To my surprise I loved it more than ever. Had been driving my brand new 308 (16k miles) for last 3 weeks and didnt know what to expect. XJS is FAST. Its such a joy to drive.

You may remember a few weeks back I was thinking of unloading the Jag... I just cant do it. Its too nice. Will have to live with both. Sorry wife.

 

Speaking of Ferraris and XJSs.....

I had the opportunity to spend some wheel time driving one of these recently:

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/cro...-22_600x0w.jpg

The one I drove was an automatic and the overall feel and experience was very XJS-like. Smooth, quiet, comfy, secure/stable...a definite good feeling.

The 412 (and related variants) are sometimes sneered at because they lack the typical noise-excitement-speed-wow-look at me-oh my god factor that Ferraris are supposed to have. True enough, but IMHO it's still a darn nice car to drive

Cheers
DD

 

Nice to hear your impression of the XJ-S after driving the 308. I'm happy to hear you'll keep her.

Did you get a GTS or GTB? I saw couple at an auction in Toronto last year and couldn't believe how tiny they were. They also look like a heck of a lot of fun. Pics?

 

Envy. I love the 412. Would you have one?

 

Sweet! Looking forward to further comparisons of the 2. How about some Ferrari pics!!

 

No, I don't own one. It's just a recent addition to the collection of cars I tend to ...and am forced to drive as a condition of employment

Cheers
DD

 

I have found over the years that some of the cars I thought I wanted to get someday are not so comfortable to sit in and drive. This might have something to do with age and wanting to be more comfortable in a car but I had a heck of a time getting into a 308.

Seems like owning exotic cars is like dating super models-seldom are either that easy to live with and both can be very temperamental and expensive to hang out with.

Seems that the XJS just fits me pretty well. Good compromise between sporty, exotic and comfortable GT.

 

'Seems like owning exotic cars is like dating super models-seldom are either that easy to live with and both can be very temperamental and expensive to hang out with.'

So are you saying that the XJS is a bit of an old slapper then?
Charmed, I'm sure.

 

Didn't the Ferrari 412 have the same GM TH400 transmission as the XJ-S has?

 

Yes, and it blunts the performance in just the same way as well

Cheers
DD

 

Photos below

DorialusiumRandom

 

That is one tidy car - truly from another era! Any chance for some more interior shots? The square button Alpine unit looks right at home, too.

 

Had a 308 GTB on the ship today; lovely car (probably my favourite Ferrari), such a shame that we had to push start it so that it could get off.
How not cool is that?

 

 

With different carpets

 

Wow, engine looks tiny. Is it one of those where step 1 for a belt change is: REMOVE THE ENGINE???

Would be extremely grateful for some direct comparisons to the XJS when you have some time.

Cheers!

 

The engine is smaller. 3.0L, but because of where the engine is mounted (its mid-engine, low in the car). what pops out here is just tip of iceberg.

How does it drive... Well, aggressive. The sound of the engine is just music. Not just the rev, but the burble and snap when you take your foot off the gas. The idle rev.

Its not an easy driving car, no power steering but the rack/pinion/momo steering wheel are just so responsive. In general the suspension is just on another level. You're able to take turns with absolutely no sway/loss of traction, and can stick them at far higher speeds than you'd think. Mid engine mount makes car incredibly well balanced.

It drives smoother than you'd think. The car feels like a piece of work. Almost as if every single bolt has been torqued to the max. No rattles, shakes bumps. Feels tight. Like its made of one piece of metal.

Seating is tight. Legs straddle the steering wheel. Clutch is aligned around where center a of wheel is and brake / gas cantilevered over to the right.

Clutch weighs a ton, and gearbox is very tight. Gated shifter is just plain fun. After few hours of driving you're exhausted though.

Now comparing to XJS - XJS just has a beautiful note at high revs. Low revs quiet. Thats kind of nice though. Can be difficult to have conversation without yelling in ferrari. Far better for longer drives and has great combo of performance / looks / luxury / comfort.

Both different but both absolutely classic cars. Best of both worlds.

 

With 308 can replace drive belts through wheel well. However, its just easier to do the 15-20k engine service by dropping subframe. Not that difficult. Can re-do seals and the like that way. Expensive but not as much as the 348 model / 512bb, Testarossa, etc. Few grand.

 

Not sure what you mean by "bit of an old slapper". What I was saying to be clear is that I do not see the XJS as an exotic car like a Lambo etc. I was trying to convey that I like the way the XJS fits me on many different levels. It is just rare enough to get attention and be different but at the same time it is pretty user friendly.

I am 6' 5" tall so getting into many sports cars can be a challenge and then being comfortable after you are in one can also be a challenge. Some cars that I have lusted over for years just do not fit me or the seats are uncomfortable, suspension too stiff and jarring etc.

I love looking at exotic cars ( and super models for that matter ) but not sure I could live with one like I can with the XJS. Seems like cars that are designed to go 175 mph + or are super sleek looking have to give up certain things that a car like the XJS is able to provide.

I have said for years that the XJS does not stand out in any one or two categories but as a complete package is very hard to beat. I drove a customers 2011 Corvette grand sport the other day and after being in the car for a short time I could not wait to go for a drive in my XJS. The Corvette is much faster with 435 HP but being in my XJS just feels right.

 

I remember reading an English car mag back in about 1986 or so, possiblr Autocar.
It compared XJS, V8 Vantage, SL500, a big Ferrari (?412),and one other then-new GT car. Summary was - XJS is best all-rounder of the lot..