Jaguar Vanden Plas on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Jaguar XJL AWD 3.0

A bit of British nobility floods the senses when piloting the 2014 Jaguar XJ. It's an emotional rush, a perception based on physical surroundings that influence the mind in much the same manner that a stein of pilsner tastes best when consumed in a German beer garden and no sand is softer than that found on a warm Caribbean beach. Jaguar has been assembling cars for nearly 100 years, and few automakers are as equally adept at capturing aristocracy and timelessness within the rich cabins of their luxury offerings.
Jaguar would have no concern if it were the only game in town, but that's far from the truth. The premium full-size luxury segment, which includes vehicles hovering just under or at the six-figure mark, is a contentious grouping that includes the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Porsche Panamera. Each of those brings its own game to the battle, and none are easy to dismiss.
To better understand the British perspective and evaluate its latest offering on a land without royalty, I recently spent a week with a long-wheelbase, all-wheel-drive Jaguar XJ in Southern California.

First Ride: 2014 Jaguar F-Type [w/video]

Shotgun In Coventry's First Sports Car In Decades
For every car, there is a passionate group of fans who love it, and the F-Type already has a few million rabid followers. These are fabulous things, sports cars, and we're very happy that Jaguar is making one again. Finally. (Before you start relishing the prospect of correcting us, the XK is really a grand tourer, not a sports car.)
The main question, however, will be whether someone in a position to buy a lifestyle-enhancing yet impractical F-Type will do so in the face of more established competitors from Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The last time Jaguar built a true two-seater sports car (1974 E-Type; the last of the XJ220 limited run in 1994 doesn't count in this league), most of today's new buyers were too young or may not yet have been born. At any rate, the F-Type has a lot of work to do for the brand beyond just selling itself.

2014 Jaguar XJR is large, in charge

There are few things in this world we love more than a huge, supersonic-feeling sedan, and Jaguar has just ripped the sheets off of its newest entry into that set of bruisers. The 2014 Jaguar XJR puts down a full 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque courtesy of a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. All that thrust lands on the rear tires through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the big aluminum-chassis'd four door can sprint to 60 miles per hour in a skinny 4.4 seconds. Top speed sits at an electronically limited 174 mph, and Jaguar estimates the machine will still return up to 23 miles per gallon highway.
Do. Want.
The 2014 XJR also features stiffer spring and damper rates along with an electronically controlled rear differential. Of course, there are plenty of styling tweaks on hand to separate the most menacing XJ from the rest of the family. Those include new fascias, R emblems and massive 20-inch wheels outdoors as well as special seating and trim elements indoors. Asking price? That would Be $116,000 for the XJR and $119,000 for the long-wheelbase L version. Check out the full press blast below.