Test drive Jaguar XJ 2007 - 2009 sedan
The title has a price
Jaguar-rrr. Sounds like a zerno Svir-rr-RoPo. I hear his growling directly blood in the veins. And so he flies out at me, as expected, in the morning twilight, when a wake -up predator goes hunting. The squat monster digs into me with all four headlights of the head light instinctively covering my eyes with my hand, and it all approaches. Another moment, and irreparable will happen. But at the last moment, aggression gives way to reason. The beast, winking at me with the right turn signal, squats at the front paws and stops gently. My colleague Michael lowers the glass and invites you to the car. A privileged moment
The largest of the Jaguars XJ, or rather, its elongated version of the XJ Super LWB, stopped in front of me. But having looked closely, I find the distinctive features of a higher origin.
Yes, this is his excellency Damler, a car, so to speak, blue blood, the oldest among English brands. Starting with King Edward VII, the crowned persons used deimler there. Now the British monarchs have Rolls-Royce in honor, but this does not detract from the greatness of Damler. Which of the fact that in 1960, Jaguar Damler absorbed Mark, is and will be one of the most luxurious British cars, if you like, a symbol of nobility. And nobility will always know and nobility, as long as a person and his respect for history are alive. It is no coincidence that Bibiana Boero, CEO of Jaguar Kars, calls the acquisition of each Damler car to be privileged.
So for me such a moment has come. And even if I'm not a real buyer, but I have real Damler. The very unique (one of the two) corporate grenades, with an inimitable radiator grille, cut out vertically, with chrome rear view mirrors, on 18-inch alloy wheels with the knightly name of the rapier and, finally, with the Damler logo on a wavy trim the radiator and the lid of the trunk. For your excellency
Of course, the philosophy of the brand is easier to understand from the back seat. While the colleague has not changed his mind, I accept his proposal. I feel the nobility of the skin of champagne, I adjust the armchair with electroregies and inhale the noble smell of the salon, where the luxury of natural materials dominates. Under your feet, a rug made of wool of young lambs, on hand, a table of walnut plates. Not enough climatic comfort? On the climate control control panel, I install 22C for myself.
The graceful car smoothly and powerfully starts off. Attention to passengers in the back seat is special. I am not sitting above the rear wheel axle, as in most cars, but in the database of the most comfortable zone between the axes by the way, one of the largest in the machines F. Tired of flickering outside the windows I watch a TV in the head worker of the front seat. I can work with a laptop, for him there is a special outlet, I can go on the Internet, in short, stay in the thick of active life.
It is time for a colleague to give a dentist behind, and I am behind the wheel. The switch clocks on the instrument panel show 11.35 it is time to grab the highway freed from morning traffic jams.
Trying yourself in the role of the driver of the powers that is also a high honor. Thanks to the light body from aluminum alloys and a powerful 406-horsepower engine, the daimler goes into acceleration, on a single breath, as if instead of a six-speed box, a variator is installed. A hundred in 5 seconds to match sports supercars! The inscriptions of SuperchaRged in each of the dials on the dashboard are reminded of excellent dynamics, remember: the engine is equipped with a supercharger. However, sitting from behind, and you do not suspect that the car accelerates so quickly.
Brake dynamics is also at the highest level. On the impressive size of the brake mechanisms, the Brembo logo causes respect. But what the beeons mean in the right upper corner of the mirror, did not immediately guess. It turns out the cardinal points! Simply put, this is a compass true, electronic. Although the magic of adventure does not come from him, like from an old Bussoli in a wooden case, but a little thing in all respects is useful. Mikhail says that his friend, first finding himself abroad by car without knowledge of the language, first of all acquired the compass at least know that you are going in the right direction.
For the convenience of the driver, the pedal node, like the steering wheel, is equipped with electrical adjustments. Damler is a high -class car without any reservations. And since the owner may be in the driver’s place, he needs no less comfort here than behind.
The pneumatic suspension extinguishes the irregularities of the road, but does not allow the body to swing. In corners, a clear steering wheel allows you to definitely follow the desired trajectory with minimal rolls. The steering wheel is leather: oddly enough, but this is an option, although free. In the standard design of the steering rim of Damler is wooden. But in both cases with heated. It is nice to enjoy the sports behavior of a car created for the European nobility: it is trained in good manners. But the speed must be monitored. Firstly, this noble Englishman accelerates very briskly, and secondly, the speedometer has an unusual markup for us: 20, 50, 80, 110 and further every 30 km/h. The creators, apparently, decided not to exchange for trifles.
How difficult it is to combine nobility, status and sports: each of their three components in abundance and not to the detriment of others. The balance, which is not possible to observe everyone and not always. Otherwise, it would not be Damler. And the car would not cost at least 160 thousand dollars. In this car, everything is genuine; Is it because the reserve is full -size 235/50ZR18, and on a cast disk. Of course, in the case of a puncture of the tire, the appearance of a respectable car should not suffer at all!
The price of nobility
Despite the estate conservatism, in the UK and commoner can become a count. Queen Elizabeth II complains the noble ranks twice a year on Christmas and on her birthday. In this way
the title of baroness found Margaret Thatcher, and Stephen Spielberg, Bill Gates, Paul McCartney, Elton John became knights. But the title can be bought on a completely legal basis: the ruined lords put their titles for bidding. There is a noble origin of 10 thousand pounds. About the same deimler is more expensive than a yaguar similar to him. A modest fee for a good name. The car world is similar to the world of people because it was created by people. It has jaguars for customers with very high queries and there are deimlers for sovereigns and people of their circle. So they think in primitive England.
In Russia, it never occurred to anyone to ask if the title appropriate to him was bought with Damler.
Vladimir Solovyov
Source: The magazine "Driving"
