COLUMN: Hosted by Jay Leno, one of the world’s best-known chat show hosts and a renowned car enthusiast, the launch of the new Jaguar flagship was attended by an invited audience that included public figures, business leaders, celebrities and media. Jaguar Cars Managing Director, Mike O’Driscoll, commented: “These are truly exciting times for us at Jaguar. The new XJ is truly beautiful, exhilarating to drive, and with its bold, enlightened approach to design, it meets the challenges of our fast-changing world. It re-imagines the ultimate sporting luxury car.”
The all-new XJ is available to order now (dependent on market), with the first customers due to receive their cars in early 2010. Prices start at £52,500 for the standard wheelbase 3.0-litre V6 diesel luxury.
Sleek, sporting and sophisticated, the all-new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury – it offers a seductive mix of striking design, breathtaking performance and engineering without compromise.
Building on the success of the new XK and XF models, the introduction of the all-new XJ is a landmark for the revitalised Jaguar brand. Clearly positioned as the company’s four-door flagship, it extends the appeal of the XJ to a new generation of customers.
“The new XJ is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the quintessential Jaguar. Its visual impact stems from the elongated teardrop shape of the car’s side windows, that powerful stance and its wide track. It is the most emphatic statement yet of Jaguar’s new design direction”, said Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar Cars.
An innovative new panoramic glass roof is an integral part of the all-new XJ’s design concept, enabling the car to have a lower, more streamlined roofline, while dramatically enhancing the feeling of light and space inside.
Standard- and long-wheelbase models are available from launch. The long-wheelbase offers an even more sumptuous and refined environment for rear-seat passengers with an additional 125mm of legroom. Whichever the wheelbase, the XJ’s 520-litre boot can swallow two large suitcases side-by-side.
The all-new XJ’s cabin is a marvel in its own right, blending elegant, contemporary design with the comfort, luxury and unmistakable sporting style of a Jaguar. Chrome and piano black detailing provide an eye-catching contrast to the beautifully-crafted leather and veneer surfaces.
To complement the all-new cabin design is a level of choice in colours, veneers and leathers not seen before in a Jaguar. Three specification levels – Luxury, Premium Luxury and Portfolio – allow the customer to tailor the car to suit their tastes. Beyond this are the Supercharged and the top-of-the-range Supersport, the latter providing the ultimate expression of performance and luxury, with a specification that includes a leather roof-lining, semi-aniline leather seats and veneers with laser inlays.
All of Jaguar’s acclaimed new ultra-efficient Gen III petrol and diesel engines will be available in the XJ. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel, 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 and 5.0-litre supercharged V8 have already proved their breadth of ability, and they are joined by a 470 horsepower version of the supercharged engine. Fuel economy and emissions are also outstanding, with the diesel-powered XJ returning combined economy figures of 40.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 184g/km.
Proven Jaguar dynamic technologies are taken to new levels in the all-new XJ. Features such as air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control and quick-ratio power steering deliver the blend of responsive, dynamic handling and refined, supple ride expected from a Jaguar.
Inside the car, advanced new technologies have allowed Jaguar’s designers to create an environment more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a simple car cabin. Stunning, 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments complement an innovative, Dual-View technology 8-inch Touch-screen that can project DVD movies or television programmes to the passenger while the driver views vehicle functions or follows satellite navigation.
Premium surround sound options include the top-of-the-range 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the best in-home entertainment. Advanced infotainment features also include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.
The all-new XJ also takes a new approach to sustainable motoring. Constructed using Jaguar’s aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology, the XJ is lighter than its rivals by at least 150kg which significantly improves performance, handling and economy, while delivering increased strength, refinement and safety.
The lightweight aluminium structure – with 50 percent recycled material – underpinned by a lifecycle approach to vehicle design and manufacture, enables the new XJ to minimise its carbon footprint. This alone creates a potential saving of three tonnes of CO2 per vehicle, compared to a bodyshell made from new aluminium.
The all-new XJ offers extremely attractive cost of ownership with impressive fuel economy and emissions performance across the range; high predicted residual values and 15,000-mile service intervals. These benefits are just some of the results of Jaguar’s obsessive attention to detail during product development. Processes such as the use of the latest ‘virtual’ technologies to implement 40,000 quality-specific assessments are one of the reasons that the Jaguar brand has received numerous recognitions for vehicle quality.
To register interest in the all-new XJ, customers should visit: www.jaguar.com/allnewxj .
