# I drove the all-new 2010 Jaguar XJ Supersport the other day...



## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

I was able to take Jaguar's new XJ and XJ-L Supersport for drives earlier this month in France. My review is here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/09/2011-jaguar-xj-review/

Please feel free to ask questions. :thumbup:

- Mike

P.S. - I didn't title the piece.


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## PhillyNate (Jul 27, 2008)

Dude I LOVE my job but I still want yours.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

PhillyNate said:


> Dude I LOVE my job but I still want yours.


I know a guy who reviews private jets _and_ million-dollar yachts for a living. He jets all over and then cruises in these beautiful locations... for fun. He has a better job than both of us, I assure you. 

- Mike


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## BmW745On19's (Aug 12, 2005)

Great write-up and pictures, but I hate the way that car looks outside. Inside it looks nice.

They should have kept being evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's an abomonation.

The previous XJ was pure jaguar, and you could instantly recognize it. It has as much class and elegance and draws as much attention as a Bentley Arnage parked at a valet, especially in Super V8 or Portfolio trim.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Great review. 


Jaguar appears to have built a car for the domestic UK market. In the UK, this class of cars are often company perks and come with a driver. The LWB is clearly aimed right at that market. Designing the LWB first, and then cutting it down for the standard car makes it unique. Others like the 750Li are nice cars but look a like stretch of the standard car. In Jaguar's case it is the SWB that is slightly out of proportion. 


Not sure how much the removal of Ford had to do with the direction this car has taken. The new car is British design at its best. I just hope the worst of British engineering didn't creep in too.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> Great review.
> 
> Jaguar appears to have built a car for the domestic UK market. In the UK, this class of cars are often company perks and come with a driver. The LWB is clearly aimed right at that market. Designing the LWB first, and then cutting it down for the standard car makes it unique. Others like the 750Li are nice cars but look a like stretch of the standard car. In Jaguar's case it is the SWB that is slightly out of proportion.
> 
> Not sure how much the removal of Ford had to do with the direction this car has taken. The new car is British design at its best. I just hope the worst of British engineering didn't creep in too.


Thanks, and I agree.

This car is decidedly more upscale and stylish (even though purists will not like that). It drives beautifully, thanks to its modern platform.

Ford taught Jag a lot. Tata (the current owner) has plenty of cash to keep them building decent product. I think this XJ will do well.

- Mike


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Nice write up. The lightness of the car is great but they're so ridiculously ugly that I can't help but wonder what led to this car getting the greenlight. I've seen two in person. Gawkingly ugly: you're forced to stare as it's hard to ponder a car this big, this obscenely hideous being driven on purpose.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

blueguydotcom said:


> Nice write up. The lightness of the car is great but they're so ridiculously ugly that I can't help but wonder what led to this car getting the greenlight. I've seen two in person. Gawkingly ugly: you're forced to stare as it's hard to ponder a car this big, this obscenely hideous being driven on purpose.


Its head designer was Ian Callum - I sat next to him at dinner in Paris. Fascinating guy, and really interesting to talk to. He can defend every inch of that car, as that was his vision. I asked about the C-pillar, and he said that is what he wanted. 

Again, this is what you get when you have an individual (e.g., Chris Bangle) designing a car, not a committee (Pontiac Aztek).

- Mike


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## Cocodrilo (Apr 12, 2010)

Interior deserves respect but other than that .... Ugly as hell


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## Bcube (Apr 12, 2007)

Mike,

While Ian Callum is here in SoCal, this is his XJL SC. I must say the color on his choice is much better than yours.  A deep darkish brown - that was actually a metallic red when the sun hit it. My wife loved it.


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## Bcube (Apr 12, 2007)

BmW745On19's said:


> Great write-up and pictures, but I hate the way that car looks outside. Inside it looks nice.
> 
> *They should have kept being evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's an abomonation.
> 
> The previous XJ was pure jaguar, and you could instantly recognize it. * It has as much class and elegance and draws as much attention as a Bentley Arnage parked at a valet, especially in Super V8 or Portfolio trim.


There is a recent article where Ian Callum states that a gentleman told him the (almost) exact words. Mr Callum ask the gentleman if he owned a Jaguar. The reply was, "ahh, No."

