The Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition - does it really live up to its name?
The Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition. Seems like a regular XJ on the outside. The same elegant and sleek body and the same fast V8 supercharged 510hp engine as the XJ Supersport. So on the surface yes it is the same car. But is it really?
Here also the dashboard still has the same features as the lesser XJs. The features of the gauges are still there especially the rather wonderful coloured glow of the digital gauges. If anyone out there is unfamiliar with the digital gauges - basically there is a blue glow emanating from the bottom of the gauge when its in normal mode whereas in sport mode it glows red which is a fine feature of the XJ models. Now at this point it is starting to become a game of spot the difference. However, it won't take long for an observant person to realise that its the seats that have changed. In the following picture....
...the differences now are becoming obvious. Firstly, the middle seat has been pulled out to make way for a new luxurious centre console and individually tailored seats trimmed in premium leather with power adjustment, lumbar support, massage function and climate controls. The interior as shown is a hand-crafted interior thereby the heart and soul of the designers are going into the design and construction of the interior.
The other luxuries included in the back seat include a rear business table made from solid aluminium with black piano trim, champagne glass holders just located below the table and a champagne chiller located just behind where the middle seat used to be. This is quite luxurious already however, how can you get it up into Rolls Royce Phantom or Bentley Mulsanne territory?
This is Jaguar's answer - iPads embedded in the back of the driver's and passenger's seats with keyboards and small screens in the headrests of the front seats for entertainment as well. They come included with wireless headphones. By attaching iPads to the seats, they are taking advantage of the trend that is sweeping the world - that iPads are changing the way we work. Of course one would question the combination of an iPad and the small screen entertainment package. When you have an iPad already, isn't that all you need? However, aside from that, the idea of incorporating iPads into their cars was a smart idea because CEO can theoretically work in the back of the car which tends to be a necessity because they are always on the move.
The final other deviations from the lesser XJs are that the suspension on this is softer and therefore provides for a smoother ride. So how much more expensive is the ultimate edition than a normal XJ is something you may ask? Well the Supersport version is only at US$110,000. However, the Ultimate Edition is speculated to be priced at $175,000. That is $65,000 more than a Supersport! So the verdict: well if you really are a CEO or a high class business man than this would be the car for you, because it is more about the ride and comfort. You probably won't be anywhere in a rush in a car like the Ultimate edition. Whereas is you are more for the driving experience than you are better off with the XJ Supersport because it is much cheaper, more seats, lighter and faster without all the weight of the gadgets and accessories in the back. It is essentially the same car as the Ultimate Edition just without the luxuries.
