2004 Jaguar XJ

The cabin interior offers all the gleaming wood and aromatic Connolly hides you'd expect from Jaguar.

The late Sir William Lyons' vision for Jaguar involved "grace, space and pace." The 2004 XJ re-expresses many familiar and enduring Jaguar styling elements, from the quad, nacelle-like headlamps and catwalk fender trim, and an updated interpretation of the distinctive Jaguar grille, to the gently curved side reveals, a narrowed (albeit bigger) boot, and thin strakes rushing rearward in many places. These elements, familiar yet updated, enhance the car's feeling of motion, even while standing still. Grace, indeed.


Inside, thanks to a 6.4-inch longer wheelbase, the spacious cabin offers two more inches of legroom in front, greater legroom aft as well, a larger rear seat that tilts for greater comfort, and a trunk that's 25 percent larger. Think four golf club bags vs. two. Side by side, the new car is visibly more curvaceous and taller than the car it replaces. Standing alone, it looks very contemporary. The cabin interior offers all the gleaming wood and aromatic Connolly hides you'd expect from Jaguar, along with options like Piano Black trim (imagine the finish on a Steinway) and sensuous suede-like Alcantara fabric. Big, easy-to-read analog instruments and appropriately tactile switchgear, sensibly displayed around a large, 7-inch screen that accommodates the optional Denso DVD-based Navigation system, contribute to make the cockpit most inviting. Jaguar's engineers make a point of subtly criticizing BMW's i-Drive system, insisting that their new car offers "relevant," easy-to-operate or fully automatic driver-assisting technologies including DSC (Dynamic Stability control), Adaptive Cruise Control (with a driver-alert function), Emergency Brake Assist, ABS, of course, traction control and a new generation of CATS, the acronym for Jaguar's superb Computer Active Technology System.


Where pace is concerned, Jaguar's superbly smooth four-cam, 32-valve V-8 has been upgraded yet again for the XJ8 and XJR. Now 4.2-liters, with variable valve timing, it pumps out a hardly shabby 294-hp in the naturally aspirated "Dr. Jekyl" model, and a heady 399-hp in the supercharged and intercooled "Edward Hyde" variant. The XJ8, a pleasant grand tourer, will nonetheless rip off a 0-60 sprint in just 6.3 seconds. Its air suspension, while pleasantly compliant, will cheerfully tolerate fast touring. Summon the wicked Mr. Hyde in the XJR and the engine note revs to a snarl, 0-60 is reduced to a sports car-sapping 5.0 second dash, and the braking, while good with the stock Teves ventilated discs, becomes quite uncanny with the upgraded Brembo units. Jaguar has long been known for suspension smoothness and compliance. The computer-actuated, dual stage air springs lower the body half an inch at speeds over 100 mph. The R's suspension is considerably stiffer than the XJ8's, but it's hardly boy-racer rough. Interestingly, Jaguar offers a 240-hp, 3-liter six overseas in this new XJ, and they've announced a diesel option as well. But there are no plans for either of those engines here—yet.

Jaguar's smooth 4-cam, 32-valve V-8 has been upgraded yet again to 4.2-liters, with variable valve timing and horsepower ranging from 294 to 399.

Both V-8s are mated with an advanced ZF electronic 6-speed automatic. The updated Jaguar 'J-gate" shifter lets you shift gears manually. No standard transmission is offered, but judicious wand work with the shift lever gets you the gear you want, when you want it, with short, nicely spaced detents. On long sweeping turns in Southern Spain, we were able to shift up or down instantaneously, thanks to the shift-by-wire on the manual side, even more smoothly than we might have managed with a standard gearbox. For a car this size, with an automatic this responsive, I can't image why you'd even want a standard shift. There, I've said it.


By their wheels (and other elements), ye shall know them. For U.S. buyers, Jaguar will offer the XJ8, with 17-inch wheels, an upgraded Vanden Plas model with even more luxurious touches plus 18-inch wheels. The aforementioned XJR, with its supercharged V-8, gets Brembo braking, and oversized 19-inch wheels and 255/40 R19 Pirelli P-Zero performance tires. Want more? There's a 20-inch BBS "Sepang" wheel option with rubber band thin 35 series tires, too. The ZF Servotronic steering is nicely weighted in both models; it's light but precise at high speeds, and it's especially adaptable for parking maneuvers.