Whether you’re after a Jaguar to be driven in or to drive, the Super V8 will tick all the right boxes. It’s perfect for well heeled owners who prefer to be chauffeured to business appointments, but want to let their hair down at weekends with a bit of enthusiastic driving of their own. And although it’s not exactly cheap, this is a mightily impressive car.
Every manufacturer needs a flagship – a car to which even owners of some of its most upmarket models can still aspire. It’s been a long wait, but Jaguar has at last added a range-topper to the XJ line-up.
The long-wheelbase Super V8 was promised from the start of production in 2002, but has taken quite a while to arrive. So has it been worth the delay?
At £71,970, the Super V8 isn’t cheap – it costs nearly twice as much as the base XJ6. But compared to rivals with similar performance and equipment, such as the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class, it represents good value for money. The newcomer combines the impressive ride and extra legroom of the recently introduced LWB car with the XJR’s 400bhp supercharged unit. From the outside, clues about its potential are limited. Look closely, however, and you will spot a small Super V8 badge, plus a unique grille and 19-inch alloys.
Inside, it’s all about luxury, not sportiness. The dash and seats are identical to the standard XJ LWB’s, but a ‘supercharged’ logo on the rev counter hints at what’s under the bonnet. Upmarket additions include lambswool rugs, a touch-screen sat-nav and DVD display, electric seats and a heated steering wheel.
Those in the rear can set their own climate control and listen to their choice of radio station, using controls mounted in the armrest. On the road, the Super V8 is a supreme beast. Despite the extra bulk of the lengthened body, the car is as quick from 0-60mph as the standard XJR, making the super V8 one of the quickest luxury cars around.
This XJ is smooth under most driving conditions, but plant the throttle and it surges ahead, accompanied by a delightful supercharger whine. While it may resemble a luxury car, the Super is also every inch a performance machine. And it doesn’t disgrace itself on twisty roads, either. The car’s size means that it’s more suited to cruising than pressing on, but it’s surprisingly agile if hurried. Yet even when pushed, the exemplary ride remains unflustered. Blending the XJ’s strengths in a package that’s the epitome of the Jaguar brand, this is a great flagship for the financially troubled firm.
| type | Series Production Car |
| production years | 2004 – 2009 |
| built at | England |
| production | 10000 |
| price $ | $ 95000 |
| engine | V8 |
| position | Front |
| aspiration | Super Charged |
| block material | Aluminum |
| valvetrain | DOHC |
| fuel feed | Injection |
| displacement | 4196 cc / 256.06 in³ |
| bore | 86 mm / 3.4000001 in |
| stroke | 90.300003 mm / 3.5999999 in |
| power | 290.79999 kw / 390 bhp @ 6100 rpm |
| torque | 541 nm / 399 ft lbs @ 3500 rpm |
| redline | 6500 |
| body / frame | Aluminum |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| wheel type | Aluminum Alloy |
| front brakes | DISC |
| rear brakes | DISC |
| curb weight | 1690.7 kg / 3724 lbs |
| transmission | 6 speed automatic |
| top speed | ~289.62 kph / 180 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~5 seconds |
| 0 – 100 mph | ~10 seconds |
| 0 – 1/4 mile | ~12.5 second |
| BODYWORK | ||
| BODY TYPE | 4/5 seater sedan/saloon | |
| NUMBER OF DOORS | 4 | |
