Drive Jaguar XJ since 2012 sedan

Cat eye

With its appearance, it least resembles the beast whose proud name bears. But on habits - one hundred percent hit in the image. Really Jaguar XJ8.
The name of this note is stolen from Stephen King. He has a small story in which a cat runs around a small town and looks at all the transverse on-hand. Will look and jaws - griefs of varying severity occur with civilians, in the spirit of Stephen King ...
The new Jaguar XJ is the same cat. It is enough to ride in it for several kilometers - and you were jinxed. More precisely, they have a bewitch, because after it I don’t even want to look at other cars. Their appearance, interior decoration and, most importantly, the soul is upset. Not deadly, like King, but the waste lasts a long time. At least it was with us.
The XXI century retreats. In the salon of the new XJ rolls a feeling of complete relaxation. First of all, from the techno of our henchouse. There are practically no newfangled materials in the XJ8 decoration - exclusively skin and polished tree are exclusively in front of the eyes. Under your feet is not a rubberized product, but a solid plain pile carpet. Only a little strict chromium was used to emphasize the elements of the finish. Therefore, the central block, consisting of an audio system and a climate installation, looks among this restrained luxury of a foreign body. Although it is also in a sense retro, since in its design there are no joysticks of control and moving displays. Management is carried out in the old way-buttons with the algorithm one button-one function. No flipping and inputs - the driver should not distract anything. By order, however, you can install a modern multifunctional display with a TV tuner, but it will still look like a new picture in an old frame.

With geometry, designers also did not wise and designed everything in the Jaguar traditions: a flat front panel, round windows and a rather large swaper of the automatic transmission selector on a thin leg - the style is withstanding for more than a dozen years. At the same time, they still managed to hide the management of additional equipment from immodest eyes. The trip computer settings unit is located under the wheel on the left, and the management of video and audio systems for the rear passengers is in the armrest sheathed with skin.
New traditions. Just do not think that the company is eagerly professing the principle of the British establishment and with island neglect refers to European automobile achievements. In saturation of modern Jaguar XJ technologies, it corresponds to its price.
The body of the new Jaguar XJ is an aluminum made using the most latest technologies. At the same time, the supporting frame, as, say, on Audi, is not here, and all the details are simply cooked or excited among themselves. Winged metal made it possible to significantly reduce the mass of the structure - by as much as 40 percent. It is argued that such innovations did not affect the safety - this is only an aluminum fork in the Soviet dining room could be bent with two fingers - the rigidity of the jaguar body increased in comparison with the steel more than doubled.
Without exception, new XJ models, a modern adaptive suspension with electronic controls (road clearance is automatically reduced by 15 mm at speeds above 150 km/h) and adaptive, depending on speed, steering. Electronic security systems that strangle the motor at the slightest hint of the driver’s mistake, of course, are also represented. But at a minimum - a disconnected system for maintaining the DSC course stability. Therefore, drivers, a spoiled abundance of electronics in German cars, will have to change the driving style.

The strength of the habit. In Britain, so -called honest sports traditions are very strong. Cashed phrase, this can unsportsively be the same insult as an accusation of unpatriotism. And Jaguar in spirit is a sports car. They need to be controlled, not just go.
First of all, you will have to get used to the gas pedal - it is much more rigid and short -lived than on German classmates. Obviously, designed for muscular Oxford rugbyists. Despite a small move, two provisions are clearly traced in the algorithm. If you crush slightly, uncertainly, then this is enough only to maintain the movement of the car - for example, in traffic. If you take on labor and push it more persistently, then Jaguar responds with a rapid acceleration, which, however, is very easy to control for two reasons. Firstly, there is a classic rear-wheel drive, and secondly, steering is simply perfectly configured. Light, but not cotton, at low speeds, it adequately reacts to speed growth, gradually bearing a pleasant heaviness ... And then a click of the Cyc-Dowan system relay is heard-the pedal, we recall, is short. Jaguar thinks for a second, and then jumps forward, in full accordance with the laws of the cat's world. From the habit, the leg independently jumps onto the brake pedal ... And then another surprise awaits the uninitiated. The brakes on the XJ 3.5 are a little inadequate to the storch of the motor. The pedal is already beginning to rest on the leg, choosing all its (again very short) free move, and the car continues to move forward. He, of course, slows down, but not as fast as we would like. Those who traveled on wet brakes from a deep puddle are familiar. On more powerful, 4.2-liter versions, the brake system is already different-Brembo. Those who have tried adult versions on the move - XJR and Super V8 were satisfied. But for kittens, Brembo regretted. Maybe in vain?

