Jaguar XJ 2.0 SWB: the lightweight fat cat

It’s not every day you get a chance to drive a Jaguar, let alone the range-topping model, the XJ. The British indeed do the luxury saloon thing very differently from their German, American and Japanese competitors: cool, composed, subtle and with an Old World charm yet packing more than enough technology to stand proud on its own.

 

Jaguar and fellow British corporate sibling Land Rover have flourished under their new parent, the Tata Group, and their lineup is getting more exciting than ever.

 

The strengthened Jaguar-Land Rover base means that there are better economies of scale and resources for research, design and development being shared—which can only lead to far-improved technology that is also more affordable—and, in this case, more environment-friendly.

 

The heart of this XJ variant is a 2-liter, twin-cam 16-valve gasoline engine which originally found duty in the Range Rover Evoque. Equipped with a turbocharger, the engine delivers an impressive 237 horsepower and 340 Newton-meters of torque, powering the rear wheels via the now industry-standard ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, which is also extensively utilized by the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus and Porsche, to name a few.

 

Flappy paddles behind the steering wheel means you can really fully utilize the XJ’s surprisingly wide power band on tight, twisty roads and flowing B-roads, and even during some high-speed highway blasting.

 

The chassis itself is impressive. Being 5 inches shorter in overall length and a tad under 5 inches shorter for its wheelbase compared to the LWB version, the rear seats aren’t exactly palatial (there’s a long wheelbase for those chauffeur-driven types). Nope, this Jag loves to be driven hard by its owner.

 

Riding the line

 

The suspension deftly rides the line, coddling you while delivering massive levels of sure-footed grip when driven hard, especially when taking sharp, bumpy and slippery bends with gusto—just like a cat that will always land on its feet regardless of how high or how far you throw it.

 

Shame that many German luxury cars are getting firmer and firmer in their ride/handling/comfort trade-off in search of that “sporty” feel. They should all take a leaf from the XJ’s page. The steering is perfectly matched to the XJ’s demeanor: slightly wooly on-center but weighs up nicely as you pile on the lock; is accurate; and can filter out most road surface irregularities.

 

Riding on massive 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 275/40R19 Pirelli high-performance rubber, it’s amazing that the XJ can still ride quite softly and serenely when a relaxed cruise is on

order.

 

Leather is an art form mastered by the British and the XJ is a perfect example: soft black leather with matching stitching and piping, covering almost every surface inside the XJ, including the dashboard and the faux instrument cluster.

 

I say “faux” because, like some of the latest Lexus and Mercedes-Benz models, the instrument cluster is actually a large LCD screen that displays analog-looking gauges when moving, but can also switch to display other parameters, alerts and information regarding the big Jag.

 

Sporty, high-tech feel

 

Interestingly, there are also slashes of carbon fiber to give the XJ some sporty, high-tech feel as well as more traditional chrome accents to liven up the cabin. Somber, understated and cool are the best ways to describe the inside.

 

The Meridian surround sound system-equipped infotainment system is equally impressive, playing my MP3 tunes very clearly and powerfully. It’s just a shame, though, that I couldn’t connect my mobile device via Bluetooth. I’m not sure if it was an OS compatibility issue with my phone and the XJ’s infotainment system, or that the system can only connect to my mobile phone but not the audio MP3 tracks. An Aux-in cable and USB slots are the only means of connectivity for your media device.

 

Speaking of media devices, aside from the LCD instrument cluster, there are also two LCD screens mounted on the back of front seats’ headrest, for the enjoyment of the rear occupants, as well as the main display for the infotainment system on the center console. The XJ is definitely packing a lot of technology and yet still feels like it’s from an older, more revered and more mysterious era.

 

Safety comes in the form of six airbags (dual front, dual side and curtain airbags), ABS-EBD brakes and traction/stability control. But you won’t need these electronic nannies because the XJ’s chassis has been engineered to perform organically on its own, without much reliance on electronic aids. That is thanks to a nation that is the ground zero of the motorsports industry and has a vast number of racetracks. Because it is British, it is expected not just to japorm but most definitely to perform!

 

Behind the wheel, the XJ loves to cruise long distances. I took it up to Alabang and made quick work of the Skyway, flowing effortlessly. Open the surprisingly big taps and the XJ has more than enough power to really entertain you. While top speed is limited to just over 200 kilometers per hour, the XJ feels like there’s more than enough grunt to nudge close to 230-kph reliably, the ZF eight-speed giving the XJ surprisingly long legs.

 

On flowing B-roads, the XJ balances its hefty 1,690-kilogram aluminum body like a cat on the cross wire, with brakes more than powerful enough to catch the lightweight (for its size)

fat cat.

 

The XJ dares to be different by doing its own thing: soft-riding yet cool and composed, a small four-cylinder engine in lieu of six-cylinder ones—which everyone else still installs, resulting to forced-induced lumps—a cabin that resembles a proper British mansion sitting room, that rotary knob instead of as traditional gear-lever to select gears, that coupe-like silhouette and a good mix of old-school charm with new school technology.

 

A typical plutocratic zeitgeist will feel safer in something German because it is the norm. But the Jag isn’t for people who want to feel safe, i.e., safe in that they picked the popular choice. The XJ is for those who dare to be different and don’t give a sod about what other people think.