RE: Driven: Jaguar XJ Supersport Speed Pack

RE: Driven: Jaguar XJ Supersport Speed Pack

Wednesday 9th May 2012

Driven: Jaguar XJ Supersport Speed Pack

155mph speed limiters be damned, Jaguar gives its XJ full 174mph autobahn bragging rights!



There's a bit of a swagger around Jag at the moment that's enough to have one coming over all patriotic. Seen in all the right places from outside Number 10 to the royal wedding, the XJ has successfully ingratiated itself into the institutional hierarchy and even now its boldness seems shocking and the very embodiment of confidence compared with the sober ranks of BMW 7s, S-Classes and Audis of varying sizes you'll see elsewhere outside official functions on the nightly news.

Tested on the 'ring by both Jaguar and PH!
Tested on the 'ring by both Jaguar and PH!
Whatever you reckon to the looks of the thing the sheer ballsiness of it is admirable and now available with a bit more visual muscle with an optional Sport Pack (£1,900 on V8s, £2,630 on V6s) comprising a blackened grille, reddened brakes and tweaked aero, including a lip spoiler at the back.

Supersport, with added Speed
Why bother with half measures though - this is PH and the real interest lies with the full-fat 510hp supercharged Supersport version which can be specced with the new Speed Pack. Frankly the best part of three and a half grand for the privilege of saying your Supersport is now limited 174mph instead of 155mph seems a little steep, especially given Jag's boast that all it needed to do was tweak the ECU, re-programme the electronic speedo with bigger numbers and recalibrate the tyre pressure warning system to account for the additional heat in the tyres.

Raised limiter ideal for annoying Germans
Raised limiter ideal for annoying Germans
In the context of a car knocking on the door of £100K for the ability to flick the vees at BMW/Merc/Audi drivers on the autobahn it's perhaps worth it. Or, at the very least, worth accepting the invitation from Jaguar to head over to Germany and attempt to do just that. You can read about those adventures in the blog from the launch event but, suffice to say, the XJ needs very little space to headbutt its new higher limiter, making you wonder just how fast it would go without any electronic leash. Big smiles on the faces of the engineers is all we get in response to the question.

Plump and circumstance
The XJ does charismatic very well and that aforementioned confidence is reflected in every part of the experience. The interior surfs dangerously close to chintz in places - careful with that chrome lads - but there's no arguing with the fact it's a whole lot more distinctive and adventurous than that offered by zee Germans. That sweep of wood from the door cappings to the bottom of the windscreen - inspired by classic Riva speedboats if memory serves - gives a tremendous sense of space, the woods and leathers respectively shiny and plump and the general sense of opulence very well handled.

It's not a track car but 'ring testing is valuable
It's not a track car but 'ring testing is valuable
The driving experience is similarly characterful too. Jaguar has honed its adaptive dampers over the years and the body control and refinement on the XJ is wonderfully managed. There's that trademark light steering and a sense that, aluminium or not, for a near-two tonne car it feels very nimble on its feet. For all its supercharged clout the engine doesn't punch you in the back so much as discreetly build speed, albeit very, very quickly. The acceleration doesn't diminish, even above an indicated 200km/h, the measured V8 rumble letting you know it's there but never dominating the experience too much.

Confidence trick
Compared with the German rivals the Jaguar simply feels alert and lithe, rather than tied down and stodgy. If the Germans are all about iron-fisted control the XJ feels a lot more playful, albeit pinned down with some beautifully judged damping and fairly startling chuckability for such a vast car.

It's big, but it doesn't feel like it is
It's big, but it doesn't feel like it is
Whatever your thoughts about the looks of the thing the XJ is a car to be proud of, the Speed Pack perhaps verging on the pointless bragging rights end of the scale but the base package more than impressive enough and the sense of fresh air compared with its rivals very refreshing.

We'll be awaiting its arrival at bargain barge prices with anticipation, however long it may take!

