I drove a '98 XJ8L today. I think I was a bit underwhelmed. I found the dials a bit small and would have preferred a larger, easier to read speedo. The ride was quite good if a bit distant. Seats were really something though since the owner had upgraded to VDP front seats. Acceleration was quite good from a stand-still but modest at passing speeds. The ZF slushbox was buttery with shifting barely perceptible. The bodywork, was, well. . .sexy. Really sexy. DB7 sexy.
And now for the mea culpas. . .except for the truck and bikes, every vehicle I own is a manual, including the E39 touring. With a manual, I probably could have grabbed the gear I wanted.
Just some current observations.