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Jaguar XJ8 L: Old-World Luxury Meets Modern Sport
from: David BellmFor ages the Holy Grail of luxury-car recipes has been to
somehow blend sumptuous richness with sleek high-tech sport. But
rarely are the fruits of such compromise anything close to
perfect. For instance, when attempting this blend, really sporty
luxury cars tend to look thinly contrived when they try to be
olde-world traditional at the same time. Likewise for plush
quasi limos that attempt any sort of athletic sportiness.
One of the few cars that's arguably pulled off this blend with
deep genuineness is Jaguar's luxury flagship, the XJ8.
These big sedans are offered in base XJ8 and hotter XJR models
on a 119-inch wheelbase, or in XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, and Super V8
versions with a 124-inch wheelbase. All are powered by a
4.2-liter V8. It makes 300 hp in XJ8, XJ8 L, and Vanden Plas or
400 hp in the supercharged XJR and Super V8. A 6-speed automatic
is the only available transmission.
We recently got a week-long opportunity to test an XJ8 L, an
experience that we truly savored from beginning to end. Indeed,
when you park any XJ8 in your driveway, you immediately feel
yourself standing straighter, shoulders squared, sensing the
world looking at you with envy.
And that feeling isn't limited to the exterior. The XJ8's
upscale vibe permeates the whole car. A pull on the hefty chrome
door handle reveals a cabin swathed liberally in high-quality
leather. That's complemented by deep, dark polished wood and
tasteful hints of sturdy chrome trim.
Receiving much of the leather and wood is the dashboard, which
remains basically true to the traditional Jaguar ethos --
organic styling, basic round gauges, and a minimum of gadgets.
But when we say "minimum" of gadgets, that doesn't mean there
isn't any grandiose electronic stuff in the XJ8. The center of
the dashboard is dominated by a multi-function display, which
incorporates the audio, navigation, and climate-control systems.
This screen is surrounded by two rows of buttons for operating
it. The setup looks intimidating at first, but the array of
switchgear actually simplifies operation by giving most common
functions their own dedicated control, instead of relying on
hidden touch-screen menus as many such systems do.
The seats have comfortable, supportive bolstering and the driver
gets a position that's easily tailored for effective control
manipulation. Head room in front and back seats is more than
adequate even for very tall occupants. But the real treat of the
long-wheelbase XJs is their copious leg room. Unless you're one
of the lankier NBA players, there's a good chance your feet
won't even get near any part of the front seat -- very
refreshing.
The engine lights up with a pleasing timbre that's deep and
strong, yet smooth and sophisticated. That personality carries
beyond just the sound, aptly describing this V8's power delivery
throughout the operating range. Although the naturally-aspirated
version won't strain your neck with the stunning punch of its
supercharged XJR and Super V8 sibling, this base powerplant
nonetheless moves the car away from a stop with satisfying,
unencumbered ease.
As potent as this engine is in typical city and suburban
driving, it's on the highway that it really enters its element.
Cruising along at 60 mph or more, the XJ8's V8 settles into an
effortless lope, disappearing far into the background below
conversation level. Then, with a quick prod of the accelerator
it leaps into action, letting out an enjoyable growl and
offering plenty of muscle for passing.
This is aided by the automatic transmission, which cooperates
with swift, appropriate downshifts, particularly in its Sport
mode. Drivers can also have a bit of manual control by using
Jaguar's standard J-Gate shifter, which provides a second gate
for the gear selector to move in, with detents for each gear.
That said, Jaguar's decades-old J-Gate concept has almost always
gotten lukewarm reviews, and this incarnation of the design
isn't likely to change that reputation. We give it an "A" for
effort, but a "C-plus" for execution. The long shift pattern has
second gear awkwardly all the way forward, with easily-missed
detents providing a vague tactile indication of where you're at
in the process.
But that's about the only really unsatisfying element of the XJ8
experience. And it does nothing to detract from one of the car's
most pleasing aspects -- its ride. Supple and hefty feeling over
practically any kind of pavement, the XJ8 L provides a serene
environment for even the longest of trips.
In big cars like this, such extreme isolation from the road
often makes for sloppy handling -- the soft springing generally
employed to provide such a coddling personality tend to dull
response. And the rigid construction required to make any car
handle well can make large machines such as the XJ8 massively
heavy, thereby further degrading handling.
But the XJ's lightweight aluminum construction allows the car to
make an end-run around such floppy tendencies. The car responds
to drivers' input with a sharpness that's surprising for such a
big car. Body lean is well-controlled and grip is more than
ample for some pretty rapid cornering work.
Additionally, the XJ's handling has some real soul. The steering
is light, but it weights up pleasingly as cornering loads
increase. And the sensations felt through the wheel are smooth
and refined, yet provide good road feel for fairly aggressive
corner entry.
Those are refreshing characteristics to find in a big luxury
car. Piloting an XJ, you don't feel that twinge of uncertainty
as you approach a challenging set of curves and start making
decisions regarding line and entry speed. You can stay calm in
the XJ -- you sense that you're getting plenty of good
information about what the tires are doing.
But that's not really surprising when you think about it. Pretty
much everything about an XJ projects that unmistakable air of
confidence. Like the previous-generation XJs did for decades,
this latest iteration of Jaguar's flagship never wavers in its
genuineness. It remains the smooth-yet-sporty ideal that modern
luxury cars have always wanted to be.
And despite rival brands' attempts, this cat will probably
remain a breed apart for many years to come.
For more drive-test articles on today's hottest luxury cars,
sports cars, sport compacts, and muscle cars, go to
http://www.autiv.com/
About the author:
David Bellm is a seasoned test driver and automotive writer. His
work has been featured in a wide variety of online and print
publications.
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