 

 


Engine: 5,000cc V8, supercharged
Transmission: 6-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 510@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 461@2,500rpm
0-62mph: 4.9 sec
Top speed: 174mph
Weight: 1,892kg (LWB)
MPG: 23.4mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 289g/km
Price: £94,750/£97,445 (LWB)

 

Author
Discussion

MyCC

Original Poster:

337 posts

156 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
A very impressive car, had a passenger ride at JLR's test track a couple of weeks ago and managed 170mph in the pouring rain! The XJ really drives like no other luxury saloon I have driven (Panamera aside), great fun to chuck around! And the looks have grown on me, I now think it looks stunning coupled with real on the road presence.

Regards,

My. CC.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
I wasn't too keen on the XJ at first, it was obviously bold and quite different to most cars, but I couldn't quite love it. Now it's grown on me, I think it's a really very handsome car indeed.

V8 FOU

2,970 posts

146 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
174mph? About 3 more than my 12 year old Esprit V8! Alegedly.....
Still looks a great car. Awaiting its slide into shed teritory in 10 years or so!

rickyquicky

54 posts

170 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
IMO a stunning car.

Really like these, a bit of 'bling' but still nicely understated.

Edited by rickyquicky on Wednesday 9th May 10:22

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
I love this! Why would you want a slower, worse handling, less well equipped Bentley or Rapide?

What does JulesB think of it? hehe

antspants

2,401 posts

174 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
Not sure it needed the visual enhancements, I thought it was a wonderful looking car already, compared to its rivals it just has so much more style and presence on the road.

One of the Supersport versions pulled up next to me at a petrol station a while back, and it's the first time in a long time I've commented to a driver on their excellent car choice.

Definitely in my Lotto garage.

tommy vercetti

11,486 posts

162 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
One of the best looking cars on sale right now, imo. That front end looks so mean, oufff cloud9

Stedman

7,213 posts

191 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
Want.

W00DY

15,467 posts

225 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
What a magnificent machine. I'll take mine without the external tweaks.

Looks fab in that red.

MrTappets

881 posts

190 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
I think I might even be tempted by the diesel actually, for ultimate long distance torque-wafting. That and a Morgan for the weekends and I'm sorted.

Denver09

134 posts

186 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
I like the look of the Jag and I know they had to try something radical but I do miss the feline hips and tapered boot of the old 300's and XJ40's. This one looks a bit like a hatchback

TACottle

184 posts

152 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
Give.

JulesB

535 posts

158 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt said:
I love this! Why would you want a slower, worse handling, less well equipped Bentley or Rapide?

What does JulesB think of it? hehe
I'd prefer an M5 smile

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
JulesB said:
I'd prefer an M5 smile
I think that this is aimed at an entirely different market to an M5! and second hand Porsches, Mondeos and Types a for that matter wink

JulesB

535 posts

158 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt said:
I think that this is aimed at an entirely different market to an M5! and second hand Porsches, Mondeos and Types a for that matter wink
I dont really think we should kick this debate off again....

BUT, isnt the Jag a high end luxury super saloon? which is what the M5 is? For me they would both do the same job.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
JulesB said:
I dont really think we should kick this debate off again....

BUT, isnt the Jag a high end luxury super saloon? which is what the M5 is? For me they would both do the same job.
I was only joking felle smile! I would have though that someone in the Market for an M5 would be looking more towards an XF-R which is a much mre focused performance vehicle! I would thing the XJ is more of a 760 M-sport or Audi S8 rival.

DesmoTip

1,035 posts

235 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
But why no full-fat XJR? That's the only thing that's holding me back from jumping ship from AMG.

JulesB

535 posts

158 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt said:
I was only joking felle smile! I would have though that someone in the Market for an M5 would be looking more towards an XF-R which is a much mre focused performance vehicle! I would thing the XJ is more of a 760 M-sport or Audi S8 rival.
Fair logic smile I try not to spend too much time looking at that end of the market, its just upsets me. frown

ArosaMike

4,192 posts

210 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
DesmoTip said:
But why no full-fat XJR? That's the only thing that's holding me back from jumping ship from AMG.
The XJ SS is pretty much an XJR. It's as quick in a straight line as an XFR and handles pretty bloody well for a limo.

cure

231 posts

144 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
DesmoTip said:
But why no full-fat XJR? That's the only thing that's holding me back from jumping ship from AMG.
Well, it's the V8 supercharged, you would expect it to be the R. Looks like they've choosen to call it the 'Supersport' rather than the XJR to be able to sell diesels with a Supersport badge as well.