IL Track Tested: 2011 Jaguar XJL Supercharged

That's pretty impressive on the numbers, especially considering the size of the thing. I haven't yet seen one on the road, but I really hope to soon.

blueguy-- I can definitely see the Amanti styled taillights as far as Kia goes... but otherwise I think the XJ has the "new" styling cue of the XF... the XF being far more intriguing to me. I'd be getting a CTS-V if I was into a car in this price class.

should it be more inline with S63 for direct competitor? Although the #s are better than M5.

This beauty looks even better in person, up close and personal. However...this is made for the S63, the 760Li, even the Continental Flying Spur. M5? E63? C'mon...that's XF-R territory.

"that I can't help but laugh everytime I see one on the road."

How many have you seen on the road yet?

I think it looks great, way ahead of anything German.

I believe Edmunds knows what car this competes with. What they are showing is that this larger weaker car handily mops the floor with these so called mid-size super sports sedans. Its performance is amazing given its output. Its also sexier than the M5 and E63 not to mention the S63 and 760i/B7.

Can Jaguar please give this engine to the Aston Martin Rapide?

@blueguydotcom

If by "road presence" you mean tacky Audi LED lights, over sized and pretentious Mercedes chrome or stereotypical bland BMW styling, then yes, the Jag lacks presence.

I think the car pulls off having a very unique look while remaining understated and not too in-your-face. Not to mention the interior is like nothing in its class - it breaks all the mold that the Big Three have fallen into.

Yes, the rear end doesn't appeal to everybody, but there's something about it as an entire package that gains my respect... kind of the same quality Citroen has I suppose.

This car is pretty, not to mention fast. Not a fan of the rear pillar, works if the car is black.....which, really, is the only color youd want....sexy as hell...love the instrument panel set up, clever and refreshing.

An XJL zoomed past me on the tollway the other day in a clean white paint (not cream). It looked FAR better in person than in pictures.

Saying the XJ lacks style must be a joke.

I just saw one of these on the highway the other day. It's truly far better looking in person than in photos. I would never call it beautiful (nothing in this class is), but it is intriguing and unique. It has good road presence and doesn't look like anything else on the road.

Having said that, although I know the XJL would absolutely mop the floor with my S550 in terms of performance, when the time comes to replace my aging companion (the Benz) there is no question who will be getting my business. I just don't trust Jaguar quality and my S has been flawless for 4 years and and 80K+ miles. To me, that's far more important in a daily driver than sleek lines and a potent engine.

I love this car, it looks amazing on the road

Quarter mile in 12.6 seconds?
Thats as fast as an R8 V8!

I wonder what the shorter wheelbase XJ Supersports (with ~510hp) quarter-mile is?

@blueguy

I can only imagine (and hope) that you must be thinking of the old 2004-2009 XJ. Nothing about the styling on 2011 XJ says lame or boring.

Seen a few in the Del Mar area and they're just a shrug. My wife thought one was an old Ford of some kind from the 90s. It really is just an amorphous car in person. Sort of an even blander version of the already weakly styled Quattroporte.

The XF definitely screams late 90s Taurus to me. This...there's just something kinda of gaping-mouth, no-style about the front, sides and rear of the car. Like, I said, it has the presence of a Kia - all sorts of styles (modern, classic, retro, tacky) jumbled up.

.... someone just said that Maserati's (admittedly aging) Quattroporte is "weakly styled". WOW.

@blueguydotcom ---- ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? The three most well-styled sedans on sale right now (XJ, XF, Quattroporte) are ugly for you? Comparing any of those cars to a 90s Ford/Taurus or a Kia should be a federal crime. I resurrected my centuries old account just to comment on this.

*shrug*

Everyone has their opinion I guess. I like the styling.

@blueguydotcom- U SAID WHAT NOW?????? evryone has they're own opinions but really this is one of the best looking lux cars on the road rite now! i REALLY REALLY hope u were talking about the old XJ which really had been aging since 1980 bcuz this is an amazing halo car for jag

What's with all the indignation at one man's opinion? Styling is subjective, ladies, calm down or pop some Midol. There isnt one single car on the road that everyone finds beautiful, and this thing is certainly no exception.

