2011 Jaguar XJ test drive

What do the About.com Rating stars mean?

Jaguar's full-size flagship, the XJ, is all-new for 2011 -- and it's a very different car than the XJ we've been seeing for the last, oh, forty years or so. The new XJ sports a radically different shape and a refreshing new commitment to quality -- but it also shows that Jaguar is willing to turn their back on four decades of tradition. Did Jaguar make the right choice? Read on. Price range $72,500 - $113,350, EPA fuel economy ratings 15-16 MPG city, 21-23 MPG highway.

Larger exterior photos: Front - rear - all photos

Let me start by saying that I'm having as much trouble getting used to the shape of the new Jaguar XJ as you are. (Assuming you're having trouble getting used to it. And if you're not, please humor me and pretend you are.) Since before I was born, Jaguar XJs have looked pretty much the same -- long and low, sleek and sexy, and often as not strapped atop a flatbed truck, temporarily paralyzed by some sort of electrical malady. (Let's face it, if God had intended Jaguars to work right, He would have had the Japanese make them.)

During the welcome dinner at the Jaguar press junket, I expressed my lament at the loss of the classic Jag sedan to a Jaguar staffer, who responded with a question: "How many XJs have you bought?"

"None," I said, explaining that I had a limited budget and a need to get to places on time.

"That's the problem," he said. "The people who love the old XJ didn't actually buy the old XJ. We have to change. We have to get away from the past and become a modern car company."

And that, in a nutshell, is the raison d'être behind the new XJ. Jaguar intentionally made this a very different car, from the styling to the buyer protection plan. In a novel attempt to lure buyers wary of Jag's quality, they're offering a remarkable warranty: 5 years or 50,000 miles, including all scheduled maintenance and -- in what could be an industry first -- brake discs and pads, which are wear items that most warranties don't cover. Buyers also get 24/7 roadside assistance, and they'll even replace your wiper blades if they go bad. Such a long warranty presents a simple message: Either the company is confident they are building the cars right, or they're looking to go bankrupt. No one from Jaguar tried to slip me a resume, so I'll assume the former.

Larger interior photo

The XJ was designed by Ian Callum, the same gentleman responsible for Jag's own XK and XF as well as several Aston-Martins. The resulting shape is... well, rather like a big XF, actually. But that's OK -- several automakers have been trying for what they call a "four-door coupe" look, but to me, Jag is the one automaker to really nail it. If you'll forgive the cliché, the XJ has presence -- when this baby rolls up to the valet, people are going to turn their heads to see who gets out. The taillights (link goes to photo) are probably the most controversial part of the design. I can't get used to the shape, but I do like the three lines of red light, which are designed to mimic the scratch of a cat's claws. Like the old XJ, the new XJ's bodywork is aluminum, which saves 300 lbs over a steel body; unlike the old XJ, 50% of the aluminum is recycled. (Think about it: The soda can you drink from today could be the car you drive tomorrow.)

In my opinion, Mr. Callum and his team did their best work inside the XJ. I often complain about material quality -- cheap plastics are a pet peeve of mine -- but the concept of sub-par materials doesn't seem to exist in the XJ's universe. The cabin's leather-lined, wood-trimmed ambiance is the epitome of British luxury; all that's missing is a few low-hanging beams and a cloud of cigar smoke. Owners can trim to taste, as Jaguar offers 14 different shades of leather, 5 headliner colors, and 9 different wood veneers. And like its mother country, the XJ mixes old-world with ultra-modern: The dashboard is actually an LCD monitor, with elegant virtual gauges that turn blood red when the car's Sport mode is engaged. Climate and stereo controls are simple and minimal, with advanced features controlled via a large color touch screen, itself a vast improvement over the unit introduced just two years ago in the XF. Rear seats can be had with heating and ventilation, and buyers who opt for the long-wheelbase XJL model get acres of legroom, optional four-zone climate control and old-fashioned fold-out wooden trays.

The XJ is offered with both normally-aspirated and supercharged versions of the company's 5-liter V8. The former produces 385 horsepower and moves the XJ with quiet but firm authority. The latter, found in the XJ Supercharged, produces 470 horsepower and doesn't so much accelerate as it simply fulfills your wish to be over there right now. There's also a 510 horsepower version in the top-of-the-line XJ Supersports. I didn't get a chance to drive it, but I can only imagine that it delivers you to your destination before you have time to decide where you want to go. I loved the engine note in the normally-aspirated car, but Jag has eliminated the characteristic supercharger whine from the more powerful engines, which I think is a mistake.

Jaguar explained that the XJ was designed to be the most luxurious and, therefore, the least-sporting Jaguar, but they didn't want it to feel completely lost on a curvy road. That sounds like so much marketing-speak, but that's exactly how the XJ behaves. I got a chance to hammer an XJL Supercharged through some serious curves and was very impressed -- most high-dollar luxury yachts can be hustled through the turns pretty quickly, but they drive as if such hedonism is beneath them. Not so the XJ: Its aluminum construction makes it feel light on its feet, and while its limits of grip are modest and the steering is one-finger light, it seemed eager and willing to give me everything it had. Like other Jags, the XJ has both "Sport" and "Dynamic" modes. The former tightens up the suspension noticeably; the latter is supposed to put the stability control system into a less-protective mode, but even so, I wasn't able to wring any tail-out misbehavior from the XJ. Oh well. Back on more sane roads, the big Jag is ever the road-going butler: Smooth, silent and obedient. Overall, the XJ has a balance of handling and ride comfort that should worry Mercedes and BMW executives.

At $72,500, the lavishly-equipped base-model XJ undercuts the Mercedes S550 by almost $20,000 and the all-new Audi A8 by around $12,000. But BMW has stolen a march on Jag; for 2011 they will offer a new base-model 740i priced almost a grand cheaper than the XJ. It has most of the same creature comforts but gets a 315 hp twin-turbo six-cylinder engine instead of a V8. Jaguar expects most buyers to opt for the 385 hp long-wheelbase XJL, priced at $79,500 plus options. But if you do decide to go whole-hog, the 510 hp XJL Supersports tops out at $113,000 -- quite the bargain compared to the 518 hp Mercedes S63 AMG ($134,425) and the 535 hp BMW 760Li ($140k).

Overall, I like the new XJ. Yes, it departs from what many of us expect from Jaguar's flagship sedan -- but at the end of the day, it does everything a Jaguar should do. It's beautiful inside and out. Its road manners are smooth, serene, and competent. And most importantly, it envelops its occupants in a cocoon of opulence of which even Her Majesty the Queen would surely approve. (At least, I think she would approve. Lizzie hasn't returned any of my phone calls since Tony Blair left office.) Bottom line: If this is the future of Jaguar, I think I can get used to it.

And it's not like the old XJ will completely vanish from the face of the earth. I'll just keep an eye out for flatbeds and tow trucks. -- Aaron Gold

Next page: Pros, cons, who should buy it, details and specs