2001 Jaguar XJR

What's New: Jaguar's high-performance sedan receives only minor changes for 2001. Jaguar has added a new reverse parking control system and strengthened the chassis with new crush tubes, doors, hinges and steering columns. A heated rear seat and a premium audio system are now standard equipment, and there's a new optional dealer-installed Motorola Timeport digital phone. Topping things off is a no-cost scheduled maintenance program that covers four regular service visits under the four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty.

Type: Mid-size car

Pros: Powerful supercharged V8 engine, aggressive and sexy look, sport-tuned suspension.

Cons: Classic British interior might be too cramped for some people, sparse feature list.

Review

In the rarified world of big-buck sport sedans, there are three choices in the year 2001: the BMW M5, the Mercedes-Benz E55 and the Jaguar XJR. For maximum performance, go with the M5. For lightning-quick transportation to the board meeting, go with the E55. And for a combination of sweet styling and supercharged power, go with the XJR.

The 2000 XJ family is made up of the standard XJ8, the extended-wheelbase XJ8 L, the highline XJ8 Vanden Plas, the supercharged Vanden Plas, and the supercharged XJR. In the XJR, the 4.0-liter V8 makes 370 horsepower and 387 foot-pounds of torque. Power delivery is unreal. It will accelerate from zero to 60 in about 5.4 seconds, besting anything on the slow side of a Porsche 911 or Chevrolet Corvette.

Built in England, the XJ8 carries forward the design cues established in the three decades since XJ sedans were introduced. There's the signature Jaguar grille, the four-headlight front end, the famously seductive profile, and the chrome leaper on the hood. This car looks graceful and classy. The exterior of the XJR is distinguished from other XJ8s by its monochromatic styling, aggressive five-spoke wheels and classic wire-mesh grille.

Like the exterior, Jaguar's interior delivers a powerful dose of classic heritage. And by classic, we're talking wood and leather. The XJR features excellent-looking burl walnut wood on the instrument panel that further extends to wood inserts on the doors. Connolly leather is used on the seats, center console, glove box, and doors. Some of the plastic buttons remind us of cheaper Ford switchgear, however, and depending on how big you are, you'll end up calling the Jag's interior "cozy" or "cramped."

Standard equipment on the XJR includes Automatic Stability Control, speed-sensitive steering, memory seating for the driver, front- and side-impact driver and passenger airbags, and a vehicle security system. The only option offered for 2001 is a navigation system. The navigation system is a particularly nice option. It is DVD-based, which means it can store considerably more point-of-interest information than a CD ROM-based system.

The XJ8 platform is getting old, but the modifications fitted to the XJR go a long way towards smoothing away the wrinkles. On the road, the XJR's sport-tuned suspension firms up the ride and gives the car an expanded performance envelope. If you want the ultimate performance sedan, the 2001 BMW M5 is probably a better choice, but the XJR does offer an exceptional blend of performance, style and comfort.

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