To hammer that point home, the press launch for the XJ lwb included an autocross course. The impromptu track had an impeccable instructor. Sir Jackie Stewart was on hand to advise ham-fisted journalists in the art of navigating the tight course in the stretched Jaguar. Stewart, who in his sixties still drives with a smoothness that would shame silk, definitively demonstrated the agility of the big Jag. And, several hundred miles of wheeling the XJ through city and country roads confirmed the car's ride comfort. Where the last generation XJ came up short - literally - was interior room. The back seat was not big enough to comfortably house adults, particularly adult Americans. That grumble point was erased by the new XJ last year, and it's a complete non-issue in the long wheelbase models. The five inches in length that the lwb models have gained is all found from the b-pillar back. The roofline has been raised .28 inches. The back doors are longer with a wider swing. Collectively, it's a back cabin that provides easy passage, with comfortable ingress/egress. Burled walnut and leather mingle comfortably inside, and Vanden Plas models offer an even plusher cut of hide and carpet. Available back seat options include a multi-media entertainment center, with twin. 6.5" video screens embedded in the front seat headrests. Also offered are fold-down trays. The wood- faced shelves are an elegant blast from Jaguars past, known then as picnic trays, known now as business trays. Practically speaking, the shallowness of tray presents the same problems for would-be laptop use as many airline seats (tough to get full extension of your screen), but it's still a classy touch. Front cabin is first cabin too. Essentially unchanged from other XJ models, it's a well appointed space with - on models equipped with the Navigation system - a busy, but logical, center stack.
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