I always figured I'd be the last person in the world to agree with this blueguy dude, but on this I have to give him a high-five; the xj is a ridiculous eyesore, the xf is just blah bland, and the 4porte has always reminded me of a Buick.

These numbers prove once again that anyone can build a fast car, by slapping on a s/c or turbo, and they can make it stop quickly, by throwing on some big brakes, but, not everyone can make a fast car that can handle better than the average family sedan. Sad; I guess jag forgot that the road occasionally curves.

scorp76 I agree... that thing looked hopelessly lost in the slalom

I wonder how a Benz with ABC or a Bimmer w/the sports package would look out there. This car screams 'hire a driver and enjoy my back seat!', not 'lets go for a mountain run', which is fine. I just think it's funny how great IL trumps up its handling to be.

The 0-60 performance is amazing, but somehow slalom is way behind M5 and E63. I am eager to see the same kind of comparison between XJL, S63 and 760Li. By looking at the data between the same class cars, we can see how the size of a car affects the slalom. I personally think 0-60 and slalom are the two main indicators of real life driving capability. (we may need to look at more numbers for German market where there is no speed limit.)

New XJ (XJL) definitely lost the traditional (classic) look of old XJ. Jaguar tried to combine sportiness to the traditional look, but it came out to be closer to sportiness at the end. Customers in this class must have liked the classic look of old XJ with not bad performance. With the new XJ(XJL), the differentiation in the look appears weakened, and the competition could get harsh in performance aspect. That's why it would be interesting to see the direct performance comparison between XJL, S63 and 760Li. XJL's pricing looks modest compared to S63 and 760Li, doesn't it?

Why did some of you mention Hyundai/Kia? Currently they are not playing against each other.

Bigger, faster, and cheaper than M5 and E63??? I love it. I still don't "get" the styling completely, but nothing in this set is really drop-dead gorgeous any more, except for the Quattroporte.

Blueguy:

You have no taste, no sense of style, and now, no credibility.

Inside Line: Long Term Test. NOW.

I figure once Tata has fully immersed itself in JLR, they'll do something about the slow electronics (since the touchscreen is a pain and apparently so is the instrument panel).

But my goodness. It's a beautiful car. Does lean quite a bit in corners though.

PS: Blueguy is not of this world.

With it's nice clean lines, this car is beautiful. I will say this though; at almost 30k less and better numbers I can buy a CTS-V and be just as satisfied with luxary and performance. This Jag is still outstanding, and I would be proud to have this as an alternative.

The front of the car is purrrfect (jag is a cat duh!). However, the rear doesn't do it for me when your more than 5 feet away from it or looking at a 3/4 profile. The blacked out rear pillars seem almost out of place, and the rear trunk/lights look like they ran out of time when they designed it. But, once you get close to the rear, it starts to look magnificent.
I sat in one and it was one of the nicest interiors I've ever sat in. I would say better than most mercs/bmws out there in terms of feel and ambiance.
It's a great underrated car that isn't TOO mainstream. I think it's the best lux boat in terms of style. Go Jag!

Other than the performance, add me to the group of those not impressed with the styling indside and out. My Parents have had Jags since the 70's and they always had an understated elegance, this and the XF are too Japanese looking.

Hey blueguydotcom, do you work for BMW or Mercedes? I doubt you have you even seen and XJS on the road. I live in Manhattan -- probably where most will be sold -- and have only seen three since they hit the market.
Curious to know of those three brands, BMW, Mercedes and Jag, which one is the style leader in your mind?

Judging by many of the posts on IL I think the CTS V is the defacto standard for ultra high performance at "reasonable" prices. The V has been mentioned here, 1487 brought it up during the review of the the new Infiniti M and I've seen it several other times also.

Back to the Jag though; I haven't seen it on the road yet so I can't fuly comment on the looks but but the specs of this car are IMPRESSIVE! I would love to drive one!

