Sir William Lyons, founder of Jaguar, once said, “The car is the closest thing we will ever create to something that is alive.’’
I’m always reminded of that great observation whenever I drive a new Jaguar. Almost every model – except the unlovable and cheap X-Type – imparts an almost animal feel of being alive.
Driving the new Jaguar Super V8, which is the latest designation for the flagship XJ sedan model, is an exercise for the senses.
With 400 horsepower available from the supercharged 4.2-liter V8, this big, silky cat is a joy to drive. It roars at the touch of the gas pedal, stops like it has huge claws at all four wheels and handles as though it is a much smaller sedan.
Zero to 60 mph comes up in just 5 seconds.
Other luxury sedans – the V12 BMW 760iL and the AMG-tweaked S-Class Mercedes Benz – have as much or more power, large doses of luxury touches and exemplary handling, but they often feel cold and heartless.
The Jaguar has personality.
And of course it should for a sticker price of more than $91,000.
The heritage of the big Jag sedans dates back through seven generations, and along the way there have been some clunkers. But this latest iteration is more like the type of cars that Lyons was thinking of when he built the first modern Jaguar sedan in 1948.
It is created from aluminum – body, chassis, engine – so it’s lighter than previous models. Even though its 205 inches long, the Super V8 tips the scales at about 4,000 pounds, as much as 800 pounds lighter than other sedans in its class.
The weight savings also allows the Jaguar to escape the federal gas guzzler tax. Fuel mileage is rated at 17 city, 24 highway, and in more than 500 miles of spirited driving I saw 21 mpg.
Credit for the better-then-expected fuel mileage also can be shared by the six-speed ZF automatic transmission, which has two overdrive gears that reduce the rpms of the engine at freeway speeds.
The Super V8 chassis uses a high-tech self-leveling air suspension that reacts instantly to changing road conditions and driving demands. The ride in normal use is supple with a hint of firmness. Press the car into a corner and the body doesn’t tilt and the 19-inch performance tires bite eagerly.
The four-wheel disc brakes have been upgraded for 2006 and provide repeated stops from high speed without any hint of fade. Pedal travel is a bit long, but not worrisome thanks in part of a brake assist system that comes into play under hard stops.
Elsewhere, the Super V8 oozes luxury that is in keeping with British class – even though Jaguar is owned by red-white-and-blue Ford.
There are wool carpets and real wood veneer on many surfaces. Those in colder climes will appreciate the heated steering wheel, and the rear-seat passengers will feel coddled in the spacious cabin while they watch video on the screens mounted on the backside of the front-seat headrests.
For those who want something even more sumptuous, there’s the Super V8 Portfolio edition, which lists for nearly $120,000 and comes with ; a soft-grain Conker leather interior; satin-finished black walnut wood trim; individual power rear seats with center console; and a 400-watt Alpine audio system.
Just as with any living, breathing creature, there are some minuses.
Jaguar’s refusal to jettison the odd J-gate shifter for the automatic is foolish, and the foot room for the driver and front-seat passenger is limited by the overly wide transmission console.
Then there’s the issue of styling.
I admit to being a fan of the tradition-oriented styling of the XJ series, but I can also understand that people who weren’t alive in the 1960s may find the looks stodgy. Mercedes has moved sedan styling forward with its racy CLS sedan, and it may be time for Jaguar to come into the 21st century.
Some buyers may also shy away from a Jaguar because of quality concerns. But Jaguar has come a long way from the days when cars coming off the assembly line had more than 500 flaws. Today, independent surveys rank Jaguar high in initial quality.
For those who choose the Jaguar Super V8, they will get a sedan with a definite personality that should please those who want to drive rather than be driven.
