Jaguar founder Sir Lyons claimed that the next model doesn't have to repeat its predecessor; what matters is that it should be beautiful and swift, like a jaguar itself. The updated Jaguar XJ fully embodies the brand's motto: elegance, space, dynamics.Comments (4)At the origins of every great brand, including automotive ones, stands a personality, and most often it is this person who gives the company a name like Chanel or Ferrari. With Jaguar, it happened differently. William Lyons named the company SS (Swallow Sidecars), but after World War II the abbreviation SS acquired an undesirable political connotation, so the brand was renamed Jaguar.
The original name SS...
...later gave way to JaguarThey say the name determines destiny. Jaguars indeed turned out graceful, fast, and attractive — truly alive. The brand's slogan became the famous grace-space-pace. No matter how beautiful the elegant and aristocratic S-Type and X-Type were, no matter how many fans admired them, one cannot endlessly wear the same skin. The appearance of the XK and XF caused a storm of indignation: designers were accused of betraying the brand's style for commercial gain. But isn't that the goal of any automaker? The previous Jaguars were remarkable, but the laws of evolution are such that standing still means retreating. The new look of the model range was aimed at attracting a fresh audience — and the plan worked. Moreover, the company itself claims that the new models are a return to the roots.
 |
| The main thing is that the car is beautiful and fast, like a jaguar |
 |
| The brand's motto grace-space-pace, that is, grace-space-pace |
In the end, Lyons himself repeated many times: each new car can differ from the previous one, the main thing is beauty and speed worthy of a jaguar.
 |
| The new Jaguar XJ is a beautiful car. And unlike most representatives of the class, it can afford to be not only black, but also blue, green, and even dark red. |
Times have changed, old models have given way to new ones. And now recently — the new XJ. And the new Jaguar XJ is a beautiful car. And it remained a Jaguar — even more than before.
 |
Sir Lyons' path to success began with bodies, and only then, for the sake of his bodies, did he take on the chassis. We will do the same — start with the body. Despite the executive format, the XJ retained elegance and swiftness, although it became longer and wider. It does not weigh down with its mass: the lightweight aluminum body with a new power structure, which uses magnesium alloys and composites, gives the huge sedan sporty dynamics and a win in weight and rigidity.
 |
 |
What haven't car enthusiasts found in the car: the window line like the Audi A6, the rear end as if from a Citroen C6 that has been through all the circles of hell, and features of Bentley, Maserati, Lancia, and even Lancer X. Can't we leave the designers alone and admit that successful and elegant lines are the common heritage of all beautiful cars? Everything is decided by interpretation.
 |
| Comparing Jaguar with a jaguar is so trite... But if the resemblance to a wild cat, crouched on its front paws before an attacking leap, is so obvious, why argue? The bottom line is deliberately rising - precisely for this resemblance. Only the heavy rear end causes debate. |
Comparing Jaguar with a jaguar is banal. But when the resemblance to a cat frozen before a leap on its front paws is so evident, arguing is pointless. The bottom line is specially rising — to emphasize this resemblance. The huge massive rear end is perhaps the main reason for discussion. The panoramic roof leaves a small unglazed section — it should resemble a captain's bridge, from where the crew commander surveys the expanses ahead.
 |
| The crossbar on the panoramic roof |
 |
| is called the captain's bridge |
Cats know how to look down even on those who are taller than them. The Jaguar XJ is true to its nature. Fortunately for Britain, it remained a snob, but there is no aggression in its appearance. If headlights are the mirror of the soul, and the XJ's headlights have always been able to penetrate the very essence, then it's worth taking a closer look — and you can discern them in the depth of the all-new XJ's gaze. From any angle, the Jaguar looks you straight in the eyes. That is the soul.
 |
| No one knows how to look down on those who are taller like cats do. The entire appearance of the new Jaguar says that it is a well-bred and aristocratic cat, but if necessary, it can become primordially wild and ready to attack swiftly and brutally. While remaining within the bounds of nobility. |
"Your eyes resemble the eyes of a cautious cat..." The entire appearance of the Jaguar reveals a well-bred and aristocratic cat, but at the right moment it is capable of becoming primordially wild and attacking fiercely — while remaining noble. This character, discernible in the exterior, also manifests in motion. The car does not impose its temper; it can be comfortable and unhurried, but just give the command — and the purebred beast instantly springs from its place, devouring kilometers, remaining obedient to the trainer's will.
 |
| The Jaguar XJ remained a snob. And at the same time, there is no aggressiveness in its appearance. |
The exterior of this car can be anything, but it is not at the expense of practicality. For example, xenon headlights are not only stylish but also very convenient: at night with them you can see almost better than during the day. In addition, they have automatic that switches high beam to low beam when it notices an oncoming car. The body with a flat bottom boasts aerodynamic drag of 0.29. The silhouette looks like a swift coupe or hatchback, although in fact it is a full-fledged sedan: there is enough space above the head in the back, and the trunk holds 520 liters. Another pleasant moment — recycled materials are used in the production of the body, so Jaguar thinks about ecology.
