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The 2.7-litre diesel engine in the XJ series is a robust powerplant which can move the car along rapidly if need be, but at the same time, is capable of achieving a mind-blowing 53.5mpg (4.4-L/100kms).

I mean we are not talking about a frugal little 5-speed manual four cylinder bread box but rather, one of the most luxurious cars in the category with an interior more akin to a five star hotel fit out, than a four door sedan.

Moreover, the big Jag’s CO2 emission count of 139g/km is so low for a car of these dimensions I had to re-examine the calculations. Again this level of carbon pollution is more like what you would expect of a small econobox, than a lavishly appointed flagship model in the large car category.

Incidentally, the diesel engine is a twin turbo unit and the entire car is made from aluminium, but still weighs in at 1659kg. And it’s not slow either. How’s 0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 225km/h.

Well-done Jaguar!

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Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, was present at the handing over ceremony at the head quarters of Jaguar Land Rover at Gaydon in the UK along with Mr. Don Leclair, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ford Motor Company, and Mr. Lewis Booth, Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Company, who has responsibility for Ford of Europe, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover.

Mr. Tata said, “This is a momentous time for all of us at Tata Motors. Jaguar and Land Rover are two iconic British brands with worldwide growth prospects. We are looking forward to extending our full support to the Jaguar Land Rover team to realise their competitive potential. Jaguar Land Rover will retain their distinctive identities and continue to pursue their respective business plans as before.

“We recognise the significant improvement in the performance of the two brands and look forward to this trend continuing in the coming years. It is our intention to work closely to support the Jaguar Land Rover team in building the success and pre-eminence of the two brands.”

Tata Motors also confirmed that Mr. David Smith, the acting Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover, would be the new CEO of the business. Mr. Smith has 25 years of experience with Jaguar Land Rover and Ford.

Before recently returning to Jaguar Land Rover as its Chief Financial Officer, he was Director Finance and Business Strategy for PAG and Ford of Europe.

Mr. Smith said, “We are very pleased with the association with Tata Motors. We look forward to a sustained bright future for the company and its stakeholders.”

Jaguar Land Rover has been acquired at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion on a cash free, debt-free basis and Ford has contributed $US600 million towards pension costs of Jaguar Land Rover employees.

Long term agreements have been entered into for supply of engines, stampings and other components to Jaguar Land Rover.

Other areas of transition support from Ford include IT, accounting and access to test facilities. The two companies will continue to cooperate in areas such as design and development through sharing of platforms and joint development of hybrid technologies and power train engineering.

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Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a new car, that being the Jaguar XF we recently drove.

“The clear future for Jaguar is helping us rebuild the brand, underlined by new products like the XF. We have got an order book for the XF for 18,000 units, which is at least as good as we hoped, we are working flat out to meet the demand.” Don Hume, Jaguar and Land Rover spokesman said.

The positive news wasn’t shared with sister brand Land Rover which saw sales fall by 14.6 percent in April to 6,023 units across Europe.

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The pictures simply don’t do this car justice. In person the Jaguar XJ really emanates its own presence. The flowing lines and boldness of the contours catch the eye, while the stunning leaping jaguar hood-ornament adds bite.

I was stopped for comment by no less than five people – granted most of them were double my age – which gives you an idea of how much appeal this car has to buyers. An XJ seems to be an aspirational purchase and one that isn’t made light-heartedly, or by a person without keen interest in the British marque.

I wasn’t all that keen on the idea of testing a V8 version of this mammoth cruiser. But after some research, it turned out to be a pleasant experience. The all-aluminium body (weighing in at just 1.6-tonnes), along with a low capacity V8 (just 3.5-litres) make the XJ quite spritely and very fuel efficient. During the test, I returned an average fuel consumption of 11-litres/100km, which is quite frugal when you take into account the car’s size and the thought of a V8 engine.

Gadgetry is quite limited. The satellite navigation screen seems to be about as old as the brand. The dated design and functionality is in dire need of an update. The interior design – although subjective – seems somewhat haphazard to me. There are buttons everywhere and you need to learn what they all do before attempting to drive on the road and change the fan speed, for example. The Alpine sound system is also quite average, which is disappointing for a car of this calibre.

Driving the XJ is super smooth and voluptuous though. The ride is very subtle and the steering is quite easy to use. It’s no sports car – so you can expect a fair amount of body roll. But on that same token, you shouldn’t expect it to be one. It’s a luxury cruiser that does a tremendous job carting around royalty…and your mate’s football team.

Interior room is very impressive, although the biggest let down is the boot space. The boot is quite deep but it is extremely shallow. I only just managed to fit a travel bag depth-wise in the boot, indicating that the spare tyre takes up a great deal of room.

