2006 Jaguar XJ8

A New Chip Off The XJ Block

With its classically distinctive silhouette and powerful engine, this cat is Jaguar at its feline best.

It's no secret that the auto industry is having an annus horribilis. With the exception of hybrids and a few other Teflon brands, like BMW and Lexus, sales are depressingly down across the board in spite of promotional stunts, like employee discounts and free gas.

A quick scan of Ford Motor's year-to-date sales only confirms this: With the exception of the Mercury and Land Rover divisions, sales as of September were all down for the year when compared with 2004. A particularly bleak spot is Jaguar, which has recorded a 31.7% decline in sales for 2005 — the worst of any of Ford's divisions. (The next largest decline was Lincoln, down only 10.1%.)

Ever since Ford acquired Jaguar in 1989, it has struggled mightily to improve sales while still imposing economic efficiencies. The results have been mixed. The $30,330 X-Type, which was introduced in 2001, was seen as a silver bullet that would provide Jaguar with an entry-level car, much like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The X-Type was supposed to be the Jaguar that would develop loyal customers who might one day move up to its pricier models.

For a while that strategy seemed to be working. In 2002, the X-Type's first full model year, Jaguar sales rose 37% — thanks in part to the X. But that was then. The X-Type's honeymoon is now over. By September 2004, more than 17,000 X-Type's had been sold. This year's sales for the same period are a whisker over 9,000. That's a drop of 47.2%. Moreover, the X-Type has never sold well in Europe.

Jaguar's other less-expensive car, the midsize $44,230 S-Type, is also struggling, with sales for this year off 22.3%. Surprisingly — or maybe not so surprisingly — its two premier vehicles, the sleek XK coupe and the flagship XJ series, are holding up well. While sales of both have declined, they are down only 10.1% and 13.8%, respectively. Hardly comforting to the executives in charge at Jaguar, but an indication, perhaps, that people still consider Jaguar to be a luxury brand and are not satisfied with anything less.

Why is this? In our opinion, it can be chalked up to the fact that the X-Type and S-Type have more Ford than Jaguar in their DNA. The X-Type, which is built on Ford's second-generation Mondeo sedan (a car Ford sells only in Europe), lacks the sleek, feline elegance of its pricier older brothers. To be sure, the design cues are strictly Jaguar, from the leaping cat on the hood and rounded headlights to the oval grille and Connolly leather interior. But more than almost any car, a Jaguar needs to be long, and the S-Type and X-Type look stunted, as if they were never fully grown.

When one thinks of a Jaguar, it is usually the image of the XJ that comes to mind. Long, slim, regal and proud, the XJ, like the Porsche 911, has one of the most distinctive silhouettes in the automotive world. And the $90,330 2006 Jaguar XJ Super V8, the subject of this review, is a superb example of why winning formulas don't need to be altered.

Despite introducing a redesigned, seventh-generation XJ in 2004 (the first-generation XJ6 rolled out of the old Coventry factory in 1968), sales are down. But then, so are sales of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. And in all honesty, the XJ has never sold in massive volumes, because it is just too refined — and too expensive. While it boasts tremendous power, comfort and style, it is not for everyone; the same way some people prefer single malt scotch over bourbon or beer.

To find out if the XJ is right for you, read on.