I happened to see a black one of these when it was getting dark and the car looks simply stunning with some lights reflecting off of it. I must say that this car is on top of my list when it comes to styling.

@designsells,

Not a fan of any of the designs. MB and BMW are tied for so-so looking cars. Jaguar's attempts are a joke. And I don't doubt Manhattan gets many luxury autos but compared to So Cal (where the car is a fashion statement)

I see the new Jags and this is another car that comes to mind:

http://pdfarena.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/buick_lacrosse.jpg

In general the new Jags look miles beyond the company's previous cars. The XF is a very nice looking car on the road. The XJL has some of the same curves so I can't call it ugly or boring.

Performance is amazing, more so considering it's a big luxury sedan. The gorgeous styling is simply icing on the cake.

I saw one (a white XJL supercharged) in person at a dealership (I was there to drool over the Boxster Spyder they had out front). I didn't much care for it. I must prefer the XF it was sitting next to. That grill is huge. It looks like it could eat a Prius. But I may not be the best judge because I don't think the Panamera is hideous, just fat.

I dream to see a challenge between AlpinaB7/MB S63/Panamera Turbo/Jag XJ Supersport, Next Audi S8!!!!!

This thread is fun! Thanks for stirring the pot, blueguy. :)

I'm curious, what cars do you find to be exceptionally styled? That will give us some reference as to your tastes.

YOU GERMANS ARE IN BIGGGG TROUBLE IF YOU NOTICED THIS WAS A SUPERCHARGED MODEL NOT THE SUPERSPORTS ALSO IT WAS THE HEAVIER LONG WILL BASED MODEL NOT THE SHORT ONE AND TO TURN OUT IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS LIKE THIS WOW ITS ONLY A TENTH SLOWER THEN YOUR 5.0 MUSTANG ITS FASTER THEN YOU CAMARO BOYS AND WE NOT EVEN GONNA GET ON CHALLENGER....I WANT ENDMUNDS TO REALLY PUT AN EGG ON IT AND FRY IT WITH A SUPERSPORT SHORT WHEEL BASE MODLE IM WILLING TO BET THAT WITH 510 HP ON TAP AND A LO CURB WEIGHT IT WILL DO 60 IN 4.2 AND HIT .87G ON THE SKID PAD THATS MY BET THANKS TO SOLD PARENT FORD JAGUAR IS THE NEW UP AND COMING OLD CAR COMPANY.

I don't mind it but CTS-V please. More presence, more aggression, more speed

crickey, the man is entitled to an opinion! He wasn't rude or arrogant about it, like people often are on here. I don't agree with him, but I certainly don't see the need for such ranting, lol.

I personally liked the traditional style of the previous model. To me, its something that should never change because its so quintessentially British. It doesn't need to try and be an S-Class or 7-Series, because its a Jag. But thus is life.

blueguydotcom is just a repressed Ford fanboy, because Ford doesn't have a rival for this car.

And why the hell some of you are bringing the CTS-V to the discussion? Oh I know... it's because like Ford, GM doesn't have a rival for this car, either.

So you know... you've got to downplay what you don't have and talk up what you do, even if it is as ludicrous as it gets to compare a luxury sedan with a luxury sedan.

Tsk, tsk... Losers.

Insideline really chose the wrong cars to compare this to. The XJ is a size class above the E and 5, which the XF competes with. If anything, you'd want to compare this trim to an S600, 760Li, LS600h L, and A8L W12. Those are long wheelbase cars that would have a motor that puts up similar or better numbers, but has the chassis length and suspension tuning to more accurately compare to this trim level.

Also, you all complaining about the handling, you forget this is the mid-grade trim level with more of a luxury slant, and it still holds up pretty well to what would be considered true sports sedans rather than large fast luxo-cruisers.

I'm sure the XJL Supersport offers even more incredible performance (it should with 510hp), and combine that with the shorter wheelbase model, and it will undoubtedly keep pace with the smaller cars listed here in terms of handling and easily smoke them in accleration, not to mention blowing the doors off of the S63, S8, and the B7.

