SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here probably applies to the models you can get at home.

*To read one of our road tests, just select from the menu on the left.

*Please remember too, that prices quoted were those ruling on the days I wrote the reports.



The long-awaited launch of Jaguar's 2011 XJ diesel happened on the West Coast recently. We were there.

This is a launch report. In other words, it's simply a new model announcement. The driving experience was limited to a short drive over a prepared course chosen to make the product look good. We can therefore not tell you what it will be like to live with over an extended period, how economical it is, or how reliable it will be. A very brief first impression is all we can give you until such time as we get an actual test unit for trial. Thank you for your patience.

Pics supplied
Its own special style of exclusivity

Published in The Witness Motoring on Wednesday May 18, 2011

"It's about heritage and remembering where we came from; it's about purity of design where every line has a purpose; it's about proportion, grace and detail with modern execution. It's about our glamorous and aspirational brand." It's obvious that Tania Cleary, national sales and marketing manager for Jaguar SA, is passionate about the product and what she does.

She has a right to be. The original XJ was Sir William Lyons' last grand design and its modern interpretation is equally exciting without looking the least bit like something from the 'sixties. Two design teams worked on the project in close company with Engineering, who smacked the 'pony tails' back in line whenever creativity threatened practicality. As we saw when the V8 petrol models were released last August, the formula worked.

The new XJ is a viable alternative for those who don't feel they have to buy themselves something with a German nameplate. It is every bit as luxurious, quiet, solid and safe as products from the big three, while looking a little different and sporting its own special style of exclusivity. It's British, in the proudest sense of the word.

The diesel version released recently, uses the 'S' derivative of Jaguar's 2993 cc V6 turbo motor that develops 202 kW at 4000 rpm and 600 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm. This combination moves the XJ up to the magical 'ton' in a claimed 6,4 seconds and on to a governed maximum of 250 km/h.  Combined cycle fuel economy per the standardised Euro test is 7,1 l/100 km, with a CO2 gm/km figure of 184. These figures are partly thanks to a mostly-aluminium body made of 50 percent recycled material. Apart from the lighter mass that contributes to improved performance and handling, it is stronger too.

Two trim versions are available. The Premium Luxury level offers a panoramic roof with electrically operated blinds, 19" Aleutian alloy wheels with seven other styles in various sizes available at additional cost, Xenon headlights with LED signatures and power wipers, Jaguar 600W sound system, hard disc drive and media hub, Jaguar smart key with keyless entry and start, soft-grain leather seats and upper fascia, phosphor blue internal lighting, virtual instruments, full-colour high-definition touch screen, navigation system, dual-zone climate control, continuously variable damping, six-speed ZF automatic transmission, JaguarSense technology that switches on lights and opens the glove box with a casual almost-touch, interactive voice control and a variety of colour combinations and veneers.

Portfolio level is something special. It adds 20" Kasuga alloy wheels with six other styles and sizes optional, a Bowers & Wilkins 1200W surround sound system, heated and cooled seats with a wider range of adjustments and a massage function, soft grain leather with contrast piping and stitching, embossed headrests, upper fascia and door panniers in softgrain leather, Jaguar suede cloth premium roof lining, four-zone climate control and a wider choice of colour combinations and veneers.

The familiarisation drive, taking the scenic route from Cape Town International to the little fishing village of Paternoster and back, took in 400 kilometres of what has been described as 'amongst the finest driving country in the world.' The description may be a little extravagant, but it was beautiful. Along the way my driving partner, previous editor of a well-known motoring monthly, pointed out the magazine's famous high-speed test road. It is long, straight, totally flat and cries out to be abused. Let us simply say that liberties may or may not have been taken, because the car just begged to be set free. There were even more opportunities along the way, because the Western Cape roads people are 'way less conservative in setting of speeds, within the national limit, than their colleagues in KZN. It was fun.

The numbers
Prices: Premium Luxury - R950 472 and Portfolio - R1 085 472
Engine: 2 993 cc turbodiesel
Power: 202 kW at 4 000 rpm
Torque: 600 Nm at 2 000 rpm
Performance and economy: See text
Fuel: 50-ppm diesel strongly recommended, although 500-ppm may be used. The diesel particulate filter was removed for sub-Saharan markets.
Tank: 82 litres
Warranty: 3 years/100 000 km
Driveplan: 5 years/100 000 km



What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.

What this means to you is that every car reviewed is given my own personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every car goes through real world testing; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I am based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa. This is the central hub of the KZN Midlands farming community; the place farmers go to to buy their supplies and equipment, truck their goods to market, send their kids to school and go to kick back and relax. 

So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!

Comments?

Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you thoroughly disagree with what I say? That's your privilege, because if everybody agreed on everything, the world would be a boring place. All I ask is that you remain calm, so please blow off a little steam before venting too vigorously.