British is most definitely best as Abu Dhabi Week slides behind the wheel of the luxurious new Jaguar XJL
The XJ is Jaguar’s flagship model and the L denotes that it is a long wheelbase version – the car has been stretched by five inches – but that hasn’t affected the glorious proportions of this über-saloon. In fact, the designers actually started with the XJL before shortening it for the regular version and as a result this big Brit is mesmerisingly beautiful.
When seen in the metal, the Jag manages to be both bold and attractive with a high beltline and fastback roofline that give the car short side windows and a profile similar to that of a four-door coupé (think Mercedes CLS).
The designers have also chucked in an extra helping of aggression for good measure. With a set of glowering headlamps and an imposing, upright grille, the face of this car fills rearview mirrors like a bouncer fills a doorway.
The XJ’s interior is also beautiful to behold. Though the wood trim will keep Jag traditionalists happy, there are also contemporary shapes and modern surfaces that manage to work along with it and everything you touch feels of the highest quality.
We’re drawn to the driver’s seat but maybe we’re more chauffer than chauffee. The XJL’s front seats offer 20-way power adjustment, heat and ventilation, with three memory presets for both driver and passenger – it’s feels just like we’re sitting in our favourite comfy armchair.
We also particularly like the 12.3-inch high-definition virtual instrument cluster – trust us, it’s more than just a design gimmick. Yes, it does give the car a ‘sense of theatre’, but it also completely eradicates glare on the dials in bright sunny conditions.
That sense of theatre continues with Jaguar’s trademark gear shifter, which rises from a flat position in the centre console when the start button is pressed. Lots of chromed metal trim appears between the driver and passenger, along with a high-gloss piano black finish.
However, this long wheelbase version is more about the extra space in the back and the overall passenger experience – and what an experience it is. Let’s be honest, if you can afford a car like this then you probably have a series of letters after your name (CEO, COO, VP or something like that) and can probably afford a driver too. This means you can relax in supreme comfort while you check your email, text, contemplate documents and plot corporate takeovers.
But trust us, you do not want to deprive yourself of the pleasure of driving this beast. Although we should add this warning: the experience can be seriously habit-forming.
Extensive use of aluminium and magnesium in the XJ’s skin and chassis means that although it’s no wraith, the big Jag is among the trimmest of the CEO super-saloons. The result is that despite being longer than Sheikh Zayed Bridge (206 inches, stem to stern) and wider than the Arabian Gulf (74 inches, hip to hip), the XJL can hustle from nought to 100kmh in an impressive 4.9 seconds.
Although it feels like you’re wafting along on a magic carpet ride when you’re safely cocooned in the rear, the driving experience is much more visceral. The purring engine literally growls when you put your foot down – believe us, this cat has claws.
So Mr CEO, there you have it. Sleek, powerful, agile and elegant. Now, how about a part-time chauffeur’s position?
THE STATS
Four-door saloon
Rear-wheel drive
Six-speed automatic transmission
5-litre V8 supercharged engine
510bhp
461Nm torque at 2,500rpm
0-100kmh in 4.9 seconds
Top speed 260kmh
(electronically limited)
