Jaguar XJ at Frankfurt Motor Show
September 20, 2009 by Anthony Crawford
If you think the Jaguar XF was a revolution in design, then the latest edition of the flagship XJ blows the doors off automotive conservatism.
It was much the same scenario in 1968, when the much heralded release of Jaguar’s XJ6, re-wrote the design rules for cars in the luxury sports segment.
Never before had a large four-door sedan, looked so beautifully poised and sports like; this was a cut above anything out of Germany at the time.
This latest iteration of the XJ was a much-anticipated reveal judging by just how difficult it was to secure a quality vantage point, from which to shoot the big cat.
And big it is, especially the long wheel base version, this is a car that her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll all will be thoroughly impressed with, if it were chosen as part of the Royal fleet.
While there’s no mistaking the front of the car for the latest Jaguar given the continuation of the DNA from the superb XF series cars, the remainder of the car is where Ian Callum and his design team have pushed the Jaguar marque well and truly into the 21st Century.
For me, I see a touch of Maserati or perhaps Bentley Continental, but wherever the inspiration came from, it has worked; the 2010 Jaguar XJ is a standout car, which may well push it to very top of its luxury class.
The design revolution continues unabated with the interior of the XJ too, with what must be a shoe in, for a stack of design awards from the world’s motoring press, in due course.
My immediate reaction to the interior fit out, is both sumptuous and refreshingly minimalist.
I count just five dials on the centre stack, so you won’t get confused when trying to work out how to switch the air-conditioning on and the same goes for the music, and what a system it is.
In my opinion, there are precious few audio brands which measure up, when it comes to optimising their systems for the car, Harmon Kardon do it right, as does Bang and Olufsen with their 1000 watt audio unit found in Aston Martin’s Volante.
Bowers and Wilkins make some of the world’s best high-end speakers, but usually for the home based, cashed up, audiophiles and professional recording companies, such as Abbey Road Studios and Deutsche Grammophon.
What they have achieved with Jaguar, and specifically the XJ, is nothing short of ground breaking in the automotive world.
There are no less than twenty speakers, many of them with signature yellow Kevlar cones, which are driven by an astonishing 1200W amplifier mounted in the boot.
The entire system is connected to the head unit in the dash via Optic fibre links and to quote Matt Jones, Jaguar’s audio expert,
“It’s just like IMAX for the car”
The aroma from the leather trim is simply is intoxicating, and while I’ve only sat in the car for a few a minutes, the sumptuous leather seats are some of the best in the business, luxurious and yet plenty of bolster to hold you in place during a fast corner or two.
Cutting edge technology, which we saw earlier in the week when we drove the new Range Rover models, is shared with Jaguar, and that includes the futuristic 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments screen and the Dual-View touch screen, which allows the front passenger to watch a movie, while the driver is focused on the car’s speed or satellite navigation route.
Power is something Jaguar’s flagship saloons have ever been short of, and now with a choice of three brand new class-leading engines, the cat is as quick as ever.
And don’t think for one moment, that by ordering the diesel that you’re going to be outgunned in any way.
The new XJ 3.0-litre is super smooth, super quiet and will accelerate from 0-100km/h in a rapid 6.4 seconds.
At the other end of the model range, you can go for the 5.0-litre V8 Supersport Supercharged and things get a whole lot more urgent.
With 375kW and a whopping 625Nm of torque on tap from between 2500-5500 that same sprint will take just 4.9 seconds, and that’s quick in any language.
In between, there are two other versions of the powerful V8 powertrain, one naturally aspirated, and one supercharged.
I also heard whispers from several key players within Jaguar, that a proper two-seat sports car is well under way, which will undoubtedly set a cat among the pigeons!
Print it: 
I will say I wasn’t too convinced about it in the press release photos (the car’s pictured in gray/silver), but in a dark color and with some decent angles.. amazing.
As usual, priced out of mere mortal’s range, but we can all dream.
Have to agree with the press release photos, loved the front however I wasn’t a fan of the rear, after looking at the photos of the car in flesh, this thing is gorgeous. Can’t wait to see this on the road.
I have just picked myself up off the floor, that thing looks gorgeous, my heart started pumping faster as I checked it out, then I saw the interior and next thing I knew I was flat out sparko on the floor. ( OK not really )
All I know is I have to do lots of overtime or win lotto, winning lotto sounds favourable, unless Alex would like to buy me one for Xmas, or my birthday.
I am going to go to a Jag show-room and see how long I can lick the interior for before I get asked to leave.
Long live the mighty Jaguar.
Tata for now ( ha ha realist )
Is that Gordon Nutall in the back seat ?
I thought he was inside and there he is sneaking around in the back of black beauty.
Cant help my-self,
Hey guys, what do you reckon to the red one, it’s a bit too retro for me.
Ha Ha, its the only Jag I could afford………………maybe.
UUGGGHHH…. i think that the car just gave me some feelings in my pants. Its absolutely stunning. And the interior beats the weird centre console design of BMW , and the minimalist interior of the S-Class.
Oh god…. Superb.
Nothing short of one of the best cars in the world. It makes me wonder why you’d sheel out $1,000,000 for a Rolls when soon you can buy one if these babies..
That is just perfect. I too wasn’t sure about the original pictures (I thought it looked a bit Chinese knock off rather than Jaguar original) but these are just stunning. Anybody who buys an LS over one of these is seriously messed up. You can’t even complain about reliability with this car as the XJ in particular has been on top of many reliability surveys over the years, often beating Lexus in fact.
