This supercharged XJR goes from zero to 60 miles an hour in just 5.4 seconds. And don't think that these are unwieldy large sedans that only do well on straightaways. In fact, the XJR sometimes seemed more like a BMW in elegant Jaguar dress than an old-style Jaguar. Inside the car, Jaguar took out that odd instrument panel on which some controls sat on a cantilevered shelf that jutted out from the dashboard. Now, the interior is more modern, and controls for cruise control as well as stereo and telephone are on the tasteful steering wheel.
Door trim inside is cleaned up, too, and less old-style, less cluttered.
My only complaint involves the short seat cushions on the front seats that don't lend themselves to long drives. I also noticed the numbers on the speedometer are much smaller than in last year's sedans. Still, there's no doubt the improvements are many and impressive in these new sedans. Ann Job, who worked in Detroit as an automotive writer, now lives in Sacramento. 1999 Knight Ridder Inc. and may not be republished without permission.