Jaguar XJR 2017 review: road test
The XJ has a marvellously exaggerated length, with a rear overhang redolent of Jag's sporting coupe. (Image credit: Max Klamus)The R adds an aggro grille, 20-inch wheels, a bootlid spoiler, and vents in the bonnet. (Image credit: Max Klamus)- Price From $299,995
- Seats5
- Fuel cons.11.6L/100km (combined)
What we like
- Characterful supercharged V8
- Agile handling with great ride
- Individual looks
What we don't
- Options pricing
- InControl software a bit ordinary
- Too much in-cabin chrome
As a child, my parents - who aren't car people - would see a Jaguar and point. It didn't matter if it was an XJ, Daimler Double Six or a Mark II, there was a great deal of mystique around these bastions of Britishness. It also didn't matter that these weren't necessarily good cars. The Seventies and Eighties saw the brand slide into a funk while being passed between owners like hot potatoes.
Somehow, the brand survived its brush with Ford's useless Premier Automotive Group strategy which only came good towards the end as Jaguar's management woke up and put in place a change in direction that produced the Ian Callum-designed XF. Riding high on that design, Jaguar then promptly introduced the very pretty Jaguar XJ.
It has been on sale for ages, but with the addition of a few bits and bobs to stay competitive, it's as compelling as ever. Most importantly, the performance-focused R has kept its unique supercharged V8.
Verdict
It might be old and facing German competition bursting with advanced technology, but the XJR is still a car you can buy with heart and head. But mostly your heart. It goes like stink, has a much better interior than the Quattroporte and is more interesting than just about anything this big or this grand.
It's also a better car than the Maserati Quattroporte if you want to get on with the driving yourself and is far prettier than the Porsche Panamera. It's a wonderful thing and even more wonderful that Jaguar continues to build it. Long live that supercharged V8 and the XJ is a great home for it.
Is the XJ your cup of Earl Grey or are you more interested in a Maserati espresso (sorry) or a Porsche stein (sorry, again)? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Specifications
- PriceFrom $299,995
- Fuel consumption11.6L/100km (combined), 270g/km CO2 Tank 82L
- Seats5
- Warranty3 years/100,000km
- Service Interval12 months/15,000km
- Engine5L 8-cyl premium unleaded, 404kW/680Nm
- TransmissionAutomatic, RWD
- SpareSpare Wheel - Space Saver/Temporary
- Turning circle12.3m diameter
- Dimensions5122mm (L), 1894mm (W), 1448mm (H)
Jaguar XJR 2017 review: road test
What we like
- Characterful supercharged V8
- Agile handling with great ride
- Individual looks
What we don't
- Options pricing
- InControl software a bit ordinary
- Too much in-cabin chrome
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