Six-figure luxury sedans are not built like other cars. Doors close with the polished authority of a bank vault, upholstery is stitched like couture, and there’s more advanced technology on board than you’ll find on the space shuttle.
But if there’s a problem to be found with these amazing machines it’s that they often lack charisma. Most of the top sellers in this class are as quiet and restrained as a tuxedo-clad butler.
So what’s a rebellious executive or devil-may-care playboy to do?
If you’ve got the means and an aversion to the establishment, I highly suggest you scoop the 2011 Jaguar XJ. This new car is a complete reinvention of Jaguar’s classic flagship.
After decades of throwback styling, the look established by the original XJ of 1968 has been cast aside in favor of a modern new wardrobe. And man, oh man is it stunning.
The imposing stance and coy feline influences will grab you by your finely tailored lapels and demand attention. Follow that sleek roofline back and you’ll swear it was borrowed from Aston Martin. Catch a glimpse of the taillights and the XJ teases with three slashes of light meant to suggest the claw marks of an angry cat.
Cars tell stories. And while other luxury sedans announce their owners as intelligent and calculated, Jaguar’s seductive new XJ goes a step further. To me, this car marks you as stylish, creative, and the kind of person who keeps their gaze fixed firmly on the future.
Not convinced yet? Step inside and survey the lavish interior, every aspect of which has been thoughtfully reimagined. You’ll still find the supple leather and beautifully finished wood that Jaguar is known for (the latter sourced from sustainable forests) but it’s now in an entirely new format.
If the old XJ’s cabin felt like an antique British drawing room, this new XJ feels like the command center at MI6.
Silicon Valley venture capitalists will love the “virtual gauges” that appear on a 12.3-inch display screen above the steering column. The switch from physical to virtual allows Jaguar to do clever new things like subtly illuminate the vehicle’s speed and overlay vital messages. Switch the car into Dynamic Mode and the gauges take on a red hue and the gear position indicator glows bright as the rev limiter is approached.
Jaguar’s recently-introduced Drive Selector adds a welcome bit of theatre each time you begin a journey. Start the engine and the rotary knob rises silently from the console, allowing the driver to shift from Park to Drive with a quick twist. It’s not purely for show, either. The Drive Selector saves space and adds an extra measure of roominess to the chic cabin.
Fire up the touchscreen infotainment system and you’ll find standard navigation and a 600-watt audio system that can play from a variety of sources including USB, Bluetooth streaming audio, or onboard hard drive.
Audiophiles will no doubt find the optional $2,300 Bowers & Wilkins audio system money well spent. Jaguar worked hand-in-hand with the English loudspeaker company to engineer the 1200-watt, 20-speaker system for optimal sound quality. Even the material and shape of the speaker grilles was considered so that acoustics stay pure and the company’s trademark yellow Kevlar speaker cones remain visible.
If that’s not enough, the XJ comes standard with other high-tech features like heated and cooled front seats, a panoramic moonroof, automatic dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and ignition, and voice recognition.
Jaguar also boasts of the XJ’s high-tech all-aluminum construction. The lightweight metal endows the XJ with surprising agility and helps to preserve fuel economy out on the road. Half of the bodyshell is produced with recycled aluminum in a process that uses just five percent of the energy required for virgin materials. At the end of its service life, a full 85 percent of the XJ is recyclable.
The car is available in six different versions in the US. The standard XJ comes with a new 5.0-liter V8 that produces 385-horsepower and can muster 23 miles per gallon on the highway. For those seeking more, the XJ Supercharged boosts output to 470-horsepower. Available by special order only is a 510-horsepower XJ Supersport.
Each of these models is also available as a long wheelbase XJL, which stretches rear seat legroom by five inches.
Though the XJ starts at a pricey $72,700, this Jag offers a compelling value among its peers. It’s got more character than the Lexus LS ($65,380), more power than the BMW 740i ($70,150), and more standard equipment than the Mercedes S-Class ($87,950).
Ultimately, I think the new XJ impresses most with its confident, seductive style. This Jaguar is going to win hearts and sales because it offers a swagger that its competitors simply can’t match. And in a segment where one-upmanship is de rigueur, isn’t that one of the greatest luxuries of all?
