7 February 2011
Being completely honest, at a sprightly 30 years of age this reviewer for a long time saw Jaguar as the 'elder statesman' of the more mainstream luxury car brands. All woody inside, like the hand-crafted tobacco pipe of older folk - who as price and the brand's steeped tradition would invariably dictate - were the primary consumer.
But after driving some of Jaguar's latest offerings I now see them as a brand not only looking for a new and potentially much younger client base, (perhaps a necessity after several years of declining sales) but a brand on the cusp of actually attaining it.
While this spring chicken may still fall short of the iconic brand's target demographic, the distributors of Jaguar in New Zealand Motorcorp Distributors ltd are making a good fist of lowering that age group and reviving Jaguar's place in the market with sharp pricing and marketing some sportier models. A very limited run of the X-type sport with a low price point of $63,990 gives you the air of prestige and elitism among peers, for a fraction of the comparative money Jag owners of old used to pay. Let alone what's asked from current German rivals.
On top of this the proposed S-type replacement, the XF which we will see here in 2008 is arguably the brand's most dynamic and 'coolest' piece of design to date.
Also adorning the gleaming 'leaper' bonnet decoration is a new generation of diesel powered Jaguar's. Sourcing the superb 2.7 litre twin-turbo V6 diesel used in Peugeot's 407 the latest S-type diesel delivers punchy performance, well-planted road holding and commendable fuel economy.
The wood is disappearing too, replaced by racy carbon fibre or classy brushed aluminium dash fascias. As is the case in the re-introduced XJR, the 4.2 litre, 298kW supercharged variant of the XJ saloon range. The reintroduction is the first phase in a plan to broaden the XJ model line up in New Zealand.
The XJ, like its smaller S-type brother has been around some years now, but was well ahead of its time when it was launched in 2002. Despite its dominating size (over five metres long and 2.1 metres wide) weight is reduced thanks to an entirely aluminium body. Power to weight ratio of the Jag XJR is around 180kW per 1000kg, almost identical to that of a Porsche Carrera 'S'. Needless to say it goes like the proverbial cut cat.
There's still more than just a whiff of Gentleman's cruiser in the XJ's exterior styling, but the chrome mesh grill and aggressive 20-inch wheels appeal to young rebel rousers, yes, even me. Slide behind the wheel and the XJ continues to impress, the only niggle inside being the now slightly dated LCD displays for the dual zone climate control.
But it's on the road where the Jag's of new best shrug of the tweedy connotations of their predecessors, and the XJR is no different. The typical lofty Jaguar ride is marred slightly by the low profile rubber, but acceptable for a sports variant, and besides the supple computer active technology suspension (CATS) retains its composure over bumps and corrugations better than competitor sport saloons.
0-100km/h comes in a scenery blurring 5.3 seconds but from inside the well-insulated cabin you'd barely know, the performance is refined and effortless. As the silky ZF six-speed selects second, the whine of the roots supercharger is music to the ears while the arm-chair-comfy seating holds you firmly in place when navigating the bends.
On the specification front the $179,990 XJR predictably offers a well stocked larder, electrically adjustable steering column and pedals, heated front seats, rain sensing wipers, electric sunroof, Bluetooth communications, front, side and curtain airbags, stability control and a premium six-disc audio system are all standard fitment.
Jaguar still have work ahead if they are to tap into the younger audience, and greater market share the technology driven German brands enjoy.
But exhibiting not only awesome bang for buck but also superior comfort than many pricier luxury marques, the XJR makes an excellent alternative to the herd that could act as the toe in the water for discerning whippersnappers.