2011 Jaguar XJ Reviews
The sportier, more contemporary design direction that revealed itself in the latest Jaguar XK Coupe and Convertible, then the XF Sedan, has now been applied to Jaguar's flagship sedan.
Jaguar is still nagged by historically sub-par resale values and spotty reliability records, so the 2011 Jaguar XJ isn't among the category's smartest buys.
The 2011 Jaguar XJ is available in standard and long-wheelbase versions, with XJL models offering an additional five inches of legroom (but less parking-lot maneuverability).
The old Jaguar XJ was a perfectly modern automobile under the skin, but that skin was nothing more than a rehash of Jaguar's previous 30 years. With the 2011 Jaguar XJ, something radical is exactly what the world gets.
The rear of the 2011 XJ looks like no other rump on the road. The "base" XJ produces 385 horsepower while the supercharged XJ cranks out up to 510 horses.
The 2011 Jaguar XJ is a large luxury sedan available in regular and long-wheelbase (L) four-door body styles. Both are available in three trim levels, which correspond with an engine: XJ, XJ Supercharged and XJ Supersport.
Standard equipment on the XJ includes 19-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension, a panoramic sunroof, automatic xenon headlamps, auto-dimming mirrors, a power-closing trunk lid, keyless ignition/entry, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats (16-way driver and 12-way passenger) with memory functions, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and leather upholstery. The XJL features different 19-inch wheels than the XJ, plus four-zone automatic climate control, a power rear sunshade, 20-way power front seats with massage function, heated and cooled rear seats, extended leather trim and faux-suede headliner. The XJ Supercharged and XJL Supercharged add to the XJL's equipment 20-inch wheels, adaptive headlights and a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround-sound system. The XJ Supersport and XJL Supersport add different 20-inch wheels and upgraded leather upholstery. Its standard adaptive cruise control, wood-trim wheel and rear seat entertainment system are optional on the other trims.
The 2010 Jaguar XJ is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 that produces 385 hp and 380 pound-feet of torque. As with all XJ models, a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is standard. The 2010 Jaguar XJ Supercharged features a (surprise!) supercharged 5.0-liter V8 good for 470 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque. Jaguar estimates a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds and combined fuel economy of 18 mpg.
Every 2011 Jaguar XJ comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, active head restraints and a blind spot warning system. Front seat active seatbelts are optional on the XJ and XJL, and standard on the others.
The Jaguar XJ's interior is exquisite; there's really no other way to describe it. As before, the regular-length XJ's backseat is on the small side. Few cars strike such an excellent balance between ride comfort and sporty handling as the 2011 Jaguar XJ.
Poised to pounce and newly transformed, the Jaguar XJ four-door sport sedan screamed out some power chords as we throttled it around Rock and Roll-ish West Hollywood, California.
Penned by Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum and his team of designers in Coventry, England, the new XJ draws visual cues from a wide variety of sources. Jaguar Cars managing director Mike O’Driscoll, explained the company’s recent return to the sporting style and culture: “We lost touch with our soul. For forty years, the XJ has served as the quintessential Jaguar. If the outgoing XJ had a North American counterpart, perhaps it would be the Lincoln Town Car. That’s hardly what we call sporty, but neither was the outgoing XJ.
Jaguar’s base offering is a naturally-aspirated engine producing 385 horsepower and 380 lb-ft. of torque. That’s a 28 percent increase over the outgoing 4.2-liter engine from the previous XJ. Finally is the special-order Supersport XJ Supercharged model, making 510 horsepower, and 461 lb-ft. of torque for pure kitty-scaring grunt.
Both supercharged models are on 20-inch tires and governed to 155 mph top speed. Curb weight of the short wheelbase naturally aspirated XJ is 4,045 lbs., while the supercharged models tip in at 4,281 lbs. Add 42 lbs. additional for a long wheelbase model. The base V8 is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, while the huffed versions are all rated at 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. Although the new XJ appears long and lanky like a Rock Star’s girlfriend, its wheelbase is only an inch longer than the model it replaces. Able to constantly change for the different road conditions we encountered, the XJ lived up to Jaguar’s traditional mantra of providing a cossetting ride with a performance touch.
The variable ratio power-assisted steering did a remarkable job of keeping the XJ pointed true especially with the changing road conditions and imperfections.
Jaguar director O’Driscoll smilingly told us that at Jaguar, there is a feeling that “we are that small specialist company who will be known for their sporting cars once again.”
Smooth and capable, this isn’t the Jaguar of yore.
2011 Jaguar XJ base price, $72,500.
2011 Jaguar XJL base price, $79,500.
2011 Jaguar XJ Supercharged base price, $87,500.
2011 Jaguar XJL Supercharged base price, $90,500.
2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport base price, $112,000