Styling is subjective, yes, and those who dislike Jag's new styling direction are entitled to feel that way, but I have heard far more "OHHHHHs" and "AHHHHHs" at the new Jags than not. And add me to that camp. I've seen the new XJ at the LA Auto Show, and a few out on the road, and it is simply captivating for me. Given I had the money to buy a large luxury sedan, it'd be this one hands down. Especially love the interior, which is beautifully crafted and detailed. Add in the Bowers & Wilkins stereo for the audiophiles, and it's a home run for me.

Very pretty car. If I had 100K I'd probably consider it. For that money I'd also consider a Maserati. I do like what Jaguar has been doing with their styling though.

saw an XJ on the road last week and thought, wow what a huge, stylish sedan, especially compared to Audi (boring), MB (BORING), BMW (ugly) and Porsche (UGLY).

seeing the performance numbers makes it even more impressive. with proper suspsension tuning the Jag will be top dog by a wide margin.

I might have to retract my earlier comment about the XJL "mopping the floor with my S550". I just looked up the Edmunds performance data for the last S550 they tested and it pulled 0.87g on the skid pad and threaded the slalom at 63.4mph (it had ABC). I have no doubt the Jag is a more communicative and responsive car, but I have to give MB some credit here. On another note, the BMW 750Li must absolutely destroy the XJL in performance testing if the Benz is slightly better.

Mercfan,

Do you mean the 760Li? The 750li doesn't seem to perform too stellar if you refer to this article, albeit its the short wheelbase edition, but still comparable and it should perform better than the Li.
http://www.insideline.com/bmw/7-series/2009/2009-bmw-750i-full-test-and-video.html

Even then, the V12 in the 760Li is going to hold it down with its sheer weight and gets 0-60 times at the same time as the Jag (As BMW specs show). For the money, an XJL Supersport could be had, and I'm sure that could fare very well against a 760li.

I'd love to see a comparison of these large cars, with the A8 being the closest to the XJ thanks to their aluminum designs for lighter weight.

I'd also love to see any iteration of the XJ in the IL Fleet, considering I am looking at them currently but not going to buy one until I see how the reliability fares. The Jalopnik incident with their XF-R doesn't bode well.

@the_stig,

Does Ford still make cars? I thought they went out of business after the Exploder started rolling. :)

Great looking cars...outside and especially INSIDE...

@ FORDFRENZY -- PLEASE STOP YELLING

Blueguydotcom is entitled to his opinion. He has always had posts that seemed well-thought out and reasonable. But on this, I think the new XJ has a very nice road presence, but then I've only seen it in black. I wonder how a lighter color would look on the road.

Totally agree with blueguydotcom. I think this Jag looks like a stretched out Infiniti J30 with a bit more chrome. If I had the choice, I would rather drive the M5 or E63.

Anyone else notice the front of the car bobbing up and down at the end of the brake tests, as if the dampers were worn?

blueguydotcom

don't hate something just because you can never have it. This car exudes beauty and elegance. If you call this bland then what exactly is a good looking car in your book?

Your ignorance and lies humor me.

a far better comparison would hav been the XJ SuperSports, the Alpina B7, and the S63 AMG; maybe even a bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed. If u can afford the Jag, then the Bentley's price shouldn't be tht big a deal.

I own an '04 XJ8 and have test driven the new XJ. Jag has clearly gone the way of its competitors in terms of "toys" for the new XJ. Performance is outstanding. I understand that they need to compete with BMW, Mercedes et al, but I would have (selfishly) preferred a more modest evolution of the previous model in terms of styling. Understated class and beauty... I'm afraid those days are over at Jag.

For the first time on a couple days ago i got to see this car in person.... ITS A BIG BOY ahaha and weird lookin very different i applaud the new Jag =)

@Bigjoe19

You're right, understated class and beauty is gone. Jaguar is now going for an aggressive look. Why? Because they were about to bankrupt themselves with the old styling. No one was buying them anymore. It was time for a new look.

I like this car a lot, to say the least.

