While the XJ L in this trim is not a super powerful car (the 470 or 550 HP supercharged 5.0-litre V8s are available if you want to head down that road), the blown V6 provides surprising pull for an land yacht of these dimensions. It doesn’t hurt that the XJ L is surprisingly light at 1883 kg (4151 lb) thanks to its aluminum construction. I felt that it had plenty of power, especially off the line where it launches with startling gusto and little drama – it will do the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.4 seconds. While it has enough power in every driving situation, it feels like it works harder once you’re on the go – passing on the highway is a good example. It’s not slow, but it takes a moment for the momentum to build.

I like the sound of this engine, particularly in other applications like the Range Rover Sport, but here it sounds perhaps a little less refined than you’d expect in a huge, stately Jaguar. To be clear, you won’t hear it unless you’re really on the throttle, and noises aside, the V6 is wonderfully smooth. And come to think of it, the crackling supercharged V8s sound decidedly uncouth in their own special and completely delightful way.

This thing rides beautifully in town and on the open road, isolating the driver and passengers from nearly all road imperfections. Of course, you can put the XJ L into Dynamic drive mode (yes, it has a checkered flag for this, just like the Jaguar sports cars have) which immediately tightens up the car’s suspension. It makes things noticeably firmer, and while still remaining comfortable, it allows the driver to throw this leviathan into corners with more enthusiasm than you might expect. It’s not a track car, obviously, but it handles better than I ever thought it would.

Visibility of the road is fantastic. While that massive rear window might imply a good view out of the back, its extreme angle really makes that view a very restricted one. Shoulder-checking wasn’t bad at all – surprising, with those huge rear pillars – and you do get blind-spot monitoring as well. Parking the XJ L seems like it will be a daunting task, due to the sheer size of it, but the turning circle is respectable, all things considered, and you have a back-up camera and front and rear parking sensors to help you out. Oh, and folding mirrors to squeeze into tighter spots.

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