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Super ally-cat's ballistic performance is ferocious. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.

Super ally-cat's ballistic performance is ferocious
I began to wonder whether such a dynamically capable car was wasted on the type of person that is more likely to park it outside the golf club...

   



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When we took delivery of the sleek Jaguar XJR, and I took it for its first serious drive, I began to wonder whether such a dynamically capable car was wasted on the type of person that is more likely to park it outside the golf club than take the long way around to that dull boardroom meeting. These thoughts were a little hasty, and perhaps unfair. After all, just because you have the requisite £60,000, and the need for a large saloon doesn't mean you are not a real car enthusiast at heart.

Jaguar launched the new XJ in 2003, later than scheduled. Despite a conservative approach to the car's styling, Jaguar packed the XJ full of the latest technology. The all-aluminium body was a potentially expensive risk for a start; the British-engineered car uses an aluminium monocoque, which has never before been used in the automotive industry. Gambling with parent Ford's money has apparently paid off. Sales of the new XJ are strong.

Using aluminium instead of steel in the body construction has lead to a significant reduction in overall weight. Jaguar has intelligently used this to reduce emissions, and improve fuel economy and performance. Lower body weight has also enabled Jaguar to reinstate the illustrious XJ6 badge on the entry-level model. The XJR tested here is not actually the range-topping model in the new XJ range. Leaving aside the new long wheelbase cars, Jaguar also make the Super V8, which is fitted with the same 4.2-litre supercharged V8 as the XJR, but with the emphasis on luxury. That test is for another day though. Today we drive the sporting flagship.

If you read our review of the Jaguar S-type R you will already appreciate how special Jaguar's supercharged V8 is. Ostensibly the same unit is used in the XJR, though it felt even better to us. There is no doubt that it manages to thump out its claimed 400 bhp and 408 lb.ft of torque. As with the S-type, Jaguar's XJR effortlessly reaches immoral speeds. I was surprised to find the larger XJ feeling the quicker of the two, but a quick look at the technical specification confirms it, thanks to the lower weight of the XJ. Predictably, Jaguar is working on an aluminium replacement for the S-type.

Along with better performance, the installation of the V8 in the XJ sounds different. The supercharger is less audible except when really pushing on, which allows more of that spine-tingling V8 burble to be heard. Initially, I preferred to not use the 'Sport' settings as I thought that the gearbox strategy was a little aggressive, with two downchanges executed every time you put your foot down. However, I soon realised that the massive torque of the engine could be utilised by not quite pushing the throttle pedal as far. In Sport mode, it is even easier to cover ground quickly. It really does change the character of the car, though you would do well to remember to switch off the Sport mode when cruising as we found it held onto a lower gear, even when ambling along on the motorway. The transmission is one of the best automatics available. We rarely found the need to use the manual side of the 'J-gate'. In comparison to the BMW 7-series we tested recently, it is more driver-focused.

Cruising at high speed is the XJR's forte. Ninety miles per hour feels more like 50, which in a way could be a problem for the enthusiastic driver that wishes to hold onto their driving licence. Though designed to cross continents and countries with ease, we wondered whether Jaguar had made the XJR a little soft when it came to more demanding roads. I for one doubted it could match the S-type R for its combination of ground covering ability and entertainment. I was wrong; the Jaguar handled almost everything I threw at it. Here is a large car that really does shrink around the driver.

The lower momentum may help, but I swear it is better to drive fast than the S-type. The steering is marvellously direct, and turn-in is sharp. The huge 255/40 tyres offer masses of grip, but not so much as to anaesthetise the experience. It feels strange to say it, but we found it quite easy to find and play on the limit of adhesion in the XJR. The traction control is there if you want it, but even with it off, the XJR is not really unruly. Leaving it turned on does not at all detract from the driving experience. It still allows playful little twitches of the tail, at the same time as preventing ungainly wheelspin while exiting tight corners. For such a large car, we were amazed at its ability to resist understeer, even in damp conditions. The only thing we could fault about the chassis was a crashing feeling almost like axle tramp from the rear of the car when driving fast over sharp brows etc. The BMW 7-series is much better at this.

