2010 Jaguar XJ Reviews

The XJ Jaguar is a British sports saloon that can be divided into three quite different stages in its recent history. Those built until July 2003 had traditional styling that looked great and made a real statement both inside and out. These are getting on in years, but those who love Jags swear by them - though their age, combined with quality control that wasn't the best, could cause hassles. The 2003 restyle kept many of the established lines, but now moulded onto an aluminium body to significantly reduce weight and increase performance. As these are sports saloons this added performance was welcomed by those who liked to make good use of their right foot. However, in the eyes of many this combination of a high-tech body and a traditional shape wasn't appealing. The cars still sold reasonably well, but the murmurs about 'old-fashioned' styling became stronger over the years.The all-new 2010 model silenced the critics by taking an altogether different direction in styling with sleek futuristic lines. Externally, the ‘Jaguar grille' was the only major carry-over from the past, but the dash area has a few things carrying over. Naturally, its aluminium body retained the added performance and nimble(-ish) feel of the outgoing XJ.Die-hard Jaguar enthusiasts snapped up the last of the traditional leather-and-wood-cabin models, though even today there's a call for them so you may be asked to pay fairly big bucks to get into the best of them. Though the big emphasis on the 2010 series was its ultra-modern styling and the interior of most cars reflected this, there are traditional leather-and-wood options - the best of both worlds some say.A drawback in the older Jaguars is the lack of interior space in the standard-wheelbase car due to the fact it's a low-slung sports saloon, not as tall sedan. This is at its worst in the back seat, but even the front seats can prove cramped for foot-space due to the large transmission housing. The long-wheelbase variants (look for an ‘L' in the title) are much better for rear legroom, but can still be tight in headroom for taller occupants.Post-2010 XJs have more voluminous interiors, but check out the back seat if you are planning to carry tall adults on a routine basis.The number in a Jaguar XJ's title refers to the number of engine cylinders, thus XJ6 has six of them and XJ8 is a V8, the XJ12 … you've guessed it. Supercharged V8s of 4.2-litre and 5.0-litre capacity installed in the XJ R upmarket hotrods are intended for the keen driver who really wants to let off steam. Turbo-diesel would have been unthinkable in Jaguars prior to the revolutionary, new-design oil burners introduced towards the end of the 20th century. In April 2007 Jaguar introduced its first diesel passenger car to Australia. There's the seemingly inevitable diesel engine noise at idle, particularly when the engine's cold, but from inside it's virtually as smooth and quiet as a petrol unit. And has bags of torque.Reliability used to be a weak point in Jaguars, though after Ford in the USA bought the company in the early 1990s the Brits were given a major shake-up. By the launch of the 1994 XJ Jaguar there were major improvements. As of mid-2008 Jaguar has been controlled by Indian company Tata. The Indians have an excellent understanding of English tradition. Indeed, they can be more English than the English, so the traditional British marque looks in good hands, with the engineers and stylists being left alone to do what works best for their aluminium babies.Servicing, spare parts and insurance costs are all on the high side, so don't fall for the trap of putting all your money into buying the car and then finding yourself unable to keep it in the manner in which it is accustomed.Check that the brake fluid has been changed on schedule. Not doing so can lead to expensive troubles.On pre-2003 Jags be sure all electrical items are working properly. Intermittent as these can be they are frustratingly hard to track down, but if you suspect anything bear with it as repairs can be expensive.Watch out for an automatic transmission that's slow to go into gear and/or which hunts from gear to gear unnecessarily. Hill climbing for an extended distance usually brings out this fault.Jaguars used galvanised steel body panels until mid 2003 then switched to weight-saving aluminium. The galvanised steel variants should be rust free unless they have been incorrectly repaired after a crash. Damaged aluminium panels may have to be repaired by a specialist, so be sure to get a quote from an expert - even for the smallest of dents.Enthusiasts of a marque can be an excellent source of information on their cars' strong, weak and interesting points. Try to find a local owners' club and chat to members.

