My kind of Jag ― the 3.0 Supercharged

When the new Jaguar XJ 3.0 Supercharged arrived, my husband and I fought viciously over who would get behind the wheel. In the end, I won because of insurance and, after all, I was the one who would be doing the writing.

White and shimmering, the car looked enticing, and just waiting for someone to hop into the tastefully upholstered seats and do it justice.

The first thing I noticed was that, for a vehicle measuring 5.2 meters long with a width just shy of 1.9 meters, it was extremely light to the touch. Steering was a cinch, even through the narrow, crooked alleys of older Korean neighborhoods. 

This lightness is because the body shell is 100 percent aluminum. And the pieces are not welded, but bonded together, courtesy of aerospace technology: This makes the XJ more than 150 kilograms lighter than its rivals.

After wasting this premium driving machine on Seoul’s clogged roads for the first few days, I finally had a chance to put the Supercharged on the highway at around midnight before my test drive was up.

As advertised, it took less than six seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour, and braking was equally effortless, taking just seconds from a high speed, with the engine shutting down in less than a second to rev back to life almost immediately when my foot touched the accelerator, thanks to the Intelligent Stop-Start System.

One shortcoming, as I had expected from other reviews, was that it took a while to work up the Jag’s supercharged V6 engine ― the same kind used in the entry-level F-type roadster and a downgrade from the V8 of the 2012 models ― up to its top performance. I had driven the Lexus LS 600h the week before, which felt much more powerful and dynamic despite being much heavier than the Jag.

The interior was sleek, and I noticed the gorgeous wooden panels ― each Jag sedan uses wood from a single tree, meaning no car uses the same wood. The motif was supposed to be an upscale yacht, and I had to hand it to the design chief, Ian Callum ― the similarity was uncanny.

Some seem to have qualms about the mouse-like control panel, but for me, it was one of the most endearing qualities, as I found it delightful not having to jerk through gears.

The sound system was also more than exquisite, contrary to how some audio buffs have been complaining after Jaguars and Range Rovers switched from Bowers & Wilkins to Meridian.

Fuel economy was not super, at around 8 km per liter or less, but to me it seemed reasonable enough for a car of this size.

All in all, I give the 3.0 Supercharged five points out of five, as it lived up to its reputation as being the lightest and fastest luxury car on the road that’s affordable ― kind of, with a price tag of 146 million won ($129,500).

One extra point it got was for my vanity, as the car definitely drew more glances than almost any other supercar I’ve had the privilege of driving.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)