Reviewing the 2011 Jaguar XJ proved to be an usual challenge. As a shallow man who thrives on visual stimulation, I agree with people who find the imperfect to be the most alluring. For all things beautiful, there is something about the 2011 Jaguar XJ that defies perfection. Cyrano de Bergerac works because of his depth, personality, gallantry and poetic prose – but he would be just another putz with a crush if it weren’t for his huge honker.
Flaws can indeed enhance beauty.
Take the scrumptious 2011 Jaguar XJ – it is so beautiful, so sinuous and powerful – but, it has a few issues. More on those “issues” a bit later; right now I want you to experience what only a lucky few have experienced.
Here’s what you need to know:
• The 2011 Jaguar XJ starts at about $72,000 as a five-passenger luxury sedan. There is a longer version available which adds 4.9 inches to the wheelbase.
• Next to the Aston Martin Rapide, this 2011 Jaguar XJ is the sexiest luxury sedan on the road. My old loins burn for this machine – and so will yours.
• Jaguar’s excellent 5.0-liter V8 comes standard, producing 385 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and making 380 lbs-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. The supercharged XJ makes a whopping 470 hp – but I have yet to test it. The Jaguar XJ comes with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
• I had both women and (sigh) men flirting with me just to get a peek inside.
• At well over 5,200 feet, in sub-freezing temperatures, on slick roads – I managed to get from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The traction control works beautifully. AND – in the snow, wearing proper tires, the stability and drivability of the big Jag was downright impressive.
• Every time I drove the 2011 Jaguar XJ wearing shabby cloths (read: often) I felt guilty. In fact, I removed my baseball cap every time I prepared for a drive. Despite my disheveled appearance, the XJ made me feel special.
• The electronically self-adjusting suspension is sophisticated for a Jaguar, but not as complex as many competitors. Still, it more than competes with the best in the business. The 2011 Jaguar XJ’s handling vs. comfort tradeoff is best in class – and that’s just the base model.
• Steering feel is second only to the best in class BMW 7-Series.
• The interior is something special to behold. By scrutinizing this new interior you will see leather, wood, metal – no compromises and no substitutions. Comfort is excellent and having massaging front seats is a terrific addition.
• Unlike most competitors, the interior presents itself as a unique theme. Many consider the all-encompassing wood trim to be yacht-like. It is. The wood literally surrounds you in a bowed circle – even over the dashboard. To me, it smacks of an old gentleman’s country club with plush leather chairs and blurred walnut tables. I felt the need to find a pipe, drink a sherry and reminisce about the war.
• Real mechanical gauges are gone. In their place, a 12.3 inch “thin film transistor display” shows virtual gauges. As the needles rotate, the number they are closest to gains brightness. It works well – but there is something odd about the need for such technology.
• The base model 2011 Jaguar XJ weighs just a tad over two tons. Judicious use of aluminum was used throughout which belies what appears to be a much heavier machine.
Here’s what’s not in the brochure:
• I noted that despite its alluring lines, the 2011 Jaguar XJ is nowhere near as ostentatious as many of its competitors. It turns heads and says, “money and taste” rather than “taste for money.”
• A vibration came from the sunroof a few times and would magically go away when the ambient temperature would increase.
• The digital representation of gauges seems unnecessary and a bit of a gimmick.
• There are small tables imbedded on the front seatbacks. They are not very practical as they do not have enough adjustment for real use.
• This is NOT an easy car to park in tight spaces. The XJ would definitely benefit from a system like Infiniti’s bird’s eye view video system.
• The audio system had a reoccurring glitch. On two occasions, the front speakers hissed even after the engine was turned off. Other times, the right speaker would occasionally make a metallic-like vibrating sound.
• Brakes are very strong, but are grabby. That is to say that even the lightest touch seemed to lock up the brakes when only a little bit of clamping force was requested. This may have had something to do with the car being in its “winter” setting.
• For such a big car, economy figures are not too shabby. The base model 2011 Jaguar XJ gets 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.
• Given the luxury level this Jaguar competes at, why are the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel still plastic?
• Unlike the majority of the competition, there is no all wheel drive version. Still, when in its winter setting, the 2011 Jaguar XJ exhibited excellent road manners.
Pedantic car critics may spew a litany of obscenities regarding Jag-tech. I suppose it bolsters their well advertised love of German cars. Others may chortle at the thought of any non-Japanese car competing with their well-heeled, reliable, taciturn machines. I say this: not ONE of those machines can counter the graceful soul of this magnificent – yet slightly flawed – cat.
It is the “Roxanne” of sedans.
On the TFLcar.com recommendation scale of:
– Buy it
– Lease it
– Rent it or
-Forget it
I give the big Jaguar a Buy it.
Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com page HERE.
If you like the Jag perhaps you’ll also like the 2011 Audi A8. Our first drive video review is below.
Follow on twitter @TFLcar or watch latest car
review videos on YouTube.