Big cars normally frighten me. Put me in one ahead of a long and winding, rutted country road with broken shoulders and I’d rather partner Molly Meldrum on Dancing With The Stars.Thankfully, gowning up with Mr Meldrum won’t happen because this week there was a big car that could dance its alloys off on roads that only a NSW taxpayer would defend.  At 5.1m long in standard wheelbase, Jaguar’s latest XJ flagship is clearly a big car.What makes it take to gnarly roads with such unexpected aplomb is a combination of chassis dynamics and darn good suspension. But, more than anything else, it’s because despite its physical presence on the road it weighs not much more than a Commodore.Aluminium body panels, magnesium castings, rivets and epoxy glues make the XJ diet to as low as 1755kg for the 5-litre V8 – about the same as a VE Calais V6 automatic.Jaguar offered test cars with three engines and two wheelbases for a run through roads inland from Tweed Heads – a 3-litre bi-turbo V6 diesel, 5-litre petrol V8 and the supercharged version of the V8.First impressions are its quietness. Even the turbo-diesel was ridiculously quiet for an oiler. Double glazing makes a considerable difference to keeping the noise of road, wind and envious fans away from the inside while keeping the extraordinary breadth and depth of music soothing from the 20 speakers of the optional Bowers and Wilkins 1200-Watt audio.All XJ’s have steering column paddles to pluck the ZF’s choice of six cogs. Many drivers may not wish to interrupt thoughts of corporate takeovers with the tedium of flicking alloy levers but I loved it.That’s because the XJ doesn’t quite feel like a limousine should. There were many times that I’d forget that behind my head, I was towing three seats and a commodious boot. It felt like a coupe, or at least a smaller sedan, as the car dived into a corner. Where there could be that lurch as the mass finally figured out there was a major directional change in progress, the XJ showed no indecision.Where a big car may lean nervously through a tight bend, the Jaguar remained flat. And where some steering systems were uncomfortably vague and without transmitting direction, the XJ knew where it was going and was continually letting the driver know.So good is the steering – in relative terms – that it exceeds the confidence, precision and firmness of the XF Jaguar. The fact that it is similar to the more dynamic XFR version is because the steering rack is the same.I enjoyed the mid-range kick in the pants of the diesel and its ability to keep shovelling on the torque as the car wound its way through the hills. The V8 petrol was wonderful for its speed and engine note – deliberately a product of an engine-mounted diaphram aimed at the cabin – and the supercharged version for its total disregard of the XJ buyers’ luxury ideals. Opt for the even more explosive Supersport engine – available later this year and not tested this week – and you’re well into Panamera/Quattroporte/Rapide territory.Clever in engineering detail, this big cat also comes with something that its nearest rival – BMW’s 7-Series – doesn’t have: Looks.  This is a very pretty car. OK, one could point to some conflict with the rear flanks where the screen wants to wrap but is stopped by the big chrome C of the back door’s  window frame. The rear window’s high brake light could look a tad stuck on. Admit it. You’re being to fussy.On the road, everybody stares. Park it at the side of the road for a driver stop and girls in bikinis would fill less eye sockets.  It’s not just because it’s new. It’s size dominates the road and its fluid shape and arresting colours – tested in black, silver and a beige that sounds yuk but looked great – caught eyes that missed the car first time.Occupants are equally in awe. The cabin is fresh yet there are quaint touches of the past that are topped by the cabin-edged sweep of timber that Jaguar calls reminiscent of a Riva boat.The instrument panel is virtual – all electronic Playstation readouts but displayed as a conventional three-dial unit – that is glare-free and can be tailored to relay specific data. All Jags get a big touchscreen for most audio, ventilation, sat-nav and comfort adjustments and it doesn’t take to long down the road to see how these are quicker, safer and easier to use than central controllers such as BMW’s iDrive.There are, as you’d expect in a car of this class and price, a lot of switchgear and readout options but there is a sense of logic to the XJ’s layout that doesn’t confuse the driver.It is surprisingly easy to drive. It has everything a mortal should want in a car and above all, it has shown that a small car maker like Jaguar can adapt to a buyers profile very different to the one 42 years ago when the first XJ was unveild.Once there were limousines that chauffeured their owners.  It’s now a different world. Chauffeur-driven rides are for children and guests as a more driven species of executive opts for - and will pay for – the privilege of getting behind the wheel.In Jaguar’s case, luring the owner combines a teasing of luxury, opulence, silence, a sophisticated array of electronic wizardry, stunning performance, loungeroom comfort and space. It’s a big ask. But the XJ delivers.

