AUTOMOTION

IN THIS environmentally-
Sensitive age, 2 V12-powered
juxury car costing upwards
of $100,000 seems a trifle
excessive.

Still, Jaguar makes no excuses
for their restyled flagship, the
XJ12, a luxury sedan that offers
the traditional warmth and charm
of British luxury cars with the
comfort and engineering features
found in the contemporary Series
IV XJ body style.

The XJ12 is one of only three
12-cylinder sedans on the market
(the other two are the Mercedes-
Benz 600SEL and BMW 750il).

As you might expect, the de-
mand for 12-cylinder cars is very
limited. Fewer than 1,000 XJ12’s
will be imported into North
America this year. V12-powered
cars are the victim of increasingly
strict fuel consumption standards,
tighter emissions standards, and
improved performance from
smaller-displacement engines.

Nevertheless, there is an unde-
niable aura and magic attached to
a car with a 12-cylinder engine.
It’s pretty well guaranteed that no
one else on your block will have
one, and that your !2-cylinder car
will always remain rare, and
possibly valuable.

The 1994 XJ12 replaces the
XJ12 Vanden Plas which first ap-
peared as the XJ12 in (972.
Engine displacement has been
bumped up from 5.3 litres to 6.0
litres, and horsepower has been
increased by 15% to 301.

That’s good for a zero to 97
kin/h tine of 7.2 seconds, making
the new XJ12 the fastest produc-
tion Jaguar sedan ever built, at
least in a straight line.

As well as being niore powerful,
the new overhead cam, 24-valve
6.0-litre engine is more refined,
quieter and more reliable. New
hydrautic engine mounts have
helped eliminate some vibration
and noise.

Though powerful, the XJ12 is
not quick off the line. It builds up
speed much like a jet plane does
when taking off: before you know
it; you're flying.

Ata cruising speed of 100 kin/h
on level freeway, the big engine

Price as tested $92,330

Type four-door, four-passenger
sedan

Layout longitudinal
engine/rear-wheel-drive
Engine 6.0 litre V12, SOHC, 24

front

THE JAGUAR XJ12 has the same body style as the XJ6 and the engine size has been increased from 5.3 litres to
leather seats and rear ‘‘picnic” tables are some of the many luxury features of the XJ12.

stitched

turns over a lazy 2200 rpm, but
still has plenty of power available
should you suddenly need to pull
out and pass a lumbering Win-
nebago.

The four-speed automatic
transmission does a great job of
transferring the engine’s enormous
torque to the rear wheels in a
smooth and unperturbing manner,

The Jaguar’s unique J-shaped
transmission shift-gate gives the
driver the option of shifting man-
ually between second, third and
fourth gears without the possibil-
ity of accidentally shifting into
neutral or reverse.

As well, push-button sport and
normal modes offer the driver the
choice of quicker automatic shifts
or, for (relatively) better fuel
economy, later gear changes.

Fuel economy is generally poor.
Transport Canada rates the
XJ12’s City mileage at 19.2 litres
per 100 kilometres (15 mpg),
Highway 13.21/100 km (21 mpg).
A big 87 litre (19.1 gallon) fuel
tank gives the XJ12 a range of 660
kilometres (409 miles).

Like the XJ6, the XJ12 offers a
fully independent suspension
which gives the big cat surprisingly
agile handling, though steering
feel is vague. :

Standard dise brakes at all four
wheels with a Teves four-wheel,
anti-lock braking system provides
excellent stopping power, and a
rear limited slip differential help
improve traction and stability.
Traction conirol is not available.

You can spot an XJ12 easily by

valves, Marelli electronic fuel
injection

Horsepower 301 @ 5,350 cpm
Torque 336 @ 3,750 rpm
Transmission four-speed
automatic, normal/sport modes
Curb weight 2,020 kg/4401 Ibs
Wheetbase 2,870 mm/113.0 in.
Length 4,988 mm/196.4 in.

Width |,793 mm/70.6 in.

its larger tires and wheels, They‘re
16-inch Pirelli R4000e 60-series
radial tires mounted on seven-
inch-wide alloy lattice wheels.

_ The XJ12’s well-equipped inte-
rior is designed to seat four pas-
sengers rather than the XJ6’s five,
though there is a fifth seatbelt for
occasional use.

Noteworthy features include: a
centre console with front and rear
armrest/storage bins, lacquered
walnut trim with simulated gold
inlays, rear “‘picnic’’ tables that
fold down from the front seat-
back, hand-stitched Connolly
leather-faced seats, 12-way power
front seats, a manually retractable
rear sunscreen and an eight-
speaker 80 watt sound system with
a trunk-mounted six-CD player.

[ had a few criticisms of the in-
terior.

Some of the controls — par-
ticularly the trip computer — are
shielded from view by the air-
bag-equipped steering wheel and
the pull-handbrake lever is awk -
wardly locaied next to the con-
sole. The single wiper blade leaves
an unwiped spot in the top left
corner of the windshield, and the
door sill is rather high, making
entry and exit more difficult than
it could be.

Like all Jaguars, the XJ12
comes with a complete four-
year/80,000 kilometre warranty,
and even a money back guarantee:
if you're not satisfied, you can
return it within 30 days and have
your $92,830 refunded.

Height 1,349 mm/53.1 in.

Tires Pirelli P4000e 225/6OR-16
radials

Frank capacity 350 titres/12 cu.
t.

Fuel consumption City 19.2 17
100 km (1S mpg) Hwy 13.2 1/
100 km (21 mpg)

Warranty four yrs/80,000 km +
roadside assistance

Photo submitted
6.0 titres. Hand-

Photo submitted

THIS 1992 Saturn SC is one of the models affected by GM’s
recall. Electrical fires have started in four Saturns in Canada,

company officials report.

GM recalls Saturns

THE SATURN car company, a
division of General Motors, has
recalled more than 380,000 cars
to fix an electrical problem that
has been finked to 34 fires in
Saturn vehicies.

The ‘recall — estimated to
cost the young car maker USS8
million — involves cars from
model years 1991 and 1992,
and certain 1993 Saturn vehi-
cles produced prior to April 14,
1993,

Of the 23,300 Saturns sold in
Canada, four have experienced
fires caused by an excessive
electrical current: flow in the
generator wiring harness. There
have been no injuries related to
the fires.

“We want to make it clear to
our customers that this is a
voluntary recall, initiated by

Saturn,”’ said Saturn Canada
public relations manager
Stewart Low,

Low estimated the replace-
ment of suspect parts would
take 30 minutes. Saturn dealers
are doing the work for free.

The closest Saturn dealership
to the North Shore is Morrey
Nissan.

The customer service
department al Morrey Nissan
has sent all its Saturn custom-
ers letters explaining whether
their vehicles are part of the
recall.

The dealership is also exten-
ding its service hours to allevi-
ate the problems as quickly as
possible.

The recall is the eighth, and
largest, for the Tennesse-based
car builder,