With style, luxury and great gadgets, Jag XJ is executive motoring at its best
The Jaguar XJ exudes opulence and delivers a sublime dynamic driving experience.
It was apparent as soon as I walked towards this classy saloon from the premium British marque, in this case making its presence felt in high- end Portfolio spec.
The imposing chrome front grille contrasts with the slim, striking LED headlights with their signature double J daytime running lights.
The long, sleek bonnet, low, wide stance, lengthy taut waistline and smart 20in alloys tell you this is a powerful machine.
And f inishing things of f elegantly at the rear are the eye-catching LED tail lights and twin oval exhausts.
Step inside and the craftsmanship is evident in every line and curve of the cabin. There is a feast of soft-grain leather.
And I marvelled at the handcrafted, gloss, rich oak veneer with intricate linear inlay in the door panels.
But it is when you press the start button and accelerate that the pleasure really begins.
This beast is powered by a refined turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine developing 300PS and 700Nm of torque mated to a seamless eight-speed automatic transmission. The XJ will hit 60mph in just 5.9 seconds.
But the fuel economy stats really aren’t too bad – with an official average of 40.4mpg, which equates to 185g/km of CO2 emissions.
Helping to make the drive a delight are Adaptive Dynamics that monitor the car up to 500 times a second, adjusting the damping to keep the ride smooth.
JaguarDrive Control gives you the option of Dynamic Mode for more responsive acceleration, Winter Mode to handle slippery conditions and Normal, which could just as easily be called Sensational, in my opinion.
The XJ is just so responsive and was as agile around town as it was out on the open road.
Chief among the on- board goodies on the Portfolio model is the state- of- the- art InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, accessed through a 10.2in touchscreen on the centre console.
It features a wi f i hotspot, digital TV, DAB radio, sat nav, Bluetooth, intelligent voice control, comprehensive smartphone integration and a fantastic 825W Meridian surround-sound system.
The driver, meanwhile, will appreciate the highly informative 12.3in Interactive Driver Display instrument screen that can even be set to display 3D mapping.
Other creature comforts include the four- zone climate control, heated and cooled seats all round, front seats with massage function, panoramic glass roof, auto wipers and lights, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.
The safet y systems a re comprehensive too, with lane departure warning/ keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot assist, traff ic sign recognition with speed limiter and driver condition monitor.
The Jaguar XJ Portfolio really is executive motoring at its best.