Jaguar rolls out new XJ limousine

Jaguar's new XJ limousine will carry a hefty premium over the outgoing model when it arrives in Australia in the second quarter of next year.

The cheapest 2010 XJ will cost $33,200 more than the car it replaces, while the asking price for the new top-of-the-range V8 model is almost double the current XJ price at $362,800 for the long wheelbase version. 
The pricing move is as bold as the modern new look for the once-staid British brand, which has been buoyed recently by the success of its BMW 5-Series competitor, the XF.

But company spokesman Tim Kreiger says the car still represents value when compared with its German opposition.
"We're roughly where the Germans are but if you look at our spec levels, I think it's a pretty strong story," he says.

The new XJ, which was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show, will arrive in Australia with a much broader line-up of models, including a new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, a 5.0-litre V8 and two supercharged V8s. The engines were first introduced earlier this year on the XF.

The diesel model will start at $193,800 for the short wheelbase model and $201,800 for the long wheelbase. BMW's rival 7-Series 730d starts at $198,800, while Mercedes' S-Class 320 CDI costs $201,810.

Petrol models start with the naturally-aspirated V8 at $246,000 ($254,000 for the long wheelbase), while the supercharged models are $306,000 (346kW version) and $349,800 (375kW engine).

Compared with the conservatively designed and dated current XJ, the new model looks far more modern and boasts a number of techno tricks.

The car has active cruise control, blind spot monitoring and a new pedestrian protection system that reduces the likelihood of serious head injuries.

The car also has air suspension, an active differential and adaptive dampers that adjust to the road surface and reduce body roll under hard cornering.

The centre dash display uses dual-screen technology, which allows the passenger to watch a DVD while the driver views the satellite navigation instructions. There is also a "virtual" instrument panel, which uses a digital readout instead of conventional dials and needles.

The audio system has been developed by Bowers and Wilkins, who also supply England's famous Abbey Road studios.
All XJs get a dramatic panoramic glass roof.

Inside, the XJ mirrors the sense of theatre created in the XF Jaguar, which has been widely praised for its out-of-the-box approach to interior design.

Jaguar boss Mike O'Driscoll says the new XJ marks the end of a comprehensive overhaul of the brand in just over 24 months.

"A few years ago we started on a journey to make Jaguar, Jaguar again, to make Jaguar the modern, sporty company envisaged by our founder William Lyons.

"These cars are bold, they're thoroughly modern, they're sporty and they're luxurious," he says. O'Driscoll says the use of lightweight materials in the XJ has delivered "outstanding fuel efficiency and benchmark low emissions in the category".