Mr Callum goes on to say that this is the whole point, the previous gen Jaguars are "pretty" and "nostalgic" to look at and admire - as long as someone else owns it. Thus it was time for Jaguar to move on style-wise if the company wanted to stay in business. And if SoCal freeways are any representation, Jaguar is selling a boat load of XFs. I have no doubt that XJ sales will follow.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Bcube said:


> Mike,
> 
> While Ian Callum is here in SoCal, this is his XJL SC. I must say the color on his choice is much better than yours.  A deep darkish brown - that was actually a metallic red when the sun hit it. My wife loved it.


Wow, that is a great color.



Bcube said:


> There is a recent article where Ian Callum states that a gentleman told him the (almost) exact words. Mr Callum ask the gentleman if he owned a Jaguar. The reply was, "ahh, No."
> 
> Mr Callum goes on to say that this is the whole point, the previous gen Jaguars are "pretty" and "nostalgic" to look at and admire - as long as someone else owns it. Thus it was time for Jaguar to move on style-wise if the company wanted to stay in business. And if SoCal freeways are any representation, Jaguar is selling a boat load of XFs. I have no doubt that XJ sales will follow.


While many complain about what Chris Bangle did with BMW design (7 Series, 6 Series, etc...), it did give the automaker a distinctive "look" that others are following today. Sometimes it is good to think outside the box.

- Mike


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## Justin T (Oct 10, 2006)

Emission said:


> Wow, that is a great color.
> 
> While many complain about what Chris Bangle did with BMW design (7 Series, 6 Series, etc...), it did give the automaker a distinctive "look" that others are following today. Sometimes it is good to think outside the box.
> 
> - Mike


And sometimes they should be trapped in a box so they do not do such damage. The 7 and the 6 sucked. :angel:


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Justin T said:


> And sometimes they should be trapped in a box so they do not do such damage. The 7 and the 6 sucked. :angel:


I never said they didn't suck. Some like it, some don't. Personally, I think the current 1 Series is ugly, and the 5 Series GT isn't far behind.

The "beauty" of such "unique" designs is that the automotive landscape continues to change... we all don't drive boxes.

- Mike


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Emission said:


> Its head designer was Ian Callum - I sat next to him at dinner in Paris. Fascinating guy, and really interesting to talk to. He can defend every inch of that car, as that was his vision. I asked about the C-pillar, and he said that is what he wanted.
> 
> Again, this is what you get when you have an individual (e.g., Chris Bangle) designing a car, not a committee (Pontiac Aztek).
> 
> - Mike


I like his other designs when he was not with Jaguar but so far his work at Jaguar strikes me as vanilla to ugly. At least it's not a late 1990s Taurus clone like the current XF.

But the XJ visually certainly lacks the power, athleticism, class and distinction of past Jag models. It now reminds me more of a Lexus SC430 stretched to take more passengers or the appallingly silly CLS mated with a Buick.

I'd never base a car buying decision of appearance but the current jags would make me rethink that view if I ever wanted to throw obscene cash into a British car (not gonna happen)...


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

Mike,
The Porsche 911 write up is very good as is the Jag!


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

blueguydotcom said:


> I like his other designs when he was not with Jaguar but so far his work at Jaguar strikes me as vanilla to ugly. At least it's not a late 1990s Taurus clone like the current XF.
> 
> But the XJ visually certainly lacks the power, athleticism, class and distinction of past Jag models. It now reminds me more of a Lexus SC430 stretched to take more passengers or the appallingly silly CLS mated with a Buick.
> 
> I'd never base a car buying decision of appearance but the current jags would make me rethink that view if I ever wanted to throw obscene cash into a British car (not gonna happen)...


I will mostly agree. In person, the new XJ is noticed. That is what the XJ needed.



dalekressin said:


> Mike,
> The Porsche 911 write up is very good as is the Jag!


Thanks. :thumbup:

- Mike


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## dalekressin (Sep 3, 2008)

The Jag XJ does not have the appeal for me inside or out.


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## 1985mb (Apr 2, 2008)

Bcube said:


> Mike,
> 
> While Ian Callum is here in SoCal, this is his XJL SC. I must say the color on his choice is much better than yours.  A deep darkish brown - that was actually a metallic red when the sun hit it. My wife loved it.


Well that certainly looks better than all the photos in the press. The awful execution of the C (or is that D?) pillar has been rectified somewhat, and the silhouette isn't quite so Ford Scorpio any more. I still don't understand the proportions of the large grille vs the tiny headlights

I guess Jag needs a new marketing dept or ad agency. The press & ad photos of the XF also left me lukewarm - it wasn't until I saw the car in person with the optional wheels that I liked it.


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