2014 Jaguar XJR LWB Full Test

Full Review
Pricing & Specs
Road Tests (1)
Comparison
Long-Term

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB Full Test

2014 Jaguar XJ Sedan

(5.0L V8 Supercharger 8-speed Automatic)

View Full Screen

View Road Test Specs

Gigantically Powerful. Mega Classy

Published: 10/24/2013 - by Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor

A funny thing happened on our way to proclaiming the Jaguar XFR-S as the greatest sedan in the British marque's history. We drove the 2014 Jaguar XJR Long Wheelbase.

Not that we didn't enjoy our time with the flashy 550-horsepower 2014 XFR-S, with its monster brakes and even more monstrous rear wing. It captivated us with a raucous supercharged V8, on-demand burnouts and powerslides, and sublime twisty-road tenacity.

The problem is that the larger, quieter, more comfortable and classier Long Wheelbase Jaguar XJR (the old man's Jaguar) can do pretty much everything the XFR-S can do.

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB

Maybe there's some kind of new, new math going on here that only the Brits understand. Because this doesn't add up.

Bigger, but Lighter
With 550 hp at 6,000 rpm from a direct-injected supercharged 5.0-liter V8, you'd think the XJR's goodness would begin and end with its engine. You'd be wrong.

Not that we mind 502 pound-feet of torque churning the XJR forward with instant neck-wrenching grunt from just 2,500 rpm. But what separates the XJR from the smaller XFR-S isn't what it has, but rather what its all-aluminum body structure doesn't have. Weight.

Get ready to be baffled: The XFR-S, which rides on a 114.5-inch wheelbase and measures 195.3 inches overall, tipped our scales at 4,382 pounds. The 2014 Jaguar XJR LWB, which rolls on a 124.3-inch wheelbase and takes up 206.8 inches bow to stern, weighed in at 4,351 pounds. That's 31 fewer pounds!

Bigger, but Faster
The lack of mass and the traction of a longer wheelbase translated into stunning acceleration times for the XJR, especially so considering this is a two-wheel-drive sedan distinctly lacking launch control. The sprint to 60 mph took just 4.1 seconds (3.8 seconds with a 1-foot rollout like at a drag strip), with the quarter-mile arriving in 12.1 seconds at 117.6 mph. The XFR-S was a tenth slower, though with a higher trap speed of 118.5 mph.

This, even though the XJR's ZF-built eight-speed paddle-shiftable automatic transmission takes its time going through the gears. The last Porsche Panamera Turbo S we tested, with all-wheel drive and a lickety-split-shifting PDK transmission, proved slightly quicker, clawing its way to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and through the quarter in 11.9 seconds at 117.2 mph.

And it's out on a two-lane road, when you need to pass a line of big rigs, that you come to realize true luxury isn't just a sumptuous interior. But rather, it's the ability to summon huge bundles of XJR horsepower with barely more than half throttle.

Although the XJR wasn't put on this earth to go head to head with plug-in hybrids for fuel miserliness, Jag fitted the car with a standard stop-start system that automatically shuts the engine off at stoplights.

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB

It's fairly seamless in operation, the engine firing back up the second you take your foot off the brake. One downside to the stop-start is that the air-conditioning can't keep up during shutdown on hot days. If the system annoys you, it can be turned off via the Eco button on the center stack.

The EPA rates the XJR LWB at 18 mpg combined (15 city/23 highway), which matches it well against the Audi S8, Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, Porsche Panamera Turbo S and Maserati Quattroporte.

We averaged 16.7 mpg overall, but the 21.6 mpg we achieved on our 116-mile Edmunds test loop (using stop-start) showed what this car is capable of with a reasonably tepid right foot.

Drives Small
Besides the lightweight chassis, the 2014 Jaguar XJR comes standard with two other ultra-important facets: two-mode adjustable constantly adaptive dampers and hydraulic (not electric) power steering.

At our test track the big Jag produced only 0.86g circling the skid pad, but still turned in the best slalom we've recorded for an XJ at 66.6 mph. Neither figure will put fear into the Panamera Turbo S, which is good for 68.9 mph through the slalom and 0.96g lateral acceleration.

But the magic happens for the XJR LWB when you wick up the pace on a twisty road. It's there that the steering, which seemed a bit light at the test track, comes alive with a wonderfully intuitive nature. Wherever you point the XJR's leather-wrapped steering wheel is exactly where it will go, while the perfectly tuned dampers make it feel like a midsize sport sedan.

Throw the XJR into a corner and suddenly the cockpit seems to shrink and envelop you. The 5 extra inches of wheelbase and huge rear overhang are all but forgotten. All you think about is the steering's precision and feedback, and that nicely controlled powerslide at corner exit. Dynamic mode makes the throttle delivery a bit abrupt, but seriously, who would've guessed you could have this much fun in a car this large?

As with other Jags with adaptive dampers, the difference between Normal and Dynamic modes isn't that great. You can take high-speed sweepers in Normal and think nothing of it, or leave it in Dynamic mode on a city street without rattling your teeth loose.

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB

That said, if you're expecting anything resembling a plush ride, you're buying the wrong XJ model. The suspension is never truly harsh, but it is taut and there's a palpable level of stiffness ensured by the car's structure, 30 percent stiffer springs and ultralow-profile rubber.

