MANILA, Philippines - It’s a test drive one simply cannot refuse. Normally motoring journalists get to have a test car for the better part of the week.
But with the breathtakingly beautiful new Jaguar XJ scheduled to be unveiled the day after we found ourselves sitting in its sumptuous cabin and feathering the throttle to hear that glorious V8, everyone involved were justifiably concerned about taking the sexy, big cat out for a spin on public roads.
Which is why we had to content ourselves with a quick spin of Coventry’s new flagship around the free-flowing roads of Fort Bonifacio – pretty much the driving time a prospective Jaguar XJ buyer would get.
First, a few words on its new sheetmetal. The new XJ is the ultimate embodiment of Jaguar’s new design language – which is another way of saying that the new sedan represents a dramatic departure from XJ tradition, which dates back to the 60s.
The new XJ marks a bold evolution for Jaguar. The car’s elongated teardrop profile establishes the car’s silhouette and lies at the heart of its flowing design. The nose of the car closely resembles that of Jaguar’s equally groundbreaking XF sedan and is underscored by an evocative mesh grille and slim xenon headlamps.
The sweeping coupé roofline covers a cabin that offers comparable space to sedans with a more conventional (read: upright) style. There is generous accommodation for five occupants, especially with the five-inch-longer long-wheelbase models that Jaguar Cars Phils. will be bringing in.
The new car’s rear end – perhaps the biggest departure from previous XJ designs – is notable for its simple, sculpted shape. A leaping Jaguar emblem takes center stage while vertical red LED light clusters dramatically bookend the trunk lid.
The exquisitely designed interior has a luxurious and sporting character throughout. A panoramic glass roof – standard on all models – dramatically enhances the sense of light and space inside.
At the sides of the cabin, a bold architectural wood veneer sweeps forward from the doors and across the top of the dashboard, giving the new XJ a powerful and almost nautical feel.
The new XJ, which has a retail price of roughly P9 million, boasts more sumptuous leather in its cabin than in any previous Jaguar. It adorns all of the main surfaces, including the seats, instrument panel, door tops, centre console and armrests.
You grip a beautifully trimmed three-spoke steering wheel, and the broad center console – positioned further rearward thanks to the absence of a conventional gear lever – helps to provide an intimate, cockpit-like feel.
The four round air vents contrast a piano black finish with chrome accents, a stylish combination repeated on the center console. And at the center of the dashboard is a Swiss watch-inspired analog clock.
The XJ introduces a new generation of interior gadgetries, thanks to a high-definition 12.3-inch Virtual Instrument panel and the stunning 20-speaker, 15-channel 1200-watt Dolby Pro Logic IIx Bowers & Wilkins 7.1 surround sound system.
On the roads inside Fort Bonifacio, the car combined responsive, sporting dynamics with the refined, supple ride expected from a luxury Jaguar. It is as equally accomplished as a driver’s car as it is a chauffeur-driven one.
At more relaxed cruising speeds the new XJ is blissfully silent. A full secondary bulkhead, laminated glass in all the main windows, streamlined aerodynamics and an optimised body structure help to reduce noise levels to an absolute minimum. Put the pedal to the metal, however, and carefully tuned intake and exhaust systems and precisely machined engine internals deliver an inspiring engine note.
And while we were far from exploring the car’s performance envelope, it should handle pretty impressively, too. The lightweight aluminum-intensive (but with magnesium and composite alloys as well) chassis of the XJ benefits from technologies pioneered on the new XFR and XKR models, including continuously variable damping (Adaptive Dynamics), electronically controlled rear differential (Active Differential Control) and a quick ratio power steering system.
The new XJ is powered by a state-of-the-art naturally aspirated 5.0-liter 32-valve direct-injection, variable-valve-timing gasoline V8 that develops 385 hp at 6,500 rpm and a whopping 515 Nm at 3,500 rpm, enough for a claimed 5.7-second 0-100-kph sprint. We weren’t able to do timed full-power standing start acceleration runs (try that in Fort Boni) but the claimed figures seem thoroughly credible.
This ultra-clean EU5-compliant engine is coupled to a shift-by-wire, 6-speed automatic transmission controlled by the JaguarDrive Selector for manumatic functionality or via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. I just wish the paddle shifters were made of magnesium (like those found in paddle shifter-equipped Civics and Lancers) rather than plastic. Or at the very least covered in leather. But that’s just me.
XJ drivers can tailor the driving experience to suit their mood or conditions: Dynamic mode, for a more sporting and responsive character, and Winter mode, for greater control in low-grip conditions. Each mode changes the characteristics of engine mapping, transmission shifts, Adaptive Dynamics and Active Differential Control systems and DSC interventions.
In Dynamic mode gearshift points are extended, the suspension stiffens and even the presentation and color of the main instrument dials changes. And in Winter mode, the transmission selects second gear to provide greater traction from a standstill.
To complement its powerful engine and advanced driving dynamics, the new XJ provides a comprehensive set of active safety aids including front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Understeer Control, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Engine Drag Torque Control and, for vehicles fitted with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Electronic Brake Pre-fill. Thankfully, we never had to use any of those – and Jaguar had a successful unveiling of the car, 24 hours after we parked it in their garage.