Inside the new XJ, beauty and convenience also go hand in hand. The elegant center console not only pleases the eye: it conveniently houses buttons for controlling the gearbox, suspension modes, and the onboard menu — from music to navigation. In the center of the dashboard, between two oval deflectors, classic clocks with a blue dial are displayed.
 |
| Beauty can afford everything. Including being functional. |
The instrument panel is also unusual here. Instead of the usual needles, there is a display with a resolution of 614,400 pixels, on which virtual instruments in a classic style appear after the ignition is turned on. This is convenient: any relevant information can be displayed on the screen, whether it is navigation, service messages, the selected gear, or driving mode. And the backlighting of the speedometer and tachometer needles is not only beautiful but also helps to read speed and rpm faster.
 |
 |
The equipment list in the XJ is, of course, impressive: there are connectors for i-Pod, Bluetooth, power outlets, as well as sensors in the glove box lock and ceiling lights that react to hand movement. Blind spot sensors are hidden in the mirrors, and surround-view cameras help when parking.
 |
The driver's seat and steering wheel are adjustable in a good dozen directions — you can even get confused in such a number of settings. And heating, ventilation, and massage make the trip so comfortable that fatigue on the road seems simply excluded.
 |
| The ceiling can be upholstered in leather or suede |
 |
| The glove box opens when moving your hand in front of the touch sensor |
A special pride of the "Jaguar people" is the Bowers and Wilkins audio system with a power of 1200 W. It adjusts the sound by analyzing 54,000 parameters: from seat position to engine sound. The doors have special air chambers, thanks to which the speakers sound like at home. A similar analog system for home would cost about 30 thousand dollars. Before the trip, journalists were loaded with classics, Pink Floyd, and Prodigy onto the car's hard drive and into "iPods" — so that we could fully appreciate the sound.
 |
 |
It is hard to say for whom this car is primarily intended — for the driver or the passenger. It is perfect for both roles. On weekdays, the XJ owner can sit with maximum comfort on the spacious rear sofa, looking at the sky through the panoramic roof, and on weekends — take the keys, get behind the wheel, and go to tennis or a yacht, or even just take a quick drive along winding roads or wide highways. Even in Moscow, driving this car is a pleasure — the suspension handles the unevenness of Russian roads so nobly and simply. The only thing that can be reproached is that the rear backrests are not adjustable.
 |
| Driver... |
|
| ...or passenger? |
The engine range is three options. The calmest is a 3.0-liter diesel V6 with 275 hp, which does not annoy with noise or vibrations. Moreover, 80% of the maximum torque is available already at 1000 rpm. Next comes a naturally aspirated gasoline V8 with a volume of 5.0 liters (385 hp). And at the top are turbocharged gasoline V8s producing 470 and 510 hp.
 |
| The car has three driving modes: standard, winter, and dynamic, which change the settings of the suspension, steering, and other systems of the car, as well as the shade of the instrument backlighting |
The six-speed ZF automatic shifts quickly and smoothly, like no other. It is convenient to control the gearbox via the Jaguar Drive Selector dial. There are three modes: standard, winter, and dynamic — they change the settings of the suspension, steering, and other systems, as well as the instrument backlighting. In sport mode, you can shift manually with paddle shifters, but you are unlikely to do it faster than the car itself. The stability system can be turned off — then the "Jaguar" will allow a little mischief.
One could long describe the innovations, technologies, capabilities of engines and gearbox, adaptive damper systems, wheel position tracking, reduced steering ratio, aluminum body, weight, and aerodynamics... But I don't want to. All this is in the technical specifications. The advantage of brands behind which stands the personality of the creator, not marketers, is that they give emotions. And everyone has their own emotions.
 |
 |
On the road, the wild cat turned out to be as noble and at the same time daring as it looks. It is invariably obedient to the driver, but always ready to unleash controlled aggression. The "Jaguar" does not impose its character — the driver himself decides whether to drive leisurely and solidly or quickly and aggressively. At the same time, comfort is maintained in any case, whether it is 60 or 260 km/h. Like a true representative of felines, the "Jaguar" can step gracefully and unhurriedly, or, crouching on its hind legs before a jump, dash forward, reaching a hundred in 5-6 seconds.
 |
| On the road, the wild cat turned out to be just as noble. The Jaguar is invariably obedient to the driver, |
But at the same time, at any moment it is ready to unleash dosed aggression. Despite the serious power reserve and lightning-fast, almost feline reflexes, the car does not push towards reckless driving. If necessary, it will easily jump over any obstacle, but sharp accelerations and attacking corners at the limit of capabilities are unnecessary risk. Jaguar does not dictate its will to the driver, because, like a true cat, it is perfectly aware of its own significance.
 |
Even the most desperate journalists did not allow themselves hooliganism behind the wheel: the power and filigree-tuned reactions do not stir the blood and do not call for crazy feats. The car is capable of jumping over any obstacles at any moment, but senseless jerks and taking turns at the limit are empty recklessness. This feeling is complemented by the noble roar of the engine that sends shivers down the spine.
|
That is why the impeccability of the Jaguar XJ cannot be called a lack of temperament. Like any cat, it knows its worth.
Svetlana Aleeva
Behind the scenes
This is what Paris should be like!
 |
 |
See and...
 |
 |
Night cortege
Elegant and presentable
 |
 |
Tribute to history
 |
 |
Views
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Chantilly Castle
 |
 |