Vehicle Description
In the 2000s, Jaguar finally got their act together and started
building some downright fantastic sports machinery. Still
traditional in the finest British fashion, this 2008 Jaguar XJR
Vanden Plas also packs a powerful 4.2L V8 powerplant and a
suspension built to use it, making one of the most entertaining
sports sedans of the decade.
The XJ was the product of Jaguar's newly invigorated lineup that
received a bit of a facelift for 2008, with the Vanden Plas
standing for the most opulent models to rival all top-of-the-line
luxury sedans. Radiance red is a fantastic and unique color choice
on a car designed to speak softly and carry a big stick, and we
absolutely love the look. The look is immediately recognizable, one
of the most familiar shapes on the automotive landscape, an elegant
blend of lines that manages to convey elegance and performance
without being too loud about it. Of course, you got a lot of car
for your money, and even though it's 11 years old, the deep,
lustrous paint still looks expensive and showing up in this car
will definitely get you noticed. The mesh grilles and revised
bumpers up front are part of the 2008 makeover, as were the power
vents on the front fenders, and there's a distinct lack of
ostentatious chrome, which is unusual for a Jaguar. However, it
still has the aggressively creased hood, graceful bright trim
surrounding the windows, and angle-cut taillights that frame the
trunk opening, all design cues that date back yet another 20 years
to the first XJ.
Nobody does interiors like the British, and Jaguar in particular
seems quite adept at mixing sport and luxury. The ivory leather
hides are beautifully finished and their quality shows in the
relative lack of signs of age. Plush carpets are almost too nice to
rest your shoes on, and the contrasting light brown makes the
interior feel inviting, not cold. The wood that you see is real
wood, not some plastic facsimile, even on the steering wheel
itself. Big round gauges keep an eye on the engine's vitals and
perhaps in their own traditional way, Jaguar's controls continued
to be a bit vexing to the newcomer. There's a big touch screen in
the center of the dash, which was a pretty big deal in 2008, and it
controls everything from the climate control to the navigation
system. Everything was standard and the features list is
exhaustive, so driving this car will always feel like a treat. And
despite the big horsepower, the interior is tomb silent, allowing
the entertainment system to do its job properly. Both the back seat
and the trunk are reasonably roomy and both are immaculately
upholstered.
Powering this XJ is a silky smooth 4.2 liter DOHC V8 engine, and
with plenty of horsepower on tap, the aluminum-intensive XJ feels
shockingly fast, even today. It's not terribly exciting to look
under the hood, which is mostly plastic cladding to hide the
working bits, but it's tidy and well-maintained and you can't argue
with how well it runs, especially with only 72k miles on the clock.
Jaguar's much-improved quality and Ford-based electronics suggest
that this car will be enjoyable for many years to come. It stars
easily and idles smoothly, as you'd expect, and thanks to a
quick-witted 6-speed automatic transmission, there's massive thrust
available at any speed. Jaguar's mystical blend of handling and
supple ride is very much in evidence here, and all the XJ models
received giant disc brakes at all four corners. New for '08 19-inch
wheels are brightly finished and carry 245/40/19 performance
radials.
Sure to attract admiration and respect everywhere it goes, this
Jaguar is still the biggest cat on the pavement, an apex predator
that's suddenly very affordable. Call today!
