They’re all trying really hard – car makers, that is.
Jaguar has announced that it’s range-topping XJ is getting a bit of a lift. Additional spec at no additional cost is added, which is usually what happens when a model is past its prime.
But in many ways the XJ still offers a great deal. But its biggest plus and biggest minus are the same thing – its look. The history is there – harking back to the MK 10 and beyond. It does have grace and pace. It is a nice place to be, and a nice car to drive. And yet….
End of life tweaks for the Jaguar XJ
I do love the XJ range. But I don’t know if I could live with one full time any longer. It feels dated. It’s a wee bit claustrophobic, with its high waistline and lack of space. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot better than it was. There’s even more space inside than the latest model had, thanks to redesigned seats, and you now get an enormous amount of kit for your money.
The range is now limited to just two engines – the 2.7 litre diesel (which has won ‘Britain’s Greenest Luxury Car’ – a somewhat oxymoronic title) two years running, and the Autobahn-eating 4.2 Supercharged engine that used to live in the XJR. The 3.0 litre has gone, as has the XJR, which is sad as the XJR always felt like a real XJ should. A sometime brute of a car, it managed to be civilised when you wanted it and menacing when you didn’t.
Trim levels, although to a much higher spec, are now limited to the Executive and Sovereign in the Diesel cars, and the Super V8 for the supercharged car. Prices start at £44.5k for the 2.7 Diesel Executive, rising to £57.5k for the Super V8. All of which are very competitive for what they offer.
But you will drop a hurtful amount of money if you buy one. The new XJ is just around the corner, which is a real big-brother to the hugely successful XF, and promises to be as successful as the XF has been. It will make the current XJ look about as contemporary as Morse’s MK II.
But it will be a shame to lose the last traditional Jag.
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