INTRODUCTION
“The all-new XJ re-imagines the ultimate sporting luxury car. It’s beautiful, exhilarating to drive and with a bold, enlightened approach to design meets the challenges of our fast-changing world.”
MIKE O’DRISCOLL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, JAGUAR CARS
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.
The new XJ is the epitome of fluid, contemporary automotive style. The elongated teardrop shape of the side windows establishes the car’s silhouette and lies at the heart of its flowing design. And the new XJ doesn’t just look streamlined: it shares a drag coefficient of 0.29 with the XF saloon, making them the most aerodynamic Jaguars ever.
A coupé profile cloaks a cabin that offers comparable levels of space to saloons with a more conventional style. There is generous accommodation for five occupants, while long-wheelbase models provide rear-seat passengers with even greater levels of comfort thanks to an additional 125mm of rear legroom.
The exquisitely designed interior has a strong sporting character throughout. A panoramic glass roof, standard on all models, dramatically enhances the sense of light and space inside the new XJ. And in keeping with its status as the ultimate four-door Jaguar, the XJ introduces a new generation of interior technologies, pioneering the use of display and infotainment systems such as the innovative Virtual Instrument dials and optional 1200W Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound system.
At the heart of the all-new XJ’s construction is a next-generation application of Jaguar’s unique lightweight vehicle architecture. Primarily aluminium, but also using magnesium and composite alloys, this allows Jaguar to produce a significantly lighter and stiffer body – the lightest in its class. The new structure – which retains the same aerospace-based riveting and bonding processes – has been refined using these advanced materials to deliver improved strength, enhanced refinement and superior safety performance.
The new XJ offers the choice of four powerful and refined engines, which use the latest powertrain technology to deliver an outstanding combination of performance and class-leading efficiency. The supremely powerful supercharged 510PS 5.0-litre AJ-V8 Gen III will head the line-up, with a 0-60mph time of 4.7 secs (0-100kph in 4.9 secs); 470PS supercharged and 385PS naturally aspirated petrol V8s are also available, dependent on market.
A no-compromise diesel alternative is provided by the formidable 275PS 3.0-litre AJ-V6D Gen III. With twin sequential turbochargers, this is an engine that delivers on every aspect of the Jaguar driving experience, marrying tremendous drive (0-60mph in 6.0 secs, 0-100kph in 6.4 secs) with impressive fuel economy and CO2 emissions (40.1mpg and 184g/km of CO2).
The all-new XJ delivers a driving experience that is just as memorable as the car’s appearance. Benefitting from technologies pioneered on the exciting new XFR and XKR models, including continuously variable damping (Adaptive Dynamics), electronically controlled rear differential (Active Differential Control) and a quick ratio power-steering system, the new XJ combines responsive, sporting dynamics with the refined, supple ride expected from a luxury Jaguar.
With its unique lightweight aluminium body structure and new, advanced powertrains, the all-new XJ already has a head start when it comes to sustainable performance. The aluminium body uses more than 50 percent recycled material, with a plan to increase this to 75 percent. Body panels made from recycled material use only 5 percent of the energy required for new aluminium, equating to a potential saving of three tonnes of CO2 per vehicle.
“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.”
IAN CALLUM, DESIGN DIRECTOR, JAGUAR CARS
THE CONCEPT
“Any good car design – indeed the design of anything of value – should tell a story. The new XJ does that, with a visual hierarchy and clarity of intent. We took inspiration from classic Jaguars like the Mk2 and original XJ and created a Jaguar for the 21st century with pure, sensual forms.”
Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar Cars
The all-new XJ’s distinctive lines mark the next bold evolution of Jaguar’s new design language. The striking elongated teardrop shape of the side window graphic establishes the car’s streamlined profile, and is balanced by a dramatic lower swage line emanating from the front wheels that reinforces the vehicle’s forward stance. The new XJ’s sleek lines are complemented by a taut waistline, which further accentuates the impression of length and elegance and creates a natural tension as it fades from the front arch into the middle section of the car before reappearing as a strong haunch towards the rear.
Bold, confident face
The face of the XJ is confident, with a wide front track and short overhangs contributing to the finely judged proportions. The nose of the car follows Jaguar’s new design language, with a bold and assertive treatment: the powerful mesh grille and slim xenon headlamps creating a strong road presence.
The strong, muscular lower half of the car is contrasted with the slim and graceful quality of the roofline, which takes inspiration from the original 1968 XJ saloon. The wrap-around rear screen reduces the visual weight of the pillars, and gives the impression of an exotic ‘floating’ roof.
And the new XJ doesn’t just look sleek and streamlined: it is, alongside the XF, the most aerodynamic Jaguar ever. The car has a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.29, and, equally importantly, outstanding high-speed stability.
A key factor in achieving this highly efficient aerodynamic performance was the extensive use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to refine the shape long before the car ever saw a wind tunnel. Taking the process pioneered on the XF programme to a new level of sophistication, more than 400 detailed CFD studies were performed during the initial design phase.
