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2006 Jaguar XJ: Random Rendezvous
POINT A : The Hotel, Las Vegas , Nevada
POINT B : Lake Mead Recreation Area
Tamara Warren
Sometimes when time gets away from you, things have a way of working themselves out.
When I left New York for the long flight, I had resigned to focus on my mission alone -- checking out the new 2006 Jaguar XJ. Vegas has never held much charm for me, I'd take bronzing at a Brazilian beach any day over the cling clang of slot machines and the dryness of the Nevada desert. I had been working my tail off, and what I wanted more than anything was a vacation, not a press trip. I shut my eyes, wishing for my bikini, passport and the ocean.
That is, until I got there.
 First sign that my luck was changing: I ran smack dab into my new pal from New York , who doesn't mind the finer things in life, like I do. We met on another press trip during summer in Switzerland , where we shamelessly compared Delta first class and business and danced the wee hours away at a Zurich nightclub. While we both live in New York City , the hustle and bustle of daily lives had kept us apart, both of us canceling on our repeated attempts to reconvene.
My luck was changing. It just goes to show, it's not what you do, but how you do it. Jaguar does it big. And in Vegas, so did we.
Appropriately, we were gathering for the baddest Jag on the block, the 2006 XJ, a high roller with a top bid named the Super V8 Portfolio that clocks in with a shattering $115,995 price tag. While the base is more reasonable with the XJ8's MSRP of $61,830, the amount of luxury rises with the price tag including the Vanden Plas at $74,330, the XJR at $79,330 and the XJ Super V8 at $91,330. Jag is playing with high stakes indeed. With its long and lean wheelbase rendition and a flawless cascading body, it's a formidable contender in the uber -luxury department with fellow power players Audi A8, BMW 760 and Mercedes-Benz S600.
 Jaguar XJ has designer aspirations, and engaging Zac Posen to design an exclusive Jaguar driving glove adds cachet to their 2006 spring collection, but XJ's beauty runs more than skin deep, with the texture of Conker leather trim, a baby-soft suede headliner, and buttery walnut wood trim plumping up the insides.
As we descended upon the parking garage to begin our ride and drive, we sprinted toward the Super V8 Portfolio. We agreed as we climbed in that the XJ is a yummy experience, with individual climate controls and adjustable seats, fold-down trays, window shades, and rear seat mounted DVD monitors. Standard Bluetooth wireless technology and Sirius Satellite Radio sound sweet on all XJs, but the Portfolio is even sweeter with a 15-speaker Dolby Pro Logic II audio system and exterior polished aluminum power vents.
 In the past, Jag has garnered a rep for making stodgy, rickety rides, but with the XJ, life is smooth sailing. An all aluminum body makes for a trimmer Jag that improves performance, and cuts down on needed gas cash. The XJ has combined the effects of weight loss with a change in nutrition that includes r ecertification of both engines -- upping output to 300 horsepower in the V6 and 400 horsepower in the supercharged V8, nestled against a six-speed transmission. What this means for the voluptuous Jag is a car that flies along the road like your own personal Batmobile.
My comrade and I can attest to this improved performance, as we happened to peep the speedometer in between our conversations. We were almost too busy chatting it up to note the alarmingly high speeds we had reached. While big things were going on under the hood, we were oblivious in the serene quiet of the cabin, which is almost eerily still, because of sound insulation clinging to the transmission tunnel, firewall, and under side of the hood. The windshield and side glass are also specially constructed to reduce noise intrusion.
 When we turned our attention back to the car, we realized that the Super V8 could hit 60 mph from a stop in just 5.6 seconds. Holy smokes! Unfortunately, our British media counterparts didn't have the foresight to see the road ahead, as we passed them, stunted by the whirl of flashing lights. With a tap of the more powerful R Performance brakes, we slowed our pace down to an easy glide. While we might prefer the precision brakes akin to BMW at that moment, we remarked on the vast improvements our distinguished XJ has made.
We were forced to take in our surroundings as the speed limit changed to a 30 mile-per-hour crawl " and we were not mad about it. Away from the Vegas glitz, we were surrounded by picturesque rock formations and a cerulean blue sky. We decided to take a small detour, pulling over to admire the chartreuse hues of the rocks and our XJ chariot. My comrade stepped out of the car, digital camera in hand, to capture the moment. He snapped a photo of me at the helm of Jaguar's flagship. I looked good, contrasted with the chrome grille and the intricate webbing of the Tucana wheels, almost as good as I would have on the Brazilian beach in my bikini.
 Later in the evening, we feasted over fruits de la Mer, dining at Daniel Boulud's brasserie at the newly opened Wynn Resort. We agreed that our XJ has plenty of its own flavor. O nly 145 2006 Jaguar XJ Super V8 Portfolios will be sold in the U.S. this year and supposedly all 145 are already spoken for -- outside of the press cars afforded to us to play in our Vegas jaunt. And quite shamelessly, we indulged. That's what Vegas is all about. And I don't even gamble.
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