Under the bonnet, a 3.5-litre V8 engine powers the XJ. Producing 190kW of power and 335Nm of torque, power is delivered through a slick-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission.

There are five models available in the XJ range – the XJ6 D, XJ8 3.5 (being test driven), XJ8 4.2 LWB, XJR and Super V8 LWB. They are priced from $154,900, $159,900, $179,900, $219,900 and $234,900 respectively.

The Jaguar XJ isn’t so much a vehicle as it is a rich and seemingly endless heritage. You don’t buy a Jaguar because you want to be like the rest of the crowd. An XJ buyer is an astute individual with a sense for style and culture. As much as the car didn’t entertain me when it came to driving, or playing with the lack of gadgets, it had me hooked. There was just something about the standout styling and lack of conformity.

The XJ really is in a league of its own and infinitely surpassed what I was expecting of the car. Its aura and level of class is something that every manufacturer dreams of achieving – Jaguar on the other hand have it well and truly in the bag.

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2008 Jaguar XJ V8 Specifications

Engine: 3.5-litre V8
Power: 190kW
Torque: 335Nm
Top speed: 242km/h
Safety: Electronic stability control- front air bags - side airbags - curtain airbags - front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters.
0-100km/h: 7.6-seconds
EuroNCAP rating: N/A
Turning circle: N/A
Fuel tank: 85-litres
Fuel consumption : 10.7 litres/100km (claimed)
Fuel type: 98RON Premium Unleaded

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The incredibly ‘cool’ E-Type series, produced from 1961 through to 1974, still sits on pole position, as one of the best looking cars of all time.

And before that, it was Jaguar’s Mark 11 saloon, which preceded the beautiful XJ6 Series 1. Both were stunning automobiles, with a huge following throughout the world.

In fact, it was these three Jaguars’ of the past, which most inspired chief designer Ian Callum and his team, to attempt to return the company to one, which creates “beautiful, fast cars”.

I don’t think anyone expected the XF to deliver the kind of driving experience you get from behind the wheel of this extraordinarily rewarding car.

The XF is definitely better looking in the metal, than any digital SLR rendition we shot of the car, at the Australian launch this week.

You can clearly see both XK and Aston Martin DNA have contributed to the overall stying of the XF, and as far as inspiration donors go, you could do a whole lot worse.

It’s a fast looking shape which looks more like a coupe from the rear/side point of view, with beautiful curves on the side window frames and the rather extreme rake of the rear window. Stunning.

From the A-pillar forward though, is where it gets a little more aggressive. The large side vents are identical to those on the XK coupe and real mesh front grille is more a revolution from that overly retro look which adorned the S-Type.

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So far, the XF has been claiming awards overseas. It has bagged the What Car 2008 “Car of the Year” Award, in addition to the “Car of the Year” from the Sun newspaper and the “Interior of the Year” from Car magazine.

Although a thorough first steer will appear in the coming days, check out CarAdvice’s exclusive photos from the Australian launch at Mt Buller.

Photos: Paul Maric

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“Geoff’s untimely passing robs his family and friends of a man who was a real inspiration to us all,” said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company.

“His drive and determination, combined with his clear sense of vision for the business, played a huge role in turning round the business at Jaguar Land Rover and returning it to profitability.

“ Geoff ensured that Jaguar Land Rover was not distracted and continued to focus on the fundamentals of the business during the recent sale process, despite at the time also fighting his own personal health battle.

“He was a trusted colleague and someone who was much respected not just by his peers but by all who had the privilege to work with him. Our sympathies are with his wife and family at this difficult time,” said Mulally.

Lewis Booth, executive vice president responsible for Ford Motor Company’s businesses in Europe, said: “For many of us at Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, we’ve lost not just a respected colleague but a great friend.

“Geoff was always someone to look up to throughout his almost 40-year career in the automotive industry. His passion for the car business was legend, but the resolve he showed since taking over as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover in 2005 was something very special.

“His leadership of the team that has put the Jaguar Land Rover business back into profitability has been exceptional.

“Geoff has given Jaguar Land Rover the solid foundation and established the strong management team it needs for a successful future. We will miss our friend very much.”

David Smith, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief financial officer, will take over as the acting chief executive officer at Jaguar Land Rover until a successor is appointed.

- David Twomey

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Ford now plans to focus on stabilising its global operations and making the most out of its platforms. The automaker calls it the “One Ford” global transformation.