| DESIGNER | ||
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS | ||
| WHEELBASE | 3159 mm | 124.4 inches |
| TRACK/TREAD (FRONT) | 1556 mm | 61.3 inches |
| TRACK/TREAD (REAR) | 1546 mm | 60.9 inches |
| LENGTH | 5215 mm | 205.3 inches |
| WIDTH | 1860 mm | 73.2 inches |
| HEIGHT | 1448 mm | 57 inches |
| GROUND CLEARANCE | ||
| LENGTH:WHEELBASE RATIO | 1.65 | |
| KERB WEIGHT | 1689 kg | 3724 lb |
| WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION | ||
| FUEL TANK CAPACITY | 85 litres | 18.7 [22.5] UK [US] gal. |
| AERODYNAMICS | ||
| DRAG COEFFICIENT | ||
| FRONTAL AREA | ||
| CDA | ||
| POWERTRAIN | ||
| ENGINE TYPE | supercharged petrol | |
| ENGINE MANUFACTURER | Jaguar | |
| ENGINE CODE | AJ-V8 AJ34 | |
| CYLINDERS | V 8 in 90° vee | |
| CAPACITY | 4.2 litre 4196 cc (256.056 cu in) | |
| BORE × STROKE | 86 × 90.3 mm 3.39 × 3.56 in | |
| BORE/STROKE RATIO | 0.95 | |
| VALVE GEAR | double overhead camshaft(DOHC) 4 valves per cylinder 32 valves in total | |
| MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT (DIN) | 395 PS (390 bhp) (291 kW) at 6100 rpm | |
| MAXIMUM TORQUE (DIN) | 541 Nm (399 ft·lb) (55.2 kgm) at 3500 rpm | |
| SPECIFIC OUTPUT (DIN) | 69.3 kW/litre 94.2 ps/litre 92.9 bhp/litre 1.52 bhp/cu in | |
| SPECIFIC TORQUE (DIN) | 128.93 Nm/litre 1.56 ft·lb/cu3 | |
| ENGINE CONSTRUCTION | ||
| SUMP | wet sumped | |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 9.1:1 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM | EFi | |
| BMEP (BRAKE MEAN EFFECTIVE PRESSURE) | 1620.2 kPa (235 psi) | |
| MAXIMUM RPM | ||
| CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS | ||
| ENGINE COOLANT | Water | |
| UNITARY CAPACITY | 524.5 cc | |
| ASPIRATION | S/Charged | |
| COMPRESSOR | ||
| INTERCOOLER | ||
| CATALYTIC CONVERTER | Y | |
| PERFORMANCE | ||
| ACCELERATION 0-80KM/H (50MPH) | ||
| ACCELERATION 0-60MPH | 5 s | |
| ACCELERATION 0-100KM/H | 5.3 s | |
| ACCELERATION 0-160KM/H (100MPH) | ||
| STANDING QUARTER-MILE | ||
| STANDING KILOMETRE | ||
| MAXIMUM SPEED | 250 km/h (155 mph) | |
| POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO | Higher is better 234.12 PS/tonne (1000 kg) 0.23 PS/kg 172.19 kW/tonne (1000 kg) 0.17 kW/kg 230.91 bhp/tonne (1000 kg) 0.23 bhp/kg 0.1 bhp/lb | |
| WEIGHT-TO-POWER RATIO | Lower is better 5.81 kg/kW 9.7 lb/bhp | |
| FUEL CONSUMPTION | ||
| FUEL CONSUMPTION | 18.6/9.0/12.3 l/100km urban/extra-urban/combined | |
| UNIVERSAL FUEL CONSUMPTION (CALCULATED FROM THE ABOVE) | ||
| LITRES/100KM | 18.6/9.0/12.3 l/100km urban/extra-urban/combined | |
| KM/LITRE | 5.4/11.1/8.1 km/l urban/extra-urban/combined | |
| UK MPG | 15.2/31.4/23.0 UK MPG urban/extra-urban/combined | |
| US MPG | 12.6/26.1/19.1 US MPG urban/extra-urban/combined | |
| CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS | 299.0 g/km NEDC | |
| CARFOLIO CALCULATED CO2? | ||
| VED BAND (UK) | M | |
| CO2 EFFIZIENZ (DE) | ||
| CHASSIS | ||
| ENGINE POSITION | front | |
| ENGINE LAYOUT | longitudinal | |
| DRIVE WHEELS | rear wheel drive | |
| TORQUE SPLIT | N/A | |
| STEERING | ||
| TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK | ||
| TURNING CIRCLE | 12.00 m | |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | ||
| REAR SUSPENSION | ||
| WHEEL SIZE FRONT | 8.5 x 19 | |
| WHEEL SIZE REAR | 8.5 x 19 | |
| TYRES FRONT | 255/40 ZR 19 | |
| TYRES REAR | 255/40 ZR 19 | |
| BRAKES F/R | ||
| FRONT BRAKE DIAMETER | ||
| REAR BRAKE DIAMETER | ||
| BRAKED AREA | ||
| GEARBOX | 6 speed automatic | |
