As we drove from
Heathrow airport to Stratford-upon-Avon, the chauffeur spoke enthusiastically about how Indian curry had become the preferred food for the people of England. As we became familiar, I requested him to turn up the radio a little and heard Norah Jones, the daughter of celebrated sitar-player, Ravi Shankar, sing ‘Come away with me’. Obviously, India has had a strong impact on the country in recent times. After all, I was being driven in a Range Rover, the flagship model of an Indian-owned British car manufacturer.
I was excited as J-LR had promised to let me drive the all-new XJ Supercharged, the meanest limo to roll out of the Jaguar stable. There it was, sleek and sporty, yet refined and composed. Trust me, keeping this balance is not as easy as it may sound. It manages the dual role well: being a seductive, luxurious car and then, at the snap of your fingers, transforming into a hungry beast of a sports car, ready to munch miles at lightning speed.
Curiosity took the better of me and I slid into the saloon. That’s when you realise that the Jaguar is different from many other cars in this luxury segment. Others seem to be amazing pieces of machinery, built to perfection, precision engineering at its best. Obviously, the XJ also boasts of these qualities, but there is something about this limo that makes you want to feel its genuine grained-leather and run your fingers on the pure walnut trims just the way a knight would affectionately pat his brawny stallion before mounting it.
I gripped the steering like the reins and thumbed the starter button. The display came alive and the rotatory gear selector slid up, followed by the pleasant roar of the beastly engine. Hiding beneath the exaggerated bonnet was the insanely powerful, supercharged 510 PS, 5.0-litre V8, that can manage 0-100 kph in 4.9 seconds. The all-new XJ has benefited from technology pioneered on the new XFR and XKR models, including continuously-variable damping, electronically-controlled rear differential and a quick-ratio power-steering system. Almost 50 per cent of its body is carved out of light-weight aluminium, making it the lightest in its class. This translates into improved performance, a stiffer chassis, better handling and economy.
Riding it might feel a bit sporty for regular limousine users, but it is far from being hard. It moves as quietly as a big cat out to hunt, for the low compression ratio of the 5.0-litre V8 has hardly any vibrations. Driving in the standard ‘D’ mode, there is a steady flow of low-end torque that lets you cruise with ease around town. However, once you press the sinful ‘chequered flag’ button to get into the sports mode, the suspension becomes firmer, the steering sharper, the V8 lashes its fury out on the tarmac and you are pinned down in the soft leather seats as the car blasts towards the horizon. I can get used to this.
There are two other petrol engine options also available: the 385 PS, naturally aspirated V8, which has been launched in India at Rs 89.17 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), and the 3.0-litre V6, which can churn out 238 PS. There’s also a greenpeace warrior – the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, in 240 PS and 275 PS specs, which boast of the lowest CO2 among the limos.
I’m sure a lot of people will buy the new Jaguar probably due to
the passion it engenders and because it is among the few things built that come close to something alive. Now, what remains to be
seen is whether the new XJ succeeds in becoming a British classic like its forebears.
