The Jaguar XJR is the brand's flagship sedan.
Fast facts
* Model: Jaguar XJR * Exterior color: Glacier White * Interior color: Red Zone * Engine: 5.0-liter, V-8 (supercharged) * Horsepower: 550 * Transmission: Eight-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 23 mpg highway, 15 mpg city * Local Dealer: Jaguar Chattanooga * Price (as tested): $121,208 * Model: Infiniti Q70L * Exterior color: Hermosa Blue * Interior color: Java * Engine: 5.6-liter, V-8 * Horsepower: 416 * Transmission: Seven-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 24 mpg highway, 16 mpg city * Local Dealer: Infiniti Chattanooga * Price (as tested): $74,270
Flagship sedans are showpieces for their brands, embodying all the virtues their manufacturers hold dear. But what happens when a brand's flagship has the handling and performance characteristics of a race car?
This week, Test Drive features a side-by-side comparison of two V-8 powered, rear-wheel drive luxury sedans, the Infiniti Q70L and the Jaguar XJR, which both offer Mercedes Benz S-Class-level luxury along with adrenalin inducing engines capable of pinning your back to your seat.
Beware: The price of admission to this echelon of automobiles is steep. Our Hermosa Blue Q70L tester has a sticker price of $74,270, while the spectacular Glacier White Jaguar XJR lists for $121,208. Both showcase technology and performance features that may one day trickle down to less expensive offerings from both car companies.
In truth, because of the wide price disparity, these two cars will rarely be cross-shopped. Still, their overall size and performance profiles are similar enough that they represent good examples of what you get for the money at two price points when it comes to V-8 muscle in a luxury wrapper.
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STYLING
Modern Infiniti sedans have an organic design that the car-maker says is "inspired by nature." The distinctive contours of the Q70L's hood and front fenders suggest a "rising wave" according to Infiniti. From inside, the undulations of the front third of the car are ever-present in the driver's vision, reminding him or her that this is no cookie-cutter design. Infiniti designers say this sculpting is designed to create shimmers and shadows.
Inside, the Q70L has a cockpit-style dash marked by easy-to-read analog gauges, an 8-inch color touch-screen in the center and enough hand-buffed Japanese ash trim to build a coffee table. The switchgear waterfalls into a massive center stack with plenty of pockets and cubbies for your electronic accessories.
The Jaguar XJR is an expression of modern Jaguar design, which ditched the company's classic 20th-century styling for a more sleek, contemporary look. The XJR's front third looks like it was borrowed from the fuselage of a fighter jet, and its low roof line completes the wind-swept look. Special 20-inch wheels mark the XJR as the the performance version of the XJ model. A special chrome package ($500) accents the gloss-black grille and side air intakes.
Inside, the Jaguar is a riot of red leather seating surfaces and piano black accents. The rotary shifter is an iconic Jaguar design that opens space on the center stack. A virtual LED gauge cluster takes the place of mechanical gauges, giving the dash a high-tech appearance. Circular heat and air vents have an art deco vibe.
FEATURES
Both the Infiniti and the Jaguar have a full compliment of luxury features, the Jag boasting a few more goodies befitting its higher price.
The Jaguar XJR has a panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled seats and $1,575 worth of carbon fiber veneer - which is, incidentally, about what we paid for our first new car in 1976. Noise-reducing double pane glass and a heated steering wheel are standard equipment on the XJR.
The Infiniti boasts an equally impressive list of luxury gear including heated rear seats, an around-view monitor to assist with parking, an Infiniti navigation system, and 10-speaker Bose stereo system and illuminated kick-plates. Custom 20-inch wheels are a $1,150 option.
The Q70L's most endearing virtue is its longer wheel base, which adds more than 5 inches to rear seat knee room and turns the car into a virtual limousine.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
Both the Jaguar and Infiniti flagships are scorchers. The Infiniti Q70L has a 5.6-liter V-8 engine that makes 416 horsepower and catapults the sedan from zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The Jaguar features the company's most potent V-8, a supercharged engine that makes 550 horsepower and results in a zero-to-60 time of a heart-stopping 4.1 seconds, according to Edmunds.com.
In real-life Chattanooga driving, the Q70L feels like a world-class sprinter coiled in the blocks. It only takes a nudge for the big V-8 to take a deep breath and launch. The Jaguar, on the other hand, is like a thoroughbred horse that can barely contain itself at the gate. A light tap on the accelerator releases an other-worldly roar and sends the Jaguar racing urgently down a freeway onramp.
Both cars are quiet and composed, for those times when the power reserve is not needed. The Jaguar does growl on start-up like a big cat waking from a nap, but the idle is calm and collected.
Because of their powerful engines, neither car is a fuel sipper. The Infiniti should average 24 mpg in highway driving and 16 mpg in city driving. The Jaguar gets a tick less, 23 mpg highway and 16 mpg city.
BOTTOM LINE
Anyone shopping for these cars has an eye for luxury and a need for speed. These cars check both boxes, as long as you have the checkbook to handle the lofty sticker prices.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.