And one more observation: even when braking on a slippery surface (asphalt, abundantly sprinkled with sand), we could not catch the operation of the ABS system. And the block under the hood was seen and slows down the car without drifts, but the moment the system is included in the pedal is not transmitted.
The Jaguar XJ adaptive air suspension has its own factory abbreviation - Cats, cats. Very corresponds to how it works. Above all the irregularities, bubbles of the Earth, Jaguar flashes softly and silently. It includes steep turns easily and at ease - the feeling that cats are really worn on wheels, which are clinging to asphalt to the last.
  SIT! The jaguar is really sharpened exclusively for the sports style of driving - this is manifested even in how the driver's seat is equipped. It provides for 16 (!) Various adjustments, up to the adjustment of the length of the pillow. In addition, you can extremely accurately configure the position of the steering column and the pedal unit. The company reacted to this very seriously - the steering column and the pedals move the servomotors. You can adjust each block separately, or you can move everything at the same time. They say that this option appeared exclusively at the request of women. I wonder who asked to integrate massagers in Mercedes and BMW?
Against the background of all this, two things look like annoying misses. First, the key. From a massive plastic key fobe with the buttons of remote control of the locks, a thin Ford Say is shot. And the ignition lock is located on the front panel and shifted quite close to the center of the car. If you quickly transfer the right hand from the steering wheel to the automatic transmission selector, then the bracket sticking out into the interior covers the trajectory of the hand. We foresee that more than one key will be broken in this way.
Secondly, the expensive Alpine audio system frankly upset us (we determined the affiliation by inscriptions on the columns). It sounds excellent, but the tuner has a very weak antenna - the setting disappeared regularly, although anti -terrorist operations on this day were not carried out in the city and the muffins did not work.
Another modest claim: people of high stature will be a little cramped in Jaguar - it presses a low ceiling. But in the cylinder, as in Rolls-Royce, they do not sit in Jaguar. Even in the back seat. And still-if you are driving Jaguar XJ, you will never hear the neglect: hey, but do you have your own car?
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Konstantin Kokoshkin

Model/Modification Jaguar XJ8 3.5
Manufacturer/country Jaguar Cars Ltd. /Great Britain
Number of doors/places 4/5
ENGINE
Type/number/location of gasoline cylinders/8/V-shaped
Working volume (cubic cub) 3555
Power (kW (L.S.) at about./Min.) 190 (258) at 6250
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 335 at 4200
TRANSMISSION
The rear drive
Gearbox automatic, 6-speed
Brakes, safety
Front/rear circular ventilated
ABS, assisting 4-channel, electronic
electronic systems of the brake force distribution system (EBD) Maintenance of the course stability (DSC)
Front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, inflatable curtains
Dimensions/mass
Length/width/height (mm) 5080/1868/1448
Wheel base/clearance (mm) 3034/130
Tires 235/55 ZR17
The mass is equipped/complete (kg) 1615/2200
The volume of the fuel tank (l) 85
Maximum speed (km/h) 242
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 7.6
Fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 15.9/7.7
Price in Moscow $ 122 500

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
Glass hatch with electric drive and curtain $ 2070
Front parking sensors $ 920
The steering wheel decoration with leather and heated wood $ 1265
Navigation system + TV with a multifunctional display $ 5176
Two rear displays + DVD $ 3450

 

Source: "Autopilot"