Jaguar packed with luxury, style and rich history

This year I will be keenly focused on exotic Jaguar cars. I enjoy the loyalty one gets from well-loved cars.

While it may never replace a warm genuine hug from a loved one, one can’t help but enjoy the magnificent handling and obedience of a well-tuned car as it slices through the open country.

This year’s AccessKenya Concours de Elegance, which is billed to be the biggest and best yet, will take us back in time to the days when motoring was a pleasurable experience for the select few.

I will be on the lookout for the rare feline that celebrates three quarters of a century this year.

I hope to see the gorgeous examples of Matthias Koehler and Kevit Desai that return to do battle for the ultimate prize in vehicular elegance.

Last year, they managed a respectable 8th and 9th positions respectively.

All of Kenya’s most loved classic and vintage cars will line up in the shimmering afternoon sun as petrol heads mill around with prurient envy.

I will take a trip back in time to investigate the inspiration behind this marque’s design in order to better understand what inspired Ian Callum to transform this exotic vehicle into the world-beater it is today.

It is a marvel how Jaguars have bravely broken the mould and reinvented themselves in such a short time.

Although there will be many disappointed conservatives who feel the new car has broken the unwritten code and over-modernised its exotic British favourite, many new owners will celebrate.

All said and done, I think they have done more good than bad with the new Jaguars.

In one devastating blow, they have managed to demystify the belief that only the Germans can produce fine luxury cars that drive well.

But where did this journey begin. In 1935, Sir William Lyons was working on his SS100 and needed a name that befitted the sporty car that he was so passionate about.

He chose to call it Jaguar to represent the feline grace, elegance, power and agility he believed the car possessed.

Seventy five years on and the car has reinventing itself to fit into the modern hi-tech space that most cars have taken in society.

In a volatile automotive industry, it is a surprise that Jaguar has survived while many brands struggle and some die, like the Hummer SUV.

Jaguar, Range Rover, and Land Rover brands might have suffered a similar fate were it not for the timely rescue of Tata’s acquisition.

The new Indian owners have invested heavily to see these legendary cars retain their unique status as classic trendsetters in their specific niche segments.

In the beginning, cars were strictly functional. Their purpose was to outdo horse drawn carriages that they replaced and allow man to go further, carry more, and move faster than a brisk walk in the park.

Jaguar was designed to move fast with graceful elegance. Its racing heritage dates back to 1951 when Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead did 256 laps in a Jaguar C-type.

This they achieved at a modest speed of 146kph covering 3,611kms and winning the Le Mans with a 45-minute lead.

The flagship Jaguar XJ was first produced in 1968 with a straight six engine.

This car so impressed its current design director, Mr Callum, then only 13 years old, that he stood for 50 minutes outside a Jaguar showroom in Scotland, marvelling at its dimensions.

New design

He was not the only one impressed by the new car.

Motor Magazine described the car as innovative with a striking new design.

“The equipment is extensive and luxurious with a well-arranged interior.” Its handling was described as reassuring and performance brisk. They summarised by saying; “if you do not intend to buy it, don’t try it out”.

Today your average motoring journalist will pour praise on almost everything on four wheels, except of course the Russian Lada, the Toyota Vitz, and some challenged Indian models.

Looking back at the Jaguars of the late 60s and 70s, you can’t help but appreciate the level of design, luxury and pace packed into this rare automotive.

In 1972, the XJ12 was described as the fastest 4-door saloon, thanks to its 5.3 litre V12 that managed 225kph.

Seating in the 2011 Jaguar XJ and comparing it with the classic of yore, I appreciate the challenge that the design team had.

They had to keep it contemporary, luxurious and modern and retain elements of its rich history.

It had to be large and spacious yet brisk and fast enough to take on the Germans. It needed to be safe and fuel efficient.

The car also needed to look good from every angle. Good design must work despite its elegance and charm.

Driving the 2011 XJ presented a unique challenge for which I could not get an immediate answer.

Cruising through the hilly countryside with the afternoon sun taking a bow, the chrome centre console that accommodates the drive selector would reflect directly into my eyes, causing me to slow down and shield my eyes from the glare. How could this have been overlooked?

For a global brand meant to sell in all corners of this planet, a little testing outside gloomy Europe’s overcast skies would have nabbed this small but irritating flaw.

That aside, everything else is just where it should be —including the analogue clock that takes pride of place between two centre vents.

There is so much good about this car that I would need a full-length article in a magazine to explain.

However, the Bowers & Wilkins 20 speaker, with the latest Dolby Pro Logic IIx encoder and cinema quality 7.1 surround sound system, had the hair at the back of my head standing on end.

This, along with the panoramic sunroof, will stay with me forever.

In the Jaguar XJ I will always take the long route home for all the years of my ownership.