2010 Jaguar XJ to debut in July, on sale in September December

We're in the South of France getting ready to drive Jaguar's new XFR and XKR sports models, and Mike O'Driscoll, Jaguar's managing director, has just confirmed that to us that the long-awaited Jaguar XJ successor will debut this July, with sales beginning in December.
Although details about the new XJ are still scarce, expect a thoroughly redesigned exterior that moves away from the current car's evolutionary design (shown above) by taking several cues from the new XF. Similarly, expect an all-new interior that adopts the company's Jaguar Drive transmission (recently ported over to the new XK) and an aluminum architecture that's rumored to keep the curb weight below 4,000 pounds. At launch, look for Jag's all-new naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 to makes its way under the hood, with an XJR model following sometime in 2011 packing the XFR's 510-horsepower supercharged bent-eight. UPDATE: O'Driscoll has confirmed that sales will begin this December.












Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
hokieman09 9:02AM (3/26/2009)
Is it me or has this car looked the same for decades?
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Pengwin 9:15AM (3/26/2009)
it still looks good on the outside...inside needs an update though.
Avinash machado 9:18AM (3/26/2009)
So I guess they will be keeping the traditional Jag styling.
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axium 9:22AM (3/26/2009)
What exactly are you basing that guess on?
Avinash machado 9:46AM (3/26/2009)
# axium By mistake I thought that the XJ pictured above was the new XJ.
superman211 11:45AM (3/26/2009)
Slow day for Auto Blog.
naggs 5:30PM (3/26/2009)
no, its an all new car, inside and out, think recent jag concepts
all new 5 liter v8 that rawks
btw i like the dial gear selector, its classy simple and obvious to use
K4Lic0 9:20AM (3/26/2009)
Did any of you three above me read the article?
'Although details about the new XJ are still scarce, expect a thoroughly redesigned exterior that moves away from the current car's evolutionary design (shown above) by taking several cues from the new XF.'
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superman211 11:47AM (3/26/2009)
1D10T
DJ 9:35AM (3/26/2009)
Anyone that has read Autoblog for more than the past two hours knows the next XJ is ALL NEW! Totally new look, referencing the XF, but different, new engines, new tranny, EVERYTHING, yet still all aluminum.
BTW, 510HP in less than 4000 lbs? We're looking at 0-60 in way under 5 seconds! Probably 4.3 or so!
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inteller 11:44AM (3/27/2009)
That tends to be the new benchmark Jag is striving for.
Richard 9:39AM (3/26/2009)
The XJ once did move away from it's traditional look. The fenders, front and rear, were smoothed and the twin headlights were replaced with units not affectionately referred to as "cinder blocks." Sales plummeted! Here is a picture: http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/vehicle-pictures/1994/jaguar/xj6-xj12/91407091000103-480.jpg
Honest to God, with the world changing so fast and every car beginning to look like Lexus meets Infiniti meets iPod, Jaguar might do well to build something that looks familiarly Sovereign. But that would make it clearer to the hordes who has money to take away.
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Spiel 12:42PM (3/26/2009)
By your comment, you're stating that Lexus and Infinity innovate, and everybody else copies. Aside from Hyundai, I'm not sure what other car looks like "Lexus meets Infiniti"?
Volvo...is unique Volvo.
BMW...is unique BMW.
Merc...is unique Merc.
Jaguar...is unique Jaguar (even still).
Audi...is unique Audi.
I fail to see any validity to your claim.
Perhaps as a matter of personal taste, I fail to see any beauty in any Japanese designed car (with minor, minor exception for the last gen Acura TL).
Richard 9:39PM (3/26/2009)
Spiel,
I didn't mean to be complimentary to Lexus and Infinity.
I think that most cars are begining to look like them. XF as the primary case in point, ergo the iPod reference in the comment.
To your specific examples,
Volvo is Volvo but, really, who cares.
BMW is BMW and, apart from the new Z4 and the M3, they are - well - not the prettiest things from Germany.
Mercedes? Please! The current C is Bruno Sacco does Bangle. There are more creases and blinged-out headlight adornment on the new Mercedes than on MC Hammer - at his current age. The S Class stole its front fenders from Mazda and its rears from an STi.
Jaguar. Well, isn't that why we're talking? The XF is more Lexus than even the GS was/(is?) Jaguar...and the show care from whence the GS was derived was called the Kensington and built - by Giugiaro - on an XJ! My whole arguement is that Jag should continue to look like Jag...not Lexus, not Aston.
Audi is Audi - I'll give you that.
Re. Asian beauties...I think the G37 really is beautiful (the coupe') and has developed some nice, organic curves along its masculine outline (with room for only 1 car, I'd nab one if you could put a bike rack on the roof). The FX - I think - has also evolved rather nicely and the new Infiniti Essence sport coupe' they showed in Geneva is an absolute stunner to my eyes...http://priusfan.com/images/assets/0015/2584/Infiniti-Essence-Concept.jpg
Pat Snell 9:41AM (3/26/2009)
Yes, the Jaguar XJ is classic, even in its current look. I think an update would be good, but I hope they keep an element of classic Jaguar there, too. I am seriously wanting to get one:
http://www.landrover4x4.com/used-inventory/vehicle-details.htm?vehicleId=e5a74a414046381e01f61bcf5e51753b&useHistory=true
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Mirko 9:42AM (3/26/2009)
@Damon Lavrinc
"and an aluminum architecture that's rumored to keep the curb weight below 4,000 pounds"
The current XJ is a very modern aluminum spaceframe car. The base model weighs 3650 lbs.
So, if the new one won't become a lot heavier, sub-4,000 can be expected even without new breakthroughs.
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cdoke 9:53AM (3/26/2009)
As a matter of being accurate, the XJ does not have an aluminium spaceframe- it has a aluminium monocoque frame.
Patrick 11:14AM (3/26/2009)
The XJ's front bumper looks very much like the E46 M3's, except it is missing the little lips under the fog lamps.
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coolremo 11:18AM (3/26/2009)
I like the classic jaguar styling. I hope they are able to modernize it yet keep the same jaguar element of classiness, as opposed to completely changing their entire styling (like Acura has done...blehh).
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Alex 1:09PM (3/26/2009)
agreed.