Every area of the new XJ – from the outer skin to the composite undertray to the fine grille meshes of the cooling system – was optimised using this process. Key areas included the profile of the rear decklid, which was engineered to ensure that the airflow was controlled without the need for a spoiler. As well as reduced drag and impressively low wind noise, the overall shape achieves aerodynamic loads that are carefully balanced between front and rear axles to ensure optimum handling balance and high-speed stability.
Dramatic LED lights
The rear end is notable for its pure, sculpted shape, with a conscious absence of unnecessary ornamentation. The sheet metal of the rear panel retains its pure form, with a single leaping Jaguar motif making a strong, confident statement. The LED light clusters wrap stylishly over the rear wings, and feature three dramatic red, vertical strips.
Architectural interior design
The overriding impression from the interior is a sense of personal space, a feeling enhanced by the clean, simple form of the leather-wrapped instrument panel sitting low across the vehicle. At the sides of the cabin, a bold architectural wood veneer sweeps forward from the doors to meet at the front of the car, emphasising the new XJ’s powerful, dynamic character. This linear, modern use of wood helps to create a truly welcoming environment.
The panoramic glass roof has been from the outset an integral part of the design concept of the all-new XJ. It enables a lower, more streamlined roofline, and also dramatically enhances the feeling of light and space within the car. The roof’s opening mechanism slides the glass upwards and outwards, so that headroom is never compromised. A dark tint and reflective coating prevent the interior from overheating under strong sunlight, while twin electric blinds provide another level of privacy and sun screening.
THE TECHNOLOGY
“The all-new XJ’s advanced new displays use a range of technologies to create an intuitive and rewarding driver experience. Not only does everything look amazing, it allows you to tailor displays to match different driving circumstances, giving precisely the information you need and no more.”
Mick Mohan, Director, Jaguar Programmes
In keeping with its position as the ultimate Jaguar saloon, the all-new XJ pioneers the use of advanced new technologies, driver displays and infotainment systems that set an exciting new benchmark within its segment.
As the driver is greeted by the signature Jaguar ‘handshake’ – the circular knurled aluminium rotary control of the JaguarDrive SelectorTM rising into the driver’s palm – stylish 3D animations materialise in the virtual instrument cluster and on the central Touch-screen, giving an immediate signal that the new XJ takes a revolutionary approach to the way information is displayed in the vehicle.
Sophisticated virtual instrumentation
There is no physical instrument cluster display in the all-new XJ. Instead, a 12.3-inch high-definition screen, which uses sophisticated – and beautifully detailed – virtual instruments, provides all of the functions performed by traditional dials. Jaguar’s designers have also taken advantage of the freedom provided by virtual instrumentation to help prioritise the most useful information as well as creating a real sense of theatre for the driver.
As the XJ starts, three virtual dials build before your eyes: the centre dial houses a speedometer, flanked on the right by a rev counter and on the left by an information window with fuel and temperature gauges.
To maximise clarity, the display employs a ‘spotlight’ effect to highlight the areas showing the most important information, such as the current speed or engine revs. When required – for example, if fuel is running low, or the driver is selecting a radio station – the rev counter fades away to be temporarily replaced by the required warning message or menu.
This prioritisation goes to another level when the driver who is looking for even more sporting performance and handling selects the XJ’s Dynamic mode. In this case, the dials assume a sporting red hue and feature a bold gear position indicator which glows red as you reach the rev limiter.
Dual-View Touch-screen display
A large, 8-inch Touch-screen display in the centre console is the ideal complement to the virtual instrument cluster, providing an intuitive way to manage many of the XJ’s functions, including climate control, audio, communications and navigation.
However, the display is more than simply intuitive; it also features Dual-View technology, a significant advance that allows the driver and front passenger to look at completely different content on the same screen. For example, the passenger can watch television or a DVD movie, while the driver views route navigation mapping. Headphone compatibility allows the passenger to listen without the driver being distracted.
The Touch-screen interface allows the number of conventional switches to be reduced to a minimum, with just a small number of major controls positioned below the display. The driver can also use Jaguar’s latest generation Interactive Voice control system, which sees the cluster display present a list of prompts for key words to control a particular function. This new “say what you see” approach quickly allows the driver to gain confidence and familiarity using systems such as the in-car telephone, navigation or audio.
Flexible multimedia capabilities including Hard Disc Drive (HDD)
The impressive flexibility provided by the new display and control systems is matched by the all-new XJ’s multimedia capabilities. Depending on market and model, there is a choice of CD/DVD player; analogue, DAB, HD radio or SiriusTM radio receivers; and digital or analogue television. In addition, the Media Hub provides flexible connectivity through two USB ports, Bluetooth® audio streaming and an auxiliary input, which allow the user to connect with iPods®, iPhones®, laptops and Blackberries®, for example.
The audio unit utilises a hard-disc-drive (HDD) system, so that CDs can be loaded onto the HDD for later listening. GracenoteTM is included to allow artist and track information to be recognised. The vehicle’s navigation system is also HDD-based, providing quicker access and the ability to store and update detailed mapping information more easily.
