Keeping the proportions correct means there is a high belt line. Higher beltlines are the trend, at least partly because people feel safer with taller side panels. This makes the side windows appear a lot shallower. In reality they are not much smaller, but it has taken away the open greenhouse feel of earlier models in the XJ line. To offset this the windshield is set at a more raked angle.

The subtle way in which the belt line edges up as it goes to the back gives the car a purposefully crouched look. Indeed, the XJ looks as though it's ready to pounce even when it's standing still.

Interior Features

Any Jag fan will tell you that the interior of a Jaguar is a key part of the car's overall character. It's a combination of the look, feel and smell. You won't find many visible plastic parts in the XJ's interior. Instead, it's mostly trimmed out in leather and wood. Yes, that's real burr walnut veneer on the fascia, center console and door panels. The dashboard sweeps across the whole car in a fairly high position.

Three gauges are clustered in front of the steering wheel. The center console contains a 7-inch LCD touch screen for managing the climate, audio and optional navigation systems. Gone are rows of confusing switches seen in Jaguars of the past. Jaguar has made the controls as easy to operate as possible and has avoided the temptation to include a host of gee-whiz computer controls. We certainly did not have to get out the owner's manual to turn on the radio or adjust the climate, something that cannot be said of other cars in this class. The base XJ8 sound system comes with eight speakers and a single-slot CD player.

The adjustable foot pedals can be moved up to 2.5 inches at the touch of a switch. Coupled with the 12- or 16-way adjustable front seat, they allow any size driver to find a perfectly comfortable seating option.

The Vanden Plas gets a plusher interior with softer leather, lambs wool carpets and a power rear window blind. The front seats have 16 positions instead of 12. The XJR and Super V8 get a sportier interior with seats offering extra support. They also have less wood trim.

The standard-wheelbase XJ8 and XJR provide considerably more room than in previous XJs.

The long-wheelbase versions take advantage of the car being lengthened by five inches behind the B-pillars (the pillars between the front and rear doors). The rear seatback reclines. Plus there's a switch provided for the the person riding in the right-rear seat to power the front passenger's seat forward. This allows plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy such things as wooden picnic trays that flip down from the backs of the front seats.

Kids and adults who like to be entertained while traveling in comfort will appreciate the sophisticated multimedia system that's optional in some versions and standard in others. The system features two 6.5-inch LCD monitors embedded in the back of the front seat headrests. A comprehensive control panel located in the rear center armrest operates them independently from the front and from each other. One person can be watching a DVD while the other can watch input directly from a video game or camcorder

Driving Impressions

To some a Jaguar is just about looks, but to most it's more about driving. Those who enjoy driving know that a lighter car is nicer to drive. Comfort and lots of features are expected, but they also add weight, and this is a conflict of interests that can be difficult to overcome. To address this, Jaguar designed an aluminum body for the newest generation XJ.

Although the new body, introduced in 2004, is larger than the previous generation's, it weighs 400 pounds less. That's equivalent to removing the weight of more than two passengers. Even the new long wheelbase version adds back only 53 of those pounds. Those who might be concerned that an aluminum body is not as strong as a steel body can rest assured that this body is just fine. Like the shell of an airplane, the Jaguar's body is riveted (with about 3200 rivets) and bonded (with 120 yards of adhesive) to form an immensely stiff body shell that meets or exceeds all safety standards. Perhaps more important, the body is 60-percent stiffer than the one it replaces. This rigidity and absence of weight lead to a better handling car.

Toss this big car into a tight corner on a narrow winding road and you'll find it tenaciously hugs the road surface with nary a complaint. It's just what one would expect from British engineers who learned at an early age how to drive fast along those narrow country lanes. It's no wonder the world's fastest racecars are built in England.

The power steering is precise without being too heavy and the new XJ goes where it's aimed. The tires stay glued to the road thanks to the double-wishbone suspension design and Jaguar's Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) system that continuously and instantly adjusts damping. CATS ensures stability whether the car is undergoing heavy acceleration, hard braking, or traversing an undulating road. During several hundred miles of driving on a variety of different roads and surfaces we found the car was stable and handled predictably at all times, and it didn't matter whether we were in the standard- or long-wheelbase versions.