Today I have information for you about my impressions with an old but still comfortable and powerful car. It is a product of the classic sedan of the British Jaguar XJ series, which has been produced since 1968, when it was presented as the last model of the brand under the leadership of Sir William Lyons at the Paris Motor Show and, thanks to its character, set new parameters not only for the models of its own brand, but also for its concurrence.
The model that I had the opportunity to get to know up close is the tenth generation of XJ series cars, when Jaguar was already owned by the Ford Company. This model was presented in 1997 in Frankfurt, Germany, and follows on from the previous generation X300, from which it differs in appearance only in details. On the other hand, everything inside the cabin was reworked and the car received, for example, rounded shapes of the dashboard.
At first glance, its dark green metallic color matches the car, it looks elegant and complements the light wood-paneled interior well. And when the sun shines, the varnish will show its other shades, which are not very visible in cloudy weather.
When meeting this car, most people will notice the unusual body shape for today's time, which in its appearance follows the generation of the original XJ6, whose production ended at the turn of the eighties and nineties of the last century. From the side, it's a classic long and low silhouette, four round headlights catch the eye from the front. After getting into the car, I am absorbed by the bright leather upholstery with a comfortable seat, after inserting the key into the ignition, the steering wheel is automatically adjusted to the correct position and the seat according to the driver's last position.
The range was powered by a 3.2- and 4.0-liter eight-cylinder engine, with the larger of the turbocharged engines being the basis for the most powerful and fastest version of the XJR.
After starting up, the quiet eight-cylinder starts up, which is almost inaudible when the doors are closed, and its power allows it to roll over at lower speeds just above the idle limit. Although the model does not have air suspension like some previous versions, the long wheelbase contributes to a comfortable and slightly rocking ride. But since the Jaguar brand has always belonged to sports cars, even in a comfortable limousine the sporty character cannot be denied, especially when using the "sport" button. The four-liter eight-cylinder will then make itself known by humming, the automatic will downshift and the start will push you into the seat. The factory-specified maximum speed for this variant is 243 km/h, which is more than sufficient for the limits set on most European roads. On the German highway, where it is possible to "air out the cobwebs", it is no problem to swing comfortably at a speed of around two hundred kilometers per hour on a soft, but sufficiently sure chassis even over long distances, while enjoying high-quality sound from a proven CD changer, radio or of the then usual cassette player music that suits the current driving style and in short to enjoy the ride to the fullest.
It is not so much possible to "steer" a relatively heavy car in the districts, although its weight is noticeable when driving on winding roads. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the ride, slow down and if you want to relax in a place other than the driver's seat, then let yourself be lulled by the comfortable ride.
I almost forgot – of course, the equipment also included a mobile phone, built into the center console and coordinated with the hands-free kit controlled by the steering wheel. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to try it yet, although the phone seems to still work, I just haven't been able to find anyone willing to try to set it up for today's carriers with a twenty year old phone.
Are you also asking about consumption? In this category of cars, this is not a figure that most owners would deal with, on the other hand, with the volume and power available in the car, in my opinion, it belongs rather to the lower ones, especially if we take into account the competition from that time.
From my point of view, the production date of cars in this category is not a problem at all, they radiate charisma, which is often lacking nowadays, when car companies are churning out millions of series of cars.
