Visually, the all-new XJ is not a radical departure from its predecessor. In fact, Jaguar made sure to deliver only minor cosmetic changes to the XJ in order to preserve the model’s long and respected design heritage. The challenge for any radically new car, however, remains the same: to create an evolutionary upgrade over the original. With clever engineering and greatly boosted performance, the XJ certainly achieves that goal.

The 390-horsepower supercharged V8 engine that makes the XJ one of the most powerful sedans in its class also makes it one of the most fun-to-drive luxury sedans. On a drive from New York to DC, the XJ was truly perfect, effortlessly achieving high speeds and handling traffic as if the other cars were standing still. The aluminum body shell makes the XJ incredibly light, strong, and rigid, affording best-in-class fuel economy (invaluable on long trips), increased passenger safety, and improved handling characteristics.

The classic exterior of the XJ received elegant and subtly modern updates while preserving the immediately recognizable and timeless design of the Jaguar flagship sedan. High-intensity Xenon headlamps and gracefully arched LED taillamps illuminate the XJ's arrival and departure, while standard 19" wheels hint at the big cat's increased performance. And of course, the iconic Leaper perched on the hood carries with it the tradition of a long-admired breed.

The luxurious cabin was also carefully updated to preserve the XJ's refined heritage. Hand-stitched, soft-grain leather seats, mirror-matched burl walnut fascia, and the 12-speaker Alpine Premium Sound System pamper the occupants’ senses. An optional multimedia entertainment system, including video screens embedded in the front seat head restraints, further enriches the rear passengers’ experience as it enables them to watch DVDs or listen to CDs -a feature not offered by any of the competition.

Photography by Ayman Shairzay