The glorious new Jaguar XJ. Yes, this looks absolutely terrific!!
Jaguar Cars officially unveiled the all-new XJ car at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London, yesterday, in a ceremony hosted by Jay Leno. ‘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 reimagines the ultimate sporting luxury car,’ said Mike O'Driscoll, MD, Jaguar Cars.
‘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,’ says Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar Cars. The XJ is available to order now (dependent on market), with the first customers due to receive their cars in early 2010. Prices for the new XJ range start at £52,500 (Rs 42 lakh).
The new Jaguar XJ is available in standard and long-wheelbase versions, with a choice of 3.0-litre V6 diesel, 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol and 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engines. All engines are mated to a shift-by-wire six-speed automatic transmission that also allows the driver to shift gears manually (without using a clutch) via steering wheel-mounted paddles. Of course, the car comes with a long list of high-tech bits like air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control, LED taillights and a host of others.
Inside the car, in addition to the traditional leather-and-wood sumptuousness, there’s a dual view 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments console and an 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. Sound options include a 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the best in-home entertainment. Options include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.
According to Jaguar, the XJ is at least 150 kilos lighter than its rivals, thanks to its aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology. This, according to the company, significantly improves performance, handling and economy, while delivering increased strength, refinement and safety.
We’ll admit we’re hugely impressed with the new XJ – the car certainly looks like it has what it takes, to take on the best from Germany, Italy and Japan. And, of course, since Tata Motors is now the official Jaguar importer in India, we’re sure the XJ will also come to India in 2010. However, moving away from the glamourous XJ for a minute, let's remember that Jaguar is in significant financial trouble right now. In fact, the Tata-owned JLR recently posted an annual loss of Rs 1,700 crore. However, Tata Motors is confident that its Jaguar and Land Rover brands will once again be profitable in about two years from now. We wish them all the best!
Here's a video of the new Jaguar XJ on the move and (below) some pics from yesterday's launch function in London...
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