When race car driver Davy Jones says Jaguar has hit the bull’s eye with its new fl agship sedan, the XJ, he should know. Jones, part of the winning Jaguar team at the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona race and a spokesman for the car company, was in Chattanooga earlier this month to help unveil two striking 2011 XJ prototypes at Jaguar of Chattanooga. (The 2011 XJ will go on sale here in April, according to James Vandermerwe, general manager of Jaguar-Land Rover-Porsche of Chattanooga.)

The new XJ is a revolutionary upgrade of Jaguar’s signature rear-wheel-drive sedan. While the prototypes were unavailable for test drive — in fact they didn’t even have onboard batteries — the new XJs are a feast for the eyes.

STYLING: The new body style is a radical departure from the old XJ, which hadn’t changed much since the late 1960s. I’d describe the new body as a fl ying crescent shape, with subtle fascia design cues to carry on the family visage. “They wanted to create a car that had the Jaguar heritage look,” Jones explained.

The model pictured here is the XJL, a long-wheelbase version of the sedan. Most of the 4 inches of added length in the XJL version shows up in the rear seat area, which provides occupants with limousine- like leg room.

While the old XJ looked vintage, the new XJ is thoroughly modern. There’s no hood ornamentation to announce the brand, only side badges and a leaping cat emblem on the steering wheel.

PERFORMANCE: The 2011 XJL comes in three engine variants: a base 5.0-liter V-8 making 385 horsepower, a supercharged V-8 packing 470 horses and a special-order “Super Sport” version that pushes peak power to 510 horsepower for those who require bragging rights at the country club.

INTERIOR COMFORTS: True to the Jaguar tradition, the interior of the new XJ is a tasteful blend of soft leather, walnut veneers and gleaming chrome accents. The car embraces its 21st-century redesign with such flourishes as illuminated tread plates and a touchscreen navigation system.

BOTTOM LINE: While the base price of the XJL is $78,650, a heavily optioned version can easily top six figures. That’s a big check to write unless you consider that the new design, like the last, might endure for 40 years.

TEST DRIVE

MODEL: 2011 Jaguar XJL

ENGINE: 5.0 liter V8 (385 hp)

TRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic.

AVAILABLE: April 2010

FUEL ECONOMY: NA

PRICE AS TESTED: $78,650

SEE JAGUAR SPOKESMAN AND RACE CAR DRIVER DAVY JONES TALK ABOUT THE JAGUAR XJL ONLINE

SEE JAGUAR SPOKESMAN AND RACE CAR DRIVER DAVY JONES TALK ABOUT THE JAGUAR XJL ONLINE.

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