I like it, I really like what Jaguar has been doing. Coming up with some great products lately.
It’s a shame that it’s priced in a way that means most middle class will not venture. I can park an XF in my garage ok but I can’t justify the XJ in this household for my indulgence… well, the XJ isn’t my type of car I guess as it will be too big for me. Altho the B&W gear will just match what’s in the house nicely.
Top act Jaguar, keep on the good work.
Let’s hope you come up with a M3 equivalent for me, I like the XF a lot, perhaps the same drive train in a shortened wheelbase with 2 doors with say about 500kg shaved off the weight. That will be spine tingling, and position it between the XF and XJ… I will queue up.
Now, where is that Oxymoron called “Realist”, let’s see what he will say to contradict himself repeatedly about the Xj.
rym says:
September 21, 2009 at 6:37 am
“It’s a shame that it’s priced in a way that means most middle class will not venture.”
Perhaps you need to look up “middle class” in Australia.
“Now, where is that Oxymoron called “Realist”, let’s see what he will say to contradict himself repeatedly about the Xj.”
In the colour above it looks good – but that interior is still below par. There are cars for $100K that do it better. Is the touch screen as cheap looking as its smaller siblings? Need more photos of the rear too.
I look forward to physically seeing this vehicle.
Realist, you need to stop saying that Jaguar interiors are low quality. You may not actually like them, but that doesn’t make them bad quality and it doesn’t make them worse than their rivals. You just don’t like them, that’s fine, but don’t go telling people that they are sub par when they aren’t. Every motoring journalist is massively praising the quality of the new Jaguars, not compared to old Jaguars, just in general.
You shouldn’t make assumptions about things that you’ve only seen in pictures and obviously haven’t read about.
rym, this is Jaguar’s flagship. It’s not meant to be bought by the middle classes, it’s meant to be bought by the upper classes; people with plenty of money. It’s priced in accordance with what it is and to it’s rivals, it’s not meant to be affordable or necessarily accessible.
Realist, again, you’re dumping on things that you simply have no idea on and kept referring to the Jag interior as sub par. I haven’t seen the XJ interior yet but the XF interior alone is already well ahead on your “Dame Edna” series for tactile feel and meticulous attention to detail. Whilst styling is subjective, but the interior of the 5 series is stark alone and again like the exterior is just not cohesive, nor elegant… and nothing about it is sophisticated. In total opposite to the XF. The XJ looks like continuing in that theme, watch this space for style and design awards for the XJ.
As for the need for me to check what is middle class, you’re snorting or smoking illegal substances again to suggest that middle class in Oz is a household that easily plonks a $200k plus car in their garage.
Alex, you have fair point that the XJ is meant for the upper reaches of the society, my point is more about the fact that I won’t be seeing too many of these XJ on the road. There’s readily plenty of $100k+ cars about but the XJ starting price will be easily doubling that and be an uncommon spotting on the roads unless we’re in Monaco, where middle class there probably have these XJs in their garage as a third car.
“I haven’t seen the XJ interior yet but the XF interior alone is already well ahead on your “Dame Edna” series for tactile feel and meticulous attention to detail.”
Subjective – Even my colleague’s S5 has nicer interior detailing than your XF. And Audi (MMI) and BMW (I-drive) blow away the graphical representation on the XF touchscreen. It’s like Ford got their grubby hands on it – sorry, I should have realised, Ford were the previous owners before Tata.
“Whilst styling is subjective, but the interior of the 5 series is stark alone and again like the exterior is just not cohesive, nor elegant… and nothing about it is sophisticated.”
Subjective again. You need to put aside the Thesaurus and tell us what you really feel.
Shame Jaguar’s been playing catch up all these years to the Germans. I guess that’s what happens when you change ownership so often. Could you explain the prestige associated with the “Jaguar Lineage” again…?
“As for the need for me to check what is middle class, you’re snorting or smoking illegal substances again to suggest that middle class in Oz is a household that easily plonks a $200k plus car in their garage.”
I suggest medication and then telling me how your comment above makes any sense taking into account what was mentioned in earlier posts.
styling is of course subjective, but you cut a very lonesome figure in your negative press on Jaguar.
Enough said.
what a classy car.. the black hides the nice design a bit, but is the ideal colour for a luxo limo.
I’m completely in love with the whole car: even those crazy tail lights! This and the Bentley Mulsanne are my favourite luxury cars of the year.
It’s a sure winner, even more so than the XF IMO.
It’s hot.
can’t wait to see it in a Bond film!
Someone got a bit to chrome happy with the front grille, apart from that and the missing paint from the c pillar, its a real looker
In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, I am nursing a semi…
Its really a very sophisticated car. :-)
This is the best car in the world
its by far the best looking
its second only to rolls royce phantom, rolls royce ghost and bentley mulsanne in luxury
and its BY FAR the coolest.
I actually think it beats them as its a lot more affordable. But the Phantom is a lot more masculine and intimidating, whereas this is suave much like Mr.Bond(Sean Connery whereas the RR is like Mr.Bond(Daniel Craig). Much different in character but damned good either way.
Supurb absolutly stunning. Thank you ford for binging life back into the old cat(i no its no longer in ford hands, but this car was well and truly finished before the blue ovel sold the cat)
its delicate soft and suttle, yet at the same time aggressive and very inviting. sort of remids me of an aston martin on the inside, might not look the same but feels it came from the same styling factory
merc, bmw and audi styling (inside and out) need to play catch up.