Once the minor details are worked out, Jaguar and Land Rover will be in Tata’s hands by the end of the next quarter. Ford has disclosed the final sale price at around US $2.3billion. However Ford will still contribute around US $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plans.

“Jaguar and Land Rover are terrific brands, we are confident that they are leaving our fold with the products, plan and team to continue to thrive under Tata’s stewardship. Now, it is time for Ford to concentrate on integrating the Ford brand globally, as we implement our plan to create a strong Ford Motor Company that delivers profitable growth for all.” said Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company. “

Nevertheless, the link between Ford and its former subsidiaries will not be easily broken, Ford has agreed to supply Jaguar and Land Rover with powertrains, stampings and other vehicle components for a set period of time.

Ford will also supply environmental and platform technologies plus R&D, information technology, accounting and more.

“This is a good agreement. It provides the Jaguar Land Rover management team and employees with the assurances needed to maintain their focus on delivering the best results for the business, I am confident that, under its new owner, Jaguar Land Rover will continue to build upon the significant improvements and product successes it has achieved in recent years.” said Lewis Booth, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, who has responsibility for Ford of Europe, Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover.

It will be interesting to see how these two brands will work when Ford no longer supplies the parts. The company’s credit division, Ford Motor Credit, has also agreed to continue financing for Jaguar and Land Rover dealers and customers for up to 12 months.

Not all at Jaguar & Land Rover see this as a bad thing, many insiders believe that under Tata control, they will feel a sense of freedom to develop their own stand-alone capabilities.

Both Tata and Ford were quick to point out that there are currently no plans for significant changes to Jaguar Land Rover employees’ terms of employment on completion.

As for Tata? Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said:

“We are very pleased at the prospect of Jaguar Land Rover being a significant part of our automotive business. We have enormous respect for the two brands and will endeavour to preserve and build on their heritage and competitiveness, keeping their identities intact. We aim to support their growth, while holding true to our principles of allowing the management and employees to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the growth of the business.”

No matter how you look at it, the future of Jaguar and Land Rover is exciting. There is the prospect for enormous success, or massive failure, only time will tell.

Here is a brief historical overview of Tata’s milestones:

• 1945 - Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co Ltd (TELCO) is set up as a locomotive maker at the end of World War Two
• 1954 - Begins making trucks after forming a partnership with Germany’s Daimler-Benz
• 1977 - Tata builds its first Commercial vehicles.
• 1994 - Begins making Mercedes Benz cars in India
• 1998 - Launches the Indica, the home made Indian car
• 2001 - No more work done with Daimle
• 2002 - Changes name from TELCO to Tata Motors Ltd
• 2003 - Announces plan to build world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano for 100,000 rupees ($2,500 USD)
• 2004 - Buys up South Korea’s Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co, and lists on the New York Stock Exchange.
• 2005 - Attains a 21 percent share holding in Spanish bus maker Hispano Carrocera SA
• 2006 - Begins work with fiat having signed a distribution agreement. Also enters into a venture with Brazilian bus maker Marcopolo
• 2008 - Acquires Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford

What do you think the future holds for the British brands?

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So far, the XF has been claiming awards overseas. It has bagged the What Car 2008 “Car of the Year” Award, in addition to the “Car of the Year” from the Sun newspaper and the “Interior of the Year” from Car magazine.

“The interest in XF - before anybody in this country has even driven the car - has been very satisfying. If things continue in this way, we may have sold out our entire 2008 allocation before a single vehicle is on the road here. What is also encouraging is that the XF is attracting a new group of customers to the Jaguar brand: more than three-quarters of those who are contacting us about XF have never owned a Jaguar before.” said Dorian Lapthorne, General Manager, Jaguar Australia.

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“Our plan would be to retain the image, the touch and the feel of Jaguar and Land Rover. We will not tinker with the brands in any way. They are special global brands and whoever acquires them has a responsibility to nurture them and enable them to prosper,” Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata said..

Surely we will still call Land Rover and Jaguar British brands if they are still built in Britain despite foreign ownership, after all, isn’t Holden in exactly the same scenario?

“We are conscious that the brands belong to Britain. These brands will continue to belong to Britain,” Tata said.

Tata said he is excited by what Jaguar and Land Rover have in mind for future models and hence will keep the brands’ existing managements in place.

With the sale expected to finalise in the next few weeks, Tata Motors has began making arrangements for $3 billion in loans. The company has assigned its advisers, Citigroup and JPMorgan to begin arranging the financing.

Although $1 billion more than the price of Jaguar and Land Rover, sources indicate the extra cash is needed for working capital.

The two British Marquees have been on sale since June 2007 with the Ford announcing Tata as the preferred bidder in January this year.

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