No, it doesn't mean a luxury version for the models they are based on are more than luxurious already. The L means long, or more correctly long-wheelbase.

Grumpy old men across Britain are pulling on black armbands this week.  They are in mourning for the traditional Jaguar XJ, a car which was much like a mouldy old labrador that had lived beyond its time.It's sad that the faithful old dog had to go, but now there is a spritely new XJ puppy — perhaps a labradoodle — with designer genes to drive Jaguar forward and win a younger generation of buyers to the brand.For the first time the new Jaguar flagship has what it needs to fight the German rottweilers from Mercedes-Benz and BMW. It is a modern car, a very different car in design and driving, and a car that gives a 21st century tilt on luxury.Jaguar chooses Paris to present the XJ to the press and there is a lot of emphasis on Ian Callum, the car's designer. Both moves are intended to show a new approach to the Big Cat, which is closer to the mid-sized XF hero than any previous full-sized Jaguar.  "Nobody needs a Jaguar, but people need to want a Jaguar," says Callum.He admits to pushing the edges on design, and particularly the gaping grille and plastic capping on the C-pillars, but says it is a job that has to be done.  "I think we have to be slightly controversial. In the past, Jaguars were very modern cars, not boring at all. If you do something different . . . then, once you get used to it, it will be fine."Callum finds it easy to summarise the new XJ, which is actually slightly bigger inside than the previous model and comes with both short and long-wheelbase bodies, as well as a choice of V6 diesel and V8 petrol engines.  "I want people to feel like they are sitting in a sports car, even if it's a luxury car. We want the technology to be easy for people to use, not intimidating."On the engineering front, the new XJ is still an aluminium car which means a 150-200kg weight edge over an S-Class or 7 Series, and there is fully-independent suspension, big brakes, 18-20 inch alloys, a full suite of airbags and a lot more including LED lamps. "We go back to XF really, which started the rejuvenation of Jaguar," says Andy Dobson, chief program engineer for XJ.  "We play absolutely fanatical attention to detail. Making sure we've got the character right." The luxury runs from a two-panel glass sunroof to nine different interior treatments — leather with wood or carbonfibre — electric rear seats in the LWB car and up to 1200 watts of Bower&Wilkins sound.  "XJ is the most refined vehicle in our range, but we've moved the sporting character on," says Dobson.The numbers include 202kW/600Nm in the 3-litre turbodiesel V6 up to 375kW/625Nm in the Supersport supercharged V8, a drag co-efficient of 0.285, fuel economy from 7.0-12.3 litres/100km and prices from $193,800 for the short-wheelbase diesel to $362,800 for the long-wheelbase Supersport.  But don't go looking for a diesel V6, the favourite engine in the XF in Australia, because it is missing. Jaguar says it cannot do the numbers or the refinement needed for an XJ.The new XJ takes some adjustment. In reality, it is going to take a lot of adjustment, from the way it looks to the way it drives.  This is definitely not your grand-dad's Jaguar. Or your dad's. But it could easily be for you and your children, particularly as a full-sized driver's car.The new XJ has an instant impact, either in traffic or making a grand entrance at one of the best Parisian restaurants, thanks to Callum's bodywork. But an impact is easy, and creating a car that will grow on people is tougher. No-one can really judge that end game for at least two years.But the new cabin is an instant success, both user-friendly and luxurious in a very modern way.  The interior of the XJ is more like a high-end boat than a Benz or BMW, something Callum worked hard to achieve, from the smooth sweep of the fascia to the low dashtop to materials including a cast 'cheese cutter' effect on the rotary gear selector in the centre console. It's a major move away from a British stately home to a high-end London apartment.The luxury is great and the back seat space in the long car is just what you expect for a car to be used by royalty and the British ministers. It is roomy, comfortable and very well kitted.But it's the driving that wins me.  The basic diesel shorty is sharp yet refined, extremely quiet and has suspension and steering tied very closely to the XJ and chopped away from the old XJ. So it does not rock or roll in corners, sits flat at speeds beyond Australian limits, with great brakes and a responsive six-speed auto with various modes and a paddle shift.The suspension is not floaty but the car still floats over broken surfaces, with a switchable sport mode that stiffens the dampers and steering feel.  A short run in the basic petrol V8 brings the muscular exhaust not I expect from a flagship cat, as well as more thump in response to the accelerator, but it's the long-wheelbase Supersport which wins me.After hussling it through a serious of testing twists, first in the basic settings and then in full sports mode, I think it is a brilliant car. I have driven the 7 and S but the XJ is better than both of the Germans, and a first choice for people who like driving.  