Jaguar XJ 3.0L Portfolio

XJ 3.0L Portfolio Review

JLR has an immaculate fleet of cars in their stable, among which Jaguar XJ is a high end luxury saloon. It is being sold in both petrol and diesel engine options with a few variants. The Jaguar XJ 3.0L Portfolio is their top end trim. It is fitted with a powerful 3.0-litre engine under the hood, which is capable of producing 270.8bhp along with a hammering torque output of 600Nm. This engine is mated with an advanced 8-speed automatic transmission gearbox that is further incorporated with a JaguarDrive selector. It is bestowed with adaptive dynamics system that monitors the suspension mechanism and adjusts the damping to suit according to the road condition. For keeping it agile, this variant is integrated with automatic speed limiter along with track dynamic stability control system. This saloon is all about high end luxury, style and sophisticated technology, which makes unique in its segment. The car maker has also integrated innovative features like JaguarDrive Control featuring three different modes like Normal, Winter and Dynamic. The company has given this saloon a luxurious internal cabin, owing to its long wheelbase of 3157mm. It offers enough leg room and shoulder space for all passengers and gives a comfortable driving experience. All the seats can be adjusted in 20 different ways using electric function and three programmable memory setting. This variant is also bestowed with a panoramic heat reflective glass, which filters UV rays and floods natural light to the cabin. The car maker has is blessed it with intelligent safety functions including pedestrian contact sensing and Jaguar smart key system with keyless entry, which actively safeguards everyone on board. It also has pedestrian contact sensing system, 3-flash lane change indicator, airbags for driver and front co-passenger along with side curtain airbags and various other aspects as well.

Exteriors:

This vehicle is perhaps the most stylish saloon developed by the company with sleek and lustrous body structure. Its front facade has a signature perforated radiator grille that is done up with a lot of chrome and affixed with a prominent company insignia. Surrounding this is the aggressive headlight cluster, which is equipped with high intensity bi-xenon lamps along with LED DRLs and turn indicators. Its body colored bumper houses a large air intake section for cooling the powerful engine. The bonnet is quite long and comes with four expressive lines that compliments the design of grille. Its large windscreen gives good visibility ahead and is accompanied by a pair of rain sensing wipers. This saloon has a classy side profile featuring elegantly sculptured cosmetics. The window frames along with door handles are treated in chrome, while the B and C pillars have high glossy black finish. The neatly crafted wheel arches are fitted with a stylish set of 19-inch 'Toba' alloy wheels. Its rear profile has a distinct design featuring a smiley tailgate, which is further decorated with company's logo and a thick chrome strip. It is accompanied by a slanting backward windscreen, which gives it a look of a coupe. It has a defogger along with wash and wipe function and a LED high mounted stop lamp. The radiant taillight cluster looks thin with sweptback design and it is powered by LED brake light along with turn indicator and a courtesy lamp. Its rear bumper has a decent design featuring a horizontal chrome strip and it is further fitted with two exhaust pipes.

Interiors:

The roomy cabin has a contemporary interior design that is further complimented by a lot of wood and chrome inserts on the dashboard and center console. It is incorporated with well cushioned seats, which are ergonomically designed. These seats are covered with leather upholstery with contrast stitches. The front seats have heating and ventilation facility along with 3-position memory function that adds to the comfort level. It is also available with a rear seat comfort pack, which includes reclining seats, four way adjustment for the lower back, massage features with three intensity settings along with winged headrests. Not only this, the rear seat occupants can even move the front seat forward at the touch of a button, which contributes in more leg space. There is ample leg and shoulder space available in the second row owing to its large wheelbase. Its center console houses a sophisticated center console that is fitted with a touchscreen infotainment system, an AC unit and a digital clock. The cockpit includes an elegantly designed dashboard that comes equipped with a large glove box with cooling effect and a three spoke steering wheel that is wrapped in premium soft grain leather and mounted with various control buttons.

Engine and Performance:

Under the hood, this variant is fitted with a powerful V6 diesel engine that displaces 2993cc. It is integrated with a direct injection system and produced maximum power of 270.8bhp at 4000rpm and generates a peak torque output of 600Nm at 2000rpm. This engine is coupled with an advanced 8-speed automatic transmission gear box, which sends the engine power to its front wheels. With the help of a direct injection fuel supply system, it can deliver a mileage of 12.9 Kmpl on the highways (as per ARAI certification) and 7.5 Kmpl within the city limits. On the other hand, it is surprisingly quick as this vehicle takes only 6.4 seconds to breach the 100 Kmph speed mark from zero, while it can attain a breathtaking top speed of 250 Kmph.

Braking and Handling:

It is equipped with an advanced braking mechanism that is assisted by a proficient electric parking brake along with drive away release function. All its wheels are fitted with a set of internally vented disc brakes, which are further accompanied by superior brake calipers. The company has given this saloon a robust suspension mechanism, which keeps the vehicle agile on any road conditions. The advanced adaptive dynamic system continuously monitors the suspension and helps to handles this four wheeler in a better way. It is equipped with dynamic stability control, which further enhances the driving quality. The DSC setting detects the wheel slipping and optimizes the traction in difficult conditions. It is blessed with a speed sensitive power steering system, which provides an effortless driving experience.

Comfort Features:

This luxurious saloon is incorporated with a lot of advanced technology and innovative comfort features. It has an advanced Meridian sound system with video and audio streaming. The 8-inch color touchscreen display comes with control for audio, navigation, Bluetooth telephone connectivity, climate control and various other user settings. This supports single slot CD player, MP3 disc, file compatibility, USB interface and i-Pod port. For rear seat entertainment, the company has blessed it with eight inch LCD touchscreen with a few functions like rear media interface, remote control and wireless digital headphones. Jaguar Sequential Shift provides the choice of Drive, Sport or manual gear shift modes with one touch pedals mounted behind the steering wheel. Its cabin is fitted with an efficient air conditioning unit including humidity sensors, air filtration and four zone temperature control. It also has air quality sensors with auto recirculation function.

Safety Features:

It has a reinforced body shell along with aluminum body panels and monocoque chassis. It is also blessed with a parking aid system, which has audible warnings and visual images on touchscreen display. The pedestrian contact sensor reduces the pedestrian injuries in a collision with energy absorbing bumpers and sensors. It instinctively raises the bonnet slightly and creates space between the bonnet and engine components. The front seats are equipped with plus sensors that detect the size and weight of the driver and passenger to activate soft landing technology.

Pros:

1. Its long wheelbase provides additional leg space.
2. Presence of Jaguar Drive Control system is a big plus point.

Cons:

1. Minimum turning radius is rather big.
2. There are very few authorized dealers.