The Mid 90s Jaguar XJ is the Quintessential Luxury Car.

This might sound crazy but hear me out.

Many think of the S-Class or 7-series as the pinnacles of the large luxury sedan. But they are wrong. So completely and totally wrong. While the German mainstays may be the yardstick of this segment, the heart and soul is found in the Jaguar XJ. Particularly in the X300 generation of the mid-1990s. For reference, By the time Jaguar came around to design the XJ to bring them into the new millennium, they had been acquired by Ford, which, for better or worse, changed the course of the company forever. And that change of direction rested squarely on the shoulders of the XJ.

While it may not have been a technological or performance tour de force, the X300 was on a whole other level when it came to style. When Ford swooped in, it was realized that while they may not have been able to beat the German and Japanese competition in performance or reliability, they could focus their efforts on creating a thing of beauty. Even today, this can be seen in how the X300 is simply a gorgeous machine. With its low-slung roofline, curvaceous hood, and a slight uptick on the trunk, the XJ has absolutely perfect proportions. It simply has what no other car in that segment could even dream of having. Something equally sexy and sinister.

Being British though, you might think it must be a nightmare underneath that pretty skin. But, in actuality, it was very much a different story. While the all-encompassing death grip of Lucas had yet to fully let go of the car’s electrical system, what was left of it was actually pretty reliable. That extends onto the rest of the car as well. Engines and gearboxes were both incredibly stout and long-lasting. Add in the fact the bodies and interiors were screwed together with Lexus-like precision, and the X300 was, and remains, the perfect amalgamation of style and substance.

Lastly, the X300 is a genuinely timeless machine. While this body style of XJ first saw the light of day in 1994, it still holds its own even today. Of course, it would be ridiculous to insinuate that it “looks modern even today” as it surely is a product of its time, but I don’t think that detracts from the X300. It may be quintessentially old-fashioned, but it somehow avoids being flashy or stuffy flashy. Instead, it embodies old money and everything it stands for while remaining the ultimate statement of style and sophistication. Exactly what you would want from any luxury car. It might be long out of production, but its timelessness continues to linger.

While it may not have been popular then, or even today, the X300 XJ will always, to me at least, be the very definition of a luxury car. And no one can convince me otherwise.