As I work through two days of Jaguar driving I find myself liking the XJ more and more.I still question if buyers will be happy to put down at least $193,000 on a Jaguar after its ownership switch and after the ugly experiences of earlier XJs, but this car is a great start.  I think the boot opening is too cramped, and the operation of the electric assistance on the test cars is jerky, and I also question the final finishing of the early-build Paris cars.I also think the design of the virtual dials in the TFT dash screen is heavy handed and the analogue clock is chintzy. There is also a wavy effect to the rear-window glass, something Jaguar puts down to the sharp incline on the tail end.But these are little things and this is a big, big, big car. It's large in size, a huge shift for Jaguar, and a giant move into the future of luxury cars.  The new XJ deserves to be a winner and the first Australian owners, who will get their cars from August, have something to look forward to with a smile.

Jaguar is going big game hunting with the crosshairs set on Porsche and Maserati after unveiling the new XJ.Revealed in England overnight, the new XJ is a radical step away from the car that has been Jaguar's front-line soldier in the upper-luxury ranks for the last 40 years. Borrowing heavily from the successful XF model, the new XJ looks fresh and contemporary with styling Jaguar Australia boss David Blackhall believes will put it right in the mix with its key German rivals."We all know it is a very competitive market but we are now on terms, styling-wise, for the first time in a long, long time,” Blackhall says. "There has been those who have said that the XJ is the car that never changed its styling since 1968 ... well, now we have and you can see that (designer) Ian Callum has touched every panel.”However, it is not just the styling that has taken a giant leap into the present. With the new look comes a new self-worth reflected in a top-end strategy that would have made Jaguar a laughing stock had they taken such a path with the old model.While reluctant to go into specifics, Blackhall confirmed that the supercharged version of the XJ — the Supersport — would be stalking Porsche's new four-door Panamera and Maserati's Quattroporte."If you think about the supercharged car as having similar performance, competitive pricing and styling that some people would think more attractive then there may well be an opportunity for us at that end of the market,” Blackhall says.Jaguar has retained its industry lead in the use of aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology, giving the new XJ an immediate 150kg weight advantage over its rivals as well as enhancing performance, handling and economy, while delivering increased strength refinement and safety.The new cars will feature air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable .damping), Active Differential Control and quick-ratio power steering.There will be a choice of four engines — all driving through a six-speed automatic — and all four will make it to Australia despite Blackhall's desire to limit the model complexity for Australia."We don't want a lot of complexity, and to be honest we couldn't handle that in our market,” Blackhall says."The range for Australia will run fairly close to the current experience.”That should see the offerings for Australia include both long and short wheelbase in most models — the exception will be the slightly detuned supercharged Sport V8 which will be offered in short wheelbase only — and three trim levels of all four engine choices.The V6 diesel is the company's proven 202kW twin-turbo 3.0-litre while the naturally aspirated offering will be a 5-litre V8 with 283kW and a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds. At the top of the tree is the full works supercharged version of that same V8 with 375kW and a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.9 seconds while just below it is the same engine with a slightly different tune producing 348kW.A design highlight of the new XJ is a panoramic glass roof which opens up an interior styled and trimmed to take on the best of the world's luxury marques on their home turf.Advanced new technologies have allowed Jaguar's interior designers to create an environment more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a simple car cabin. The driver's environment is defined by the virtual instrument display and a high-technology duel-view touch screen that can provide DVD movies or television programmes to the passenger while the driver sees only vehicle functions or satellite navigation.An optional 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the world's best in-home entertainment, underscores Jaguar's plans to attack the competition at the top of their game.The new XJ will be on sale in Australia next March starting in the low $200,000 range and topping out at over $300,000.