Like North Sea oil, it’s been a long time inthe pipeline. It’s bold, it’s daring and it’sgoing to have people ogling.The new Jaguar XJ has finally purred its

way into dealerships across the UK.In fact I’m happy to report that the

very first worldwide sale of this stunningnew Jaguar was made by Craig Martin atHA Fox in Cheltenham. I’ll bet his bossPaul Holland; the General Manager is ahappy chap!I’ve been drooling about this car for

long enough. Well, the waiting is over andit was worth the wait. Boosted by thesuccess of the smaller XF saloon, Jaguarhas given its new flagship careye- catching looks and a modernsophisticated interior that’s packed with aload of hi-tech gear. The cutting-edgeapproach isn’t limited to the styling andinterior. The XJ features a lightweightaluminium construction, an advancedchassis set-up and powerful new engines.Its protruding grille and smoothsilhouette set it light years away from itsGerman rivals. Looking at the XJstanding by the kerbside, you’re almosttotally swamped by its imposing presenceand if you plump for the long wheel basevariant, then it simply becomes morecompelling.There’s a real sharpness to the profile

and as I’ve said before, cars like this needto provide beauty and menace in onedose. The new XJ clearly delivers this inone huge satisfying inoculation. It’ssimply stunning; a real head-turner.There are four trim levels to choose

from; Luxury, Luxury Premium, Portfolioand supercharged Supersport. The toptwo are recognisable by 20-inch alloy rimsthat compliment the XJ’s large wheel-arches.No Jaguar would be complete without a

luxury interior and the new XJ deliversthis in spades. All models get a panoramicglass roof, which gives the interior an airyfeel. The dashboard is also right on themoney. You get the rotary gear selector(as per the XF and XK) which rises outof the centre console, while the drivingposition is excellent. Elsewhere you’llnotice the ‘virtual’ dials that mimictraditional analogue units. And for a sliceof extra ‘theatre’, the backlighting turnsred when you engage the car’s Dynamicdriving mode. At night the rest of thecabin is bathed in a cool phosphorus blueglow.All very soothing and comforting. Add

to this soft leather, a selection of nineclassy wood trim finishes and plenty ofchrome detail and you have the makingsof real opulence. This could only be a

British luxury car; it’s as simple as that.All models get the Adaptive Dynamics

system, which sharpens the steering,damping and throttle at the touch ofbutton. However, even in the standardsetting the XJ feels very agile andextremely poised. The V8 produces 380bhp with a top speed of 155mph. Thefuel return is around 25mpg and if youplump for the diesel it’ll give you around40mpg. The XJ blisters its way to 62mphfrom a standing start in 5.7 seconds. Ithas a very ‘eager’ sense in its handling,which makes it feel like a smaller car...weird, but brilliant. The V8 produces aslight bark when you bury the pedal, butwhen cruising, the 5.0-litre is near-silent,helping to make the XJ an extremely quietmotorway companion as I found out onthe M5 near Cheltenham. Also available isthe 3.0-litre V6 diesel and the 503bhpsupercharged V8 power plant from theXFR. All versions get the same six-speedpaddle shift auto box, which is nice.So, when you’re out in the new Jaguar

XJ, put on your best clothes and makesure your hair is looking tidy, becausepeople are going to gawp and stare atyou. It’s only a cocktail of jealousy andwonderment as they, like me, might bedrooling. Entry prices are around£54,300.

JUNE 2010 COTSWOLD STYLE � 117

motoring

real opulenceEric Barton tests the new Jaguar XJ...

CS

For more information and to book a test drivewww.hafox.cheltenham.jaguar.co.uk

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