The XJ: Jaguar's radical new saloon
The new Jaguar XJ is aimed squarely at Mercedes and BMW types, says Jay Leno in The Sunday Times. And from the outside, it "certainly looks the business". Most buyers will probably take one look at it in a showroom, fall in love and buy it, crossing their fingers and hoping that it will be reliable.
The good news is that this new XJ is a rational choice too, not just an affair of the heart. Leno drove a pre-production model and, if you drove it blindfold, you'd not be able to tell if you were in a big Mercedes S Class or Audi. It feels "very secure" and "warm", unlike the coldness of the German saloons. It's also sporty, fast and "has that classic Jaguar ride". In short, it "has all the characteristics you would expect from a really good British car, and then some".
It's a stunning new model and will be on sale at the end of this year, says What Car?. It's also a surprising departure for Jaguar: the new car is as radical and modern as its predecessor was traditional and conservative. Outside it looks like "nothing we've seen from the company before" and inside, the "seductive" interior, while fitted out with the wood and leather Jag buyers expect, is also adorned with "a completely new style of dash". There are virtual 3D instruments, a media hub to control CD and DVD players, and a new voice command system.
It's a sensational cabin, agrees Tim Pollard in Car, and the looks are "startling". Jaguar is hoping the car will be distinctive enough to warrant a £52,000 price tag, positioning the car somewhere between a Mercedes S Class and a Maserati Quattroporte. Jaguar sold just 5% of the cars BMW did last year. But "the edgy new XJ could be about to land the killer blow".
