It was the tail end of what had only recently been a full-blown hurricane but was by the time it hit us only a “storm.” In any case, it blew curtains of rain across our path and tried mightily to shove our glistening all-new 2010 Jaguar XJ sedan off into les herbs mauvais (the weeds). The XJ was having none of it, tracking straight and true with elegance and a surprising amount of sportiness.
While many competitors insist on at least the option of all-wheel drive in this upper end of the luxury-sedan segment, Jaguar equipped its new top-of-the-line entry with a lighter and more sporty rear-drive-only powertrain. We never felt the need for AWD on our howling outing, and as the storm passed through and the roads dried up a little, we appreciated the inherent responsiveness of the RWD layout.
While previous versions of the XJ leaned toward comfort over handling, this one exhibited very little lean at all. Active dampers stiffen on the outside and soften on the inside when you're in a corner to help keep the 4,045-to-4,323-pound cat on all fours. The new XJ comes in standard and long-wheelbase lengths.
On the way to those rear wheels, the power is routed through a six-speed automatic and a limited-slip differential.
There are three all-new versions of the Jaguar 5.0-liter V8. We found that the 385-hp normally aspirated engine provided plenty of power for all ranges of enthusiastic driving. It gets the car from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. The regular supercharged engine makes 470 hp, good for 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. But Jaguar also offers a 510-hp supercharged Supersport XJ for those who need everything. It drops the 0-to-60-mph time down to 4.7 seconds. (The Europeans get a 271-hp, 3.0-liter diesel. We won't. Write to your congressman.)
One reason for those respectable acceleration figures is that Jaguar was able to keep the weight down by making almost everything all-new and using aluminum to do it.
2010 Jaguar XJ
A view from the back for the 2010 Jaguar XJ.
The floorpan of the car bears marked similarity to the previous XJ, out of production now for 12 months, but the rest of the monocoque is new. Rather than use spot welding, engineers went for rivets and adhesives to join the stamped aluminum pieces--2,800 self- piercing rivets and almost 300 feet of bonded seams in all. It's stiffer than the previous body, allowing the suspension to be more precisely tuned. The front subframe, which was rubber-isolated on the previous XJ, is bolted directly to the chassis here, adding to the car's sporty response. Steering on the new car is from the XKR, which also helps.
From behind the wheel, it's a whole 'nother animal than its primary competitors, which Jaguar lists as the Mercedes-Benz S-class, the BMW 7-series, the Audi A8 and the Lexus LS 460. It's still just sporty, not a sports car, but you could compare it with the Maserati Quattroporte, the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide in driving character more so than with larger sedans. The XJ has more interior room than the Maserati and the Aston Martin, especially in the back seat.
But while it has plenty of sporting credibility, the elegant lines of this car will be what draws most buyers to it. During our 200-mile conduisse through the French countryside, people of all backgrounds and incomes looked, either stealing glances or just gawking at it.
It looks every bit of its expensive price, which ranges from $72,500 for the standard-wheelbase XJ with the normally aspirated engine to $115,000 for the supercharged XJL Supersport. The car will be available in May.
2010 Jaguar XJ
ON SALE: May
BASE PRICE: $72,500
DRIVETRAIN: 5.0-liter, 385-hp, 380-lb-ft V8; RWD, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4,045 lb
0-60 MPH: 5.4 sec (mfr)
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 19 mpg
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