There are still car buyers who like a retro feel and drive, but it was time for Jaguar to get back in the game. The old-school design had to go, in order to attract a younger customer base, without necessarily rivalling the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Within the halls of Jaguar’s headquarters, tweed jackets are definitely out.
For 2011, the XJ sheds its archaeological allure for a more modern design, and a fantastic one at that. German car designers have made waves in the last few years, but Ian Callum, that old Brit designer that has been heading the company’s creative team since 1999, still has the eye for doodling dramatic-looking cars.
From every angle, the XJ fascinates, stuns innocent bystanders and stinks of wealth and snootiness. After all, isn’t that why people buy expensive cars?
Though it bears a resemblance to the smaller XF, the XJ actually sheds some sportiness for sheer elegance, which in no way means the car can’t do a little fancy footwork when you want it to; it can.
The base XJ, although calling it a base car is quite insulting, is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 that develops 385 felt-lined horsepower. But the XJL Supercharged we’re flaunting this week belts out 470 horses and 424 pound-feet of torque; it’s also connected to a 6-speed automatic with manual mode and paddle shifters.
Zero to 100 km/h in this 4,300-lb rig takes only 4.5 seconds, while the quarter-mile is taken care of in 12.6 seconds at 181 km/h. Clearly, this is one mean kitty cat.
The engine’s torque peaks from 2,500 to 5,500 rpm, so there’s plenty of muscle at just about any rev range. Activate the Dynamic mode, and the feline gets angrier still, sharpens its claws and gets ready to pounce. Punch the throttle, though, and the XJL’s rear tires get overwhelmed by the engine’s power and, just like a kitty about to attack, the car’s posterior starts wiggling as the wheels search for traction, and proof that the traction control system is somewhat permissive. Much fun.
And that sweet engine soundtrack is reminiscent of a good old Detroit V8, but with a smoother, slower, more fluid burble. Me-ow!
Fuel consumption, if you really care, is what you’d expect from a car this big and powerful. Our average is 15.7 L/100 km, but between you and us, we weren’t trying all that hard to lower it. You can expect a better result under relaxed driving.
For 2011, the XJ sheds its archaeological allure for a more modern design, and a fantastic one at that. German car designers have made waves in the last few years, but Ian Callum, that old Brit designer that has been heading the company’s creative team since 1999, still has the eye for doodling dramatic-looking cars.
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| From every angle, the new XJ stuns innocent bystanders. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
From every angle, the XJ fascinates, stuns innocent bystanders and stinks of wealth and snootiness. After all, isn’t that why people buy expensive cars?
Though it bears a resemblance to the smaller XF, the XJ actually sheds some sportiness for sheer elegance, which in no way means the car can’t do a little fancy footwork when you want it to; it can.
The base XJ, although calling it a base car is quite insulting, is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 that develops 385 felt-lined horsepower. But the XJL Supercharged we’re flaunting this week belts out 470 horses and 424 pound-feet of torque; it’s also connected to a 6-speed automatic with manual mode and paddle shifters.
Zero to 100 km/h in this 4,300-lb rig takes only 4.5 seconds, while the quarter-mile is taken care of in 12.6 seconds at 181 km/h. Clearly, this is one mean kitty cat.
The engine’s torque peaks from 2,500 to 5,500 rpm, so there’s plenty of muscle at just about any rev range. Activate the Dynamic mode, and the feline gets angrier still, sharpens its claws and gets ready to pounce. Punch the throttle, though, and the XJL’s rear tires get overwhelmed by the engine’s power and, just like a kitty about to attack, the car’s posterior starts wiggling as the wheels search for traction, and proof that the traction control system is somewhat permissive. Much fun.
And that sweet engine soundtrack is reminiscent of a good old Detroit V8, but with a smoother, slower, more fluid burble. Me-ow!
Fuel consumption, if you really care, is what you’d expect from a car this big and powerful. Our average is 15.7 L/100 km, but between you and us, we weren’t trying all that hard to lower it. You can expect a better result under relaxed driving.
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| The supercharged 5.0-litre V8 belts out 470 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |