley in interior quality.
The XJ is bonded aluminum (something Jag's been doing since 2004) while the rest of the class is welded steel (except Audi but they are still using body on frame which is heavier). The XJ has no nose dive under braking with sports car steering. Any body roll is there because Jag wanted it there, they could've taken it out.
This is the greatest value in the high end lux market. It has leapfrogged the 7 and S Class completely and now can only be comparied to much more expensive cars. It is selling beyond anything Jag expected and availablity is the only issue with the car.
By seppoboy
on July 29, 2010
07:35 AM
James commented on the interior chrome that is suitable for some environments (like cloudy UK) but less suitable for others (Phoenix and Houston, maybe?).
That is a telling detail of the Jaguar aesthetic, their cars appeal to a particular sort of client, and are tailored for particular surroundings. Just as Italian cars seem best suited to a Mediterranean type locale, and the shapes and colors of Volvo and Saab work particularly well in northern climes, Jaguars shine in some environments but seem strikingly out of place in others.
There is something about the Teutonic aesthetic of form-and-function that appeals as durable and useful in a wide variety of settings. It's easier to imagine driving a big Benz, BMW, or Audi in the Adirondacks, Cape Cod, South Dakota, greater Miami, California, and Colorado, as well as the Hamptons or Dupont Circle.
Jaguar, just like Saab or Ferrari, might not seem as well adapted to such a wide variety of settings. Still, they did a commendable job with the new XJ, and I hope their target markets can support their sales goals.
By cruiserhead1
on July 29, 2010
09:35 AM
I saw the new XJ at a Jaguar concert event. It was unimpressive in real life. The interior looked nice but not impressive as did the overall appearance of the exterior.
The headlight shape doesn't flow well and that C-pillar really looks cheap. It is glaring because it's directly at eye level.
Overall a nice car but nothing to write home about.
The Eqqus made a stronger impression as a solid luxury car.
It will get some sales because it's a new model with advertising push but it won't last on it's own merits.