Jaguar XJ resets the standard for luxury, design and dynamics

The XJ, Jaguar’s all-aluminium luxury saloon, is more desirable than ever.

Subtle changes to the exterior design, accentuated by full LED headlights, add to the XJ’s already distinctive looks. Materials such as semi-aniline leather and rich oak inlay veneers enhance an interior already considered the most luxurious in the segment, culminating in the new Autobiography model.

Matching this traditional craftsmanship is state-of-the-art technology, including a new infotainment system. InControl Touch Pro offers features such as 1,300W Meridian digital audio and high-definition rear-seat entertainment screens.

The new XJ features a larger, more upright grille, while sculpted chrome blades in the outboard air intakes emphasise the car’s mature, prestigious character.

The full LED headlights accentuate the ‘quad lamp’ design feature that Jaguar sporting sedans have made their own. The upper section of LEDs provides dipped beam and a dynamic lighting function which swivels as a function of steering wheel angle. The bottom section provides main beam and, at speeds below 25mph, a static bending light function which delivers better illumination when turning at junctions, for example.

The LEDs headlights also provide a colour temperature closer to that of daylight than Bi-Xenon lamps, improving visibility and driver comfort, and are also more energy-efficient. Twin ‘J-Blade’ daytime running lights are a unique feature to XJ, befitting its status in the Jaguar saloon car range.

The rear bumper now features a gloss black valance and a slender chrome insert. New LED taillights and oval exhaust finishers complete the look.

The XJ’s peerless interior design has been taken to the next level. So luxurious has it become that the outgoing Portfolio trim is now used for the Premium Luxury model. The new Portfolio gains quilted soft-grain leather seats with diamond stitching and embossed headrests, and figured ebony veneer.

The Autobiography model, new to XJ in the 2016 model year and available only with the long-wheelbase body, can be identified on the outside by chrome front bumper air intakes and 20” Mataiva wheels .Inside, there’s a unique Autobiography Intaglio, quilted semi-aniline leather seats with contrasting stitching, a leather headliner, rich oak inlay veneer, and illuminated stainless steel treadplates, air vents and boot finisher.

The R-Sport modelgains new side sills, three-piece front splitter, side power vents and a rear spoiler. The grille mesh, rear valence and the window finishers receive a gloss black finish. Wheels are 20” Venom. The interior gains sports seats, R-Sport steering wheel and treadplates, Jet headliner and piano black trim.

Range summary

The new Jaguar XJ range will consist of: XJ Luxury, XJ Premium Luxury, XJ Portfolio, XJ R-Sport, XJR, XJ Autobiography.

The powertrain range will consist of: 306PS 3.0-litre V6 diesel automatic; RWD, 240PS 2.0-litre petrol automatic; RWD, 340PS 3.0-litre V6 petrol automatic; RWD, 470, 510 and 550PS 5.0-litre V8 petrol automatic; RWD.

Alongside the F-TYPE sports car and all-new XF saloon, the XJ is manufactured at Jaguar Land Rover’s Castle Bromwich Plant. 

Powertrain

More performance, more refinement, more efficiency: the latest 3.0-litre V6 diesel features a host of new technologies designed to boost output and reduce emissions.

The XJ’s sense of effortless performance is taken to an even higher level thanks to the latest-generation V6 diesel. Smoother and quieter than ever, this power unit gains even more sophisticated common rail and turbocharging systems, boosting power and torque from 275PS/600Nm to 306PS/700Nm. The extra torque not only improves responsiveness, it also delivers greater efficiency.

New eight-hole piezo injectors ensure that fuel is delivered into the combustion chambers with even greater precision and control, while increasing the maximum injection pressure to 2,000bar ensures even better mixture formation. All of this leads to reduced fuel consumption and emissions, and higher output.

The innovative parallel-sequential boosting system receives more aerodynamically-efficient turbochargers, while the primary turbo now features highly-advanced ceramic ball bearing technology: the reduced friction means even better launch performance and transient response because torque builds up even more rapidly than before.

Engine efficiency is improved too. A switchable coolant pump and dual-stage oil pump ensure faster warm-up and reduced parasitic losses. And the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system now features a cooled low-pressure circuit in addition to the high-pressure circuit: this enables inherently low emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) as well as reduced pumping losses across a wider range of the engine’s operating map.

Complementing the improved EGR system is a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. Injecting a urea solution upstream of a highly-efficient SCR catalyst converts NOx into nitrogen and water