The S-Class has had its day… Since its launch nearly six years ago, Mercedes’s flagship has been the best car in its class. If you look at the defining characteristics of a grand saloon – space, refinement, effortless power, leading-edge technology, ride comfort and quality – and how it integrated these elements, it beat all comers. But, bar a caveat of two, Jaguar’s XJ comes very close to matching the S-Class on these points while providing a far superior driving experience.
Let’s have one of the caveats out of the way: except for the nose, which has a elegant appearance with just a hint of aggression, the styling is unresolved. The expanse of metal on the sides is only broken by the handles and a lower swage line, while the rear looks a tad dumpy in the white of our test car. Black masking to hide the C-pillar in an attempt to slim the rear has been only partially successful.
The interior design is far more effective. Most surfaces are covered in gorgeous soft leather, a trad wooden strip runs along the doors and at the top of the facia (where a cheap-looking Jaguar badge spoils the effect somewhat), and the marriage between technology and tradition is mostly a happy one. Some members of the team thought the digital instrument cluster was at odds with the rest of the cabin, but there’s no doubting its clarity and user-friendliness. Unfortunately its resolution is much higher that than of the touch screen in the centre console, the latter which also demands too much of the driver’s attention to make basic adjustments.
Space all-round is good, but no match for the S-Class, which offers both more leg- and headroom in the back and space in the boot without having larger exterior dimensions than the XJ.
Portfolio models are extremely well equipped, but the stand-out feature is the Bowers & Wilkins audio system. A total of 20 speakers deliver 1 200 watts of sound and, regardless of where one is seated, the aural experience is exactly the same, courtesy of digital sound processing. It’s an amazing system and, in my opinion, bettered only by Bentley’s Naim set-up.
Under the bulging bonnet spins a twin-turbo 3,0-litre V6 diesel with 202 kW and 600 N.m of torque. Its a wonderfully refined powerplant and punches the XJ’s relatively light frame (thanks to aluminium construction) along with aplomb. Except for a light vibration through the throttle pedal al low revs, it also stays smooth right through the rev range.
If you’ve read any review on the XJ, you’d know that the new model’s ride quality has been widely criticised by most reviewers. Previous XJ’s have managed to provide a wonderfully cossetting ride without going pear-shaped in the bends. However, its important to place the dynamics of the new XJ in context with the rest of Jaguar’s current range – the XF is hardly pillowy soft, while the XK rides firmly (it is a sports tourer, after all). Yes, the S-Class is more comfortable more of the time, but the XJ does manage to smooth away most scars, with only the worst ridges and potholes intruding into the hushed cabin. In comparison, the Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series ride like they have lead in their tyres.
Where the XJ convincingly bests the German Trio is with its dynamic prowess. The steering is light but beautifully linear, body control on the adaptive dampers is excellent and the weighting of the throttle and brake pedal nigh-on perfect. It feels no bigger than the XF when hustled along.
But then, you’d rightfully expect the XJ to be so accomplished. At R1 085 472, the 3,0 V6 Diesel Portfolio is comfortably more expensive that its direct competitors (the A8 3,0 TDI is a whopping R160 000 cheaper), but it does feature such niceties as a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, heated/cooled seats with massage function, voice control and a TFT screen with dual-view technology. Jaguar also offers a 3,0 V6 Diesel Premium Luxury at R950 472, which does without some of these features but is still comprehensively equipped. It’s the one I’d take and I’d be happy in the knowledge that I bought the most interesting, dynamically thrilling car in the segment.