Review & Photos by Scott Bourne - scottbourne.com
(Imagine Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson’s Voice - “Scotty bought a Jaaaaag.”)
Jaguar’s motto has always been “Grace, Space, Pace,” and the top-to-bottom redesign of its flagship model – the 2011 XJL — definitely lives up to that ideal.
Jaguar is a British luxury car manufacturer, based in Whitley, Coventry, England. Ford Motor Company bought Jaguar in 1989 and sold it in 2008 to Tata Motors Ltd of India. Jaguar operates as a wholly owned subsidiary in Castle Bromwich England at a site that was originally built in 1938 for British airplane manufacturers. It’s been a Jaguar plant since 1980.
The Jaguar brand holds a long tradition of luxury and sportiness, starting as a motorcycle sidecar company back in 1922. In the 1940s, it became known as a sports car company that morphed into a sport sedan or “saloon” (as the Brits say) company. Design Director Ian McCallum’s sleek interpretation of the quintessential Jaguar carries that tradition forward in a modern manner that meets my particular needs.
I wanted a big, comfortable back seat for my passengers. The XJL has class-leading rear leg room. You’d almost assume it’s a limo. In fact, in the UK, this car is often used as a limo. Pull-down seat trays hold a small laptop in the back, a convenience that make it almost as fun to ride in as drive. In the XJL, everyone enjoys heated and cooled seats, individual climate controls, side and rear window shades, and an additional five plus inches of leg room compared to the XJ.
I also wanted a car with curb appeal. Now this is 100% subjective. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all that. But for me, the Jaguar is one beautiful, sexy feline. The lines are elegant. The rear tail lights are part of an Ian McCallum design that evokes the remnants of a big cat’s claws scratching at a tree. The XJL distinguishes itself in a crowded field where the untrained eye can barely discern the difference between a passing S-Class Benz, a 700-series BMW, and an Audi A8. The Porsche and the Maserati possess character, style and curb appeal, but for me, the Jaguar stands out.
After much research I discounted the Beemer and the Benz. Both are lovely cars and both have been done to death in this segment. They are so common around my town that they are almost cliché. Performance-wise, neither could stack up against the new Jaguar. At nearly 500 ponies, the Jaguar out accelerated anything on this list with the possible acceptation of the Porsche and the Jaguar’s stopping distances were an amazing 10 feet shorter in 60-to-zero tests than either the BMW or the Benz. As for acceleration - I know, zero to 60 times in a luxe sedan is probably irrelevant, but 4.4 seconds is a very quick time for a car as big as some limousines. More on performance in a minute.
The interior of the XJL is as plush as anything you’d expect to see on much more expensive cars such as Rolls Royce or Bentley. There’s a suede headliner, and the roof features a panoramic sunroof. This car exudes comfort, from an abundance of leather - everywhere, to massaging memory seats, tons of head and leg room, and adjustable controls that satisfy just about everyone. The steering wheel is heated - although I doubt I’ll use that feature often here in Vegas. Of course there is a navigation system, voice control, built-in hands-free telephone via Bluetooth, iPhone and USB ports, a hard drive, and DVD player. In addition to the cool tech on this car, the interior’s fine wood, leather and luxurious surfaces make me wonder what they could have possibly forgotten. I can’t think of anything. (Oh, I forgot to mention that the rear view auto-dimming mirror asks you whether the car is right- or left-hand drive. Lucky for me, the steering wheel is on the left.)
While we’re on the inside - I love to listen to music while I drive so a good sound system is a must. Often, I don’t worry about the stock system and I engineer my own aftermarket solution. Not only is this potentially expensive and time consuming, it’s hard to find a vendor who can deliver such a system in a luxury car, especially one they are unfamiliar with. This is NOT something I am willing to trust to Car Toys - no offense.
Enter Jaguar’s amazing 1200-watt Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system. The same expert engineers responsible for Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 Series speakers, which are used at Abbey Road Studios, fine-tuned and calibrated the twenty-speaker, fifteen-channel system. Yes, you read that right. It comes with 20 speakers. As the brochure says, and my ears agree, the system delivers the most faithful reproduction of audio performance ever achieved in a production car. Each component of the new XJL’s sound system has been specifically designed for the car. I expect some people will buy this car simply for the sound system. I really like the fact that every seat in the car offers the same sound quality. Typically, these high-end sound systems are tuned primarily for the driver’s position.
The XJL’s cool and convenient features include a valet function that electronically locks the trunk and the glove box so that when you hand the car off to a valet, you don’t have to worry about security. Once in valet mode, it takes a four-digit code from the touch screen to access either one. There is also keyless entry and start. If you have the key in your pocket, the locked car gives way to you when you simply touch the handle. You press the start button and the car comes to life. Smooth.
The XJL is ultra safe. It comes with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, and active head restraints. The adaptive cruise control slows the car down automatically if the car ahead slows down. A brilliant blind-spot detection system warns you if someone is on either side of you in the blind spot. The backup camera and parking sensors help you avoid running into anything or anyone. The cornering lights automatically come on when you have the car’s lights on every time you turn the wheel and are traveling at less than 25 MPH. It really makes it easier to see at night. Of course, the windshield wipers turn on automatically when it rains.
But convenience, safety and the cool factor aside, performance rules. For me, a car must drive and handle well — no matter what. I am happy to report that even though the XJL is a big cruiser, make no mistake; this is a driver’s car. There’s minimal body roll. The acceleration reminds me of liquid mercury — quick, quiet . You can dial in sport suspension to eliminate almost all electronic stability controls if you’re a confident driver and want to take the car to speed. I am slightly disappointed that Jaguar has electronically limited the engine’s maximum output so that the car cannot exceed 155 MPH, but then again - I won’t take this car to the track — often. The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tires that came with my optional 20-inch wheels are speed rated, track well, and have an abundance of grip, providing tactile feedback to the driver, as a good sport racing tire should. They are a bit noisy and like all summer sport tires, are no good in super wet climates. The brakes stop quickly without fade.
The XJL’s new LCD instrument panel reminds me of the console on the Starship Enterprise. All gauges are well placed and easy to read, day or night. In fact, driving this car at night is a real treat. The interior is bathed in a slightly blue LED light that makes the controls easily visible but doesn’t distract.
Some random things I like about the car: The boot is large enough to hold a set of golf clubs. Although some reviewers have bemoaned the XJL’s rearward visibility due to the small rear window brought on by the car’s sloping design, I disagree, especially compared to all the sports cars I’ve driven or owned. The Jaguar team clearly believes in this car because it comes with an unmatched five-year or 50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. That alone doesn’t sound all that impressive until you realize that it includes everything. All regularly-scheduled maintenance on the car in the first five/50,000 is free – everything from brake pads, to wiper blades, and oil changes. It’s no wonder JD Power gave this car its highest owner satisfaction ratings in the luxury class. The Jaguar team worked hard to ensure this car is painless to own, once you get past the $100,000 price tag.
As you can see, I am quite taken with the car. I’ll do a long-term review after I’ve had some miles in the car. Like everything, I don’t expect the Jaguar to be perfect. I am sure I’ll find some flaws. But given the positives - I am sure this car will be a long-term resident in the BMG motor pool.