@blueguydotcom - I see an XF supercharged everyday in a weak sandy bronze color (not a favorite) and still think it's attractive. Not sure I get what your taste is, but I'm sure I wouldn't agree.

very impressed with the figures.... i really am. i always thought badly of jag, but now things are different. i can even imagine myself in one sometime in the future. im sure many here feel that way.

i am a BMW guy, dont like lexus, dont like audi and their FWD cars... never warmed up to merc too (altho they are improving fast since splitting from chrysler.

so its mainly bmw for me. and now, jag...... if only they didnt have that silly plastic interioirs, esp in the XF with that rotating AC.... come on its a car not some show toy.

@blueguydotcom, you haven't spent much time in Manhattan. Every third (non-taxi# car is an S-class. MAybe the S-class isn't a luxury car to you, but I'd be interested to know what is, if a high-end Mercedes #which often costs more than the Jaguar in question). The performance certainly isn't anything to scoff at!

As for Jaguar quality, my 2005 S Type R has been to the shop all of once for repair, with 70k miles. It's a good car, but before you dig my tastes, I bought it for the value of performance/cost. It's not perfect, but the new generation of Jaguar cars has improved most of the flaws evident to me in my S Type.

As for styling, I personally miss the distinctive English looks. The new XF resembles a Lexus GS to me from many angles. The new XJ is beautiful and distinctive, but it's proportions are overstated to my eye. We will all see how it ages.

Recently had an opportunity to test drive the new XJ supercharged, short-wheel based version. First I rode in the backseat, what a magnificant place to be. You'd have to be in a Bentley or Rolls to duplicate the sense of elegance and comfort. Real leather, soft and smooth, not that brittle stuff you have to pay extra for in a BMW.

Next I drove the car, serene speed and a sense of being a master of all. What power, it seemed unlimited, smooth and continuous, as the speedometer swings upward. Handling and brakes make it all drama free, a car for the person who has arrived and doesn't feel the need to copy the crowd. Now I only have to count my pennies and convince my other half that our 2009 is in need of replacement.

Would love to see the notes on the other cars too. Was the M5 6 speed or SMG? TC on / off? Launch control used? etc.

Wow...after reading these comments...I HAD to jump in!
Yes...the new XJ is a HUGE let down. Sadly Jaguar did not stay current over the years and got left behind with design tweaks. And in playing "catch-up" they hired Ian Cullum to shake things up.
What I hate is that he did not take into account Jaguars history and the lineage with some of the details that made the XJ special for 30+ years.
I live in Atlanta and see dozens of Panameras, Quatt's, S class, 7 series BMW's, and A8's daily.
Finally a few XJ's are now cruising around as well. And speaking from experience the looks are a let down.
It looks new and refreshing now...for a Kia or Nissan...NOT Jaguar.
The C-pillar is a joke.
The size feels nice when its an XJL version. The short ones are cheap looking.
Here are some inages of the details Jag SHOULD have kept....
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3833771

and can someone tell me why the front diffuser in the pic above is jagged and not straight across?
Its very distracting. $@$% you Ian.

return:
the 4 separate headlamps,
vertical fender vent,
mono wiper,
fog lamps,
forward opening hood...and THEN I will buy one. Until then...Maserati 4porte..here I come.

@jaggyboy- the whole point in redesigning the XJ was to MOVE FORWARD! I bet Ian designed the car like this bcuz the XJ has been aging since it hit the 10 year mark and its needed a redo FOREVER! Btw ur post is redundant! u say that jag got left behind in design and then u say that they didnt keep the details that made the XJ special for the past THIRTY YEARS! Who wants a car that looks like it got left in the 60's?????

@jaggyboy- the whole point in redesigning the XJ was to MOVE FORWARD! I bet Ian designed the car like this bcuz the XJ has been aging since it hit the 10 year mark and its needed a redo FOREVER! Btw ur post is redundant! u say that jag got left behind in design and then u say that they didnt keep the details that made the XJ special for the past THIRTY YEARS! Who wants a car that looks like it got left in the 60's?????

but i agree on the forward opening hood.... THAT would b SICK