A 2.0-litre limousine? Jaguar XJ 2.0

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I don’t need long to know that the XJ is the real deal. Having been in previous years’ offerings, I know what to expect – comfy, sumptuous seats clad in soft leather, cool gadgets like the rising gear selection dial, and as much wood veneer as you can tick on the options list. The only indication that things have changed are that the door-mounted speakers now say Meridian instead of Bowers and Wilkins, and that the gear display on the LED dashboard screen now goes up to eight. Disappointingly, the gear change paddles behind the wheel are still made from the cheap, brittle plastic that blighted previous XJs and other cars in the Jaguar range. Seriously guys, spend some money on the things we touch the most please.

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OK, rant over. Has Jaguar installed the Little Engine That Could? Simple answer – yes. Obviously it’s not as fast as the V-powered cars, but the 2.0-litre turbo is as good as it could be, and better than I anticipated. It delivers its power in a leisurely but assured way; it refuses to be rushed, but doesn’t feel like it struggles to move almost five metres of British luxury. And the addition of the eight-speed gearbox – which is excellent – means that it’s quick to pick the best option to get the most out of the powerplant. There’s always just enough torque and power when you need it. The quick bursts of power that are so easy to bring on in the V8 cars aren’t there to pop in nippy overtakes, but it’s never lethargic and manages to keep in character with the car.

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Jaguar’s promotional material at the moment makes a big deal of drivers feeling ‘Alive’ and while I hate to agree with marketing, they’re on to something. The hydraulic steering, while light, is feelsome and direct and the chassis comes far closer to sports car in dynamism than a car with this much legroom deserves to. Hustle – and you can hustle this 2.0 version – and you’ll be rewarded with an involving, exciting response if not quite the balls-out speed of the V8s.

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In the back, there’s excellent levels of comfort and gadgetry to play with, and boatloads of room (no, not that boat above). With the arrival of a new engine Jag had to play around with the suspension settings and made the rear end a little softer, which helps take the sting out of the potholes aplenty I encounter during the day. A ride in the back later on would confirm that it’s very nice to be chauffeured about, although I’d rather have been driving.

The 2.0 is not the only new arrival. Also introduced into the 2013 Jaguar XJ is a supercharged 3.0-litre V6, which promises V8-like power but with better fuel economy and reduced emissions. Other international markets will also be getting all-wheel drive versions of the XJ at the end of the year, but there’s currently little demand in the Middle East. I had a quick chance to try the 3.0 as well, and it’s everything you’d expect – not quite as much character as the boomier V8, but instant response and bags of power and torque.

Over dinner that evening, despite the excellence of the V6, all talk was of the 2.0 and how impressive it was. You may not be a fan of the global trend for engine downsizing – and one Jag engineer I spoke to admitted that this was the way things would continue to go – but on this evidence, the drive for efficiency needn’t remove the enjoyment of driving. Phew.

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