Admittedly this type of road is not where the XJR is going to be driven for the majority of the time, but we would still have expected it to cope. Older Jaguars always have. Perhaps the move to air suspension has had an effect, though we assume that the rear end of the Jaguar is stiffer to help with turn-in. Note that this happened on only a handful of occasions, and always on broken B-roads. In general, we loved the chassis set-up. Just when you begin to believe that Jaguar have found a way to break the laws of physics, the brakes begin to fade, though only if you really punish them through a few miles of corners. In more realistic conditions, they are unflappable, with real feel through the pedal.

Though criticised by some parties for not being more daring, Jaguar stuck with a traditional look for the XJ. In the metal, it is an elegant shape, and unmistakably from the Jaguar stable. The rear is enlivened by the use of jewel-like LED lights. At the front, the way daylight plays on the distinctive curves of the bonnet never failed to catch my eye. The XJR of course is endowed with a little more aggression in the form of that mesh grille, which is an improvement over the lesser models' chrome affair. Thankfully there are no visible spoilers on this car. Only subtle badging and (subtle for the size) 19-inch wheels give the game away. In 'Midnight', the test car attracted admiring looks, but didn't really draw the crowds, which is probably ideal as far as potential owners are concerned.

The interior of the XJR is also restrained. Jaguar resisted the temptation to go contemporary. The distinctive grey wood remains (not to my liking), as does the wonderful cosseting ambiance. I would personally replace the 'Charcoal Contrast' leather with something a little more colourful. The dials are classy, though the clock is a little difficult to see during the day. Fit and finish are first class, as is the level of standard equipment (though the electrically released glovebox is OTT!). Of the extras fitted to the test car, the only real necessities are the front and rear parking aids, and perhaps the satnav. Thankfully, the half wood steering wheel (which is heated) is an optional extra.

Adaptive cruise control is also an extra, but I would recommend trying this on a test drive before splashing out on it. It is very clever, but a little eerie. Set your speed, as with normal cruise control. You can also set your minimum distance to traffic in front. Take your feet off the pedals and just steer. Catch up with slower traffic in the outside lane and the car applies the brakes for you and maintains the set distance until the obstruction is no longer there. The XJR then accelerates back up to your desired speed. That all sounds great, but being the nitpicking types we are, we found a few flaws. For starters, it takes what seems an age for the car to start accelerating once there is space. I assume this is in the interests of smoothness, but perhaps by having the Sport button pressed it could be sped up a little. The only other thing it doesn't do is slow the car down if a stationary object is detected. We found this out by reading the handbook...

Drawing parallels with the 7-series is a tempting thing to do in this test, but in reality BMW do not make a direct rival for the Jaguar XJR. The 7-series flaunts its technology in a much more intrusive manner than the Jaguar does. The XJ is a more traditional luxury saloon, where all the bells and whistles are present, but not necessarily on show. The XJR raises the XJ to the status of super saloon; it has very real driver appeal at the same time as being everything you would expect for the not insignificant price tag. If you are fortunate enough to be in the position to spend over £60,000 on a car, which has to ferry people in comfort and suit your image, yet you still yearn for driving, the Jaguar XJR could be the car for you.

Shane O' Donoghue - 16 Apr 2004



  www.jaguar.co.uk    - Jaguar road tests
- Jaguar news
- XJR images

2003 Jaguar XJR specifications:
Price: £60,970 on-the-road. Test car was £63,615.
0-60mph: 5.0 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Combined economy: 23.0mpg
Emissions: 299g/km
Kerb weight: 1665kg

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.



2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 

2003 Jaguar XJR. Image by Shane O' Donoghue.
 






 

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