The XJR shares the same 15-inch front and 14.8-inch rear brake rotors clamped by two-piston front and single-piston rear calipers as the XFR-S, along with identically sized Pirelli P Zeros (265/35ZR20s up front and 295/30ZR20s at the rear). Yet once again the XJR outperformed the XFR-S, stopping from 60 mph in 105 feet versus 108.

Pedal travel was on the long side during hard back-road running, but there was never a lack of braking power. Around town pedal feedback was perfectly linear.

Blindingly Good Cabin
Unlike some of the more staid German marques, the XJR's interior is a vibrant mix of leather, carbon fiber and chrome. The workmanship is meticulous, without a squeak or rattle to be heard throughout our time with the car.

We particularly love the huge swiveling dash vents, which make it easy to direct air exactly where you want it. And you might not realize it at first because it's so good, but the XJR's instrument panel is in fact a virtual rendition of analog gauges. The 8-inch touchscreen makes it easy to navigate through the menus, but it should be a requirement that the navigation system in all cars this powerful show the current speed limit. Because you're probably exceeding it.

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB

Some testers also noted that if the sun hits the chrome trim just right (or just wrong) it can temporarily blind you.

The seats offer the body-hugging bolstering you'd expect in a car with the XJR's need for speed, without sacrificing comfort. But the XJR's low-slung body forced Jag to be stingy with headroom, especially in the rear. That said, the LWB's extra 4.9 inches translate to near-limitless rear leg- and foot room.

As further proof of its split personality, the XJR is an utterly silent traveler. Our sound readings showed it to be several decibels quieter than the Panamera Turbo S at full-throttle and 70 mph top-gear cruising. Wind, road and tire noise are nearly nonexistent.

Real Value
Starting at $119,895, including destination ($123,870 as tested), the 2014 Jaguar XJR LWB is considerably less costly than both the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and Porsche Panamera Turbo S. It's more of a driver's car than the big, heavy Benz. And while the Jag doesn't offer the all-out performance numbers of the Panamera, its graceful body slices a far prettier line through the air while also offering the purer thrills of rear-wheel drive.

2014 Jaguar XJR LWB

Ultimately, what sets the 2014 Jaguar XJR LWB apart from its rivals are its uncanny do-all abilities. It's as quick as all but the priciest exotics and rips through back roads like a much smaller sport sedan, yet can still play the role of limousine with an inviting interior that manages to be both cozy and gigantic.

That it is one of the finest ultra sedans ever created is without question. And despite the XFR-S's statement and speed, we'll take the more subtle, versatile and quicker XJR. Suddenly, getting old just got a lot better.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

Comments

different1 Posts:

Oct 24

beautiful car

Flag
ed341 Posts:

Oct 24

Is it true that there is no exposed plastic anywhere in the cabin? I thought I read when this generation was released that the only surfaces one could touch were leather, wood or metal.

Flag
noburgers Posts:

Oct 24

The car grows on you when you see it on the road. I wasn't sure at first, but started to appreciate it as we passed each other over a long trip. And the Jags don't have gret resale, so in aq few years it starts looking good. But I think the 'R' is a bit of overkill for me personally, I would probably be very happy with a lesser trim. P.S. Edmunds, where's the XFR-S long term wrap-up?

Flag
bankerdanny Posts:

Oct 24

Impressive performance, but I would still buy an S7.

Flag
marcos9 Posts:

Oct 24

I'm with bankerdanny. Or get the RS7. That said though, any LWB car looks classy. This jag looks nice.

Flag
mercedesfan Posts:

Oct 24

Having spent considerable seat time in this generation XJ, I certainly agree that it is hands down the best to drive of the uber-sedans. The Audi A8/S8 will put up better numbers, but it feels totally numb from behind the wheel. The XJ is legitimately fun, which is absurd for something so big. I also think it is stunning to look at. However, to my eyes the XJ has a substantially worse interior than the A8 and S-Class (the W222 for sure, but also the W221). The leather and wood are lovely, but the switch gear feels cheap, the infotainment screen is slow with bad graphics, and trim pieces rarely all lineup as they should. If I was looking for the best driving uber sedan it would be the XJ all the way, but I still think the A8 and S-Class are more complete luxury cars overall.

Flag
jeffinoh Posts:

Oct 24

The fact that this car is lighter than its much smaller sibling reveals the problem with Jags: randomness. They don't seem to have a plan or a logic to their cars. One looks great so I expect the subsequent ones to carry the theme but the siblings are all orphans in a weird way. I think power is important in true luxury but wings and turquoise paint don't seem very, um, sophisticated? Maybe Jag's designers have been sharing pipe tobacco with Morgan's. Or am I just late in realizing how bonkers Brit luxury can be?

Flag
themandarin Posts:

Oct 24

Audi S8 better

Flag
300zxguy Posts:

Oct 25

I still haven't warmed up the looks of the new XJ. Just doesn't look right to me from any angle, and the black C pillars still look awful to me. Interior looks very nice, however. That I don't see too many prowling around Silicon Valley makes me wonder how well they are selling. I see several Tesla model S every day, but every time I see an XJ I take notice because of how seldom I see one.

Flag
cbrandi_ Posts:

Oct 26

I agree with all that's written. Unfortunately for Jaguar the buying public hasn't caught on to just how good Jaguars have become. I'm on my second Jag and love it. And its nice to be seen as classier and different from the average driver of a pricy car.

Flag