" A few years ago we had the pleasure of meeting legendary Jaguar development engineer Norman Dewis. This is the man responsible for the shakedown of many of the most incredible British cars ever made - and some of the out "
The New Jaguar XJ
In the year that Jaguar celebrates its 75th anniversary, we thought it would be fitting to spend some time with some of the new Jags that have been making such an impact.
Designer Ian Callum certainly knows how to pen a beautiful creation. When we travelled up to the lakes earlier this year in his stunning XFR, we fell in a rich, bounteous sort of lust. With the five litre, V8 supercharged motor and brilliantly adaptive traction control, the XFR was like a football hooligan dressed as a Guards Officer. And that is a good thing.
At the moment, we’re three days in with some beautiful time with the New XJ. Three hundred and fifty miles and only half a tank of diesel in, we have to say it is every bit as impressive as its shorter, slightly more aggressive cousin. The engine pulls beautifully right through the range, and the car handles like a much smaller specimen, especially with ‘dynamic’ mode engaged. It eats up motorway miles in the most gracious and comfortable manner imaginable – and the cabin and ICE is second to none in quality. Having recently done the same thing in an E Class Benz, there’s no comparison. The XJ feels like a car you really want to be with – while the Merc seems like a marriage of practical convenience.
This Jag is so good that our road companion and partner-in-life said during our elegant waft from London to Bath that ‘she didn’t want the journey to end’.
Stay tuned for a fully fleshed out feature on Jag’s new dawn online and in the forthcoming print ‘zine..
PS: The XJ is a pretty car, but not quite as luscious as our favourite English car: the XJ 13…
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I reckon the E Type MK 1 is the prettest Jag ever. If you like racing cars, then you'll be biased…