Spy Shots: 2010 Jaguar XJ shows new sheet metal in Death Valley
by Damon Lavrinc on Jul 20th 2009 at 6:58PM 
2010 Jaguar XJ - Click above for a high-res image gallery
We've already seen the 2010 Jaguar XJ in the sheet metal – once during our hands on introduction, and shortly followed by its online premier and a brief jaunt around London. Now, the intrepid shooters from KGP have caught both a prototype and a near production version weathering the summer sun in Death Valley, and we're still evenly split on its styling.
Shown here for the first time in Frost Blue Metallic, the front end remains the most attractive iteration of Jaguar's new design direction, but the back – particularly the chrome accent the bisects the darkened C-pillar – is going to take some getting used to, particularly in such a light hue. Check out the gallery below for more real-world shots of the XJ rolling through California, and if you're in the area, keep your eyes peeled for Jag's newest cat.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent 7:08PM (7/20/2009)
OMG
That car is pure sex in black. I knew the C pillar would look so much better in darker colors. I love it now. lol
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Torrent 7:09PM (7/20/2009)
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/spy-shots-2010-jaguar-xj/2155462/
Yeah...That thing is colossal.
Mike7 7:09PM (7/20/2009)
The back is not so bad. I'm not liking the color so much. Maybe in a dark gray, black, or even white. No, British Racing Green. That would work.
I just hope they fix that gap between the hood and the fascia.
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P.V. 7:13PM (7/20/2009)
+1 -> infinity on the British Racing Green (how about something like Imperial Green as on the Lotus Carlton?).
Jimmy 7:12PM (7/20/2009)
God, it looks like they contracted the Chinese to finish the rear of this car. Hideous!
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futurama 8:13PM (7/20/2009)
yes.. that ugly rear end ruins the otherwise gorgeous looking car...
It's quite the opposite with the XF... Gorgeous rear end... ugly front end...
SovietRussia 7:13PM (7/20/2009)
Jesus the back is terrible..what were they thinking? It's too long, taillights are too weird..Idk
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Venom 7:18PM (7/20/2009)
Awful. Hideous.
"Throws up in mouth"
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artso06 7:19PM (7/20/2009)
I still can't justify the C pillar. It's there as designer bs, meaning, something to make it "different". Its trying to hard to be a character trait. Everything else is great, aggressive, sporty, and still has good jaguar clues.
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Jung 7:29PM (7/20/2009)
I think these photos show that the car desperately needs the blacked out cpillar with the bright silver trim to break up the mass.
I like it. I commend Jag for coming up with distinct shapes for XJ. Who wants just a scaled-up version of XF if you're paying $20k+ more?
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Mr stol 7:43PM (7/20/2009)
Honda accord meets Volvo S60 and have ugly offspring. What a waste of effort this is, shame, cause I like the brand.
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Robert O 7:45PM (7/20/2009)
I think that rear is elegant, different, and beautiful. The lone leaping cat in the center of the trunk is nice. Not sure about the side profile, but photo's never do these cars justice. I'm hoping this is at least a base-hit for Jaguar.
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KazO 7:46PM (7/20/2009)
The tail reminds me of an entirely different British car, and it's not even an ex-BMC... A Hillman Avenger.
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BosGav 7:50PM (7/20/2009)
I can't squint hard enough to make that blacked-out pillar blend in, or lighten up, or disappear or whatever it's supposed to do. It just looks tacked on.
This car is only going to look good in black.
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In2uition 8:05PM (7/20/2009)
I agree, that black D-pillar is horrid on any color besides black.
Tomac 8:14PM (7/20/2009)
Obviously my opinion doesn't mean jack, but the rear styling looks completely unresolved to me. The taillights speak neither to Jaguar heritage nor to luxury in general, and the rear quarter windows don't integrate well with the back glass. The front styling takes cues from the XF (a good thing), but otherwise I see this as a big disappointment. I understand the old car was in dire need of updating and the interior was cramped, but at least it was handsome.
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mikemaj82 8:29PM (7/20/2009)
that is one ugly duckling. The front angle shot is nice, but the rest of the car....yikes.
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Jesse 9:17PM (7/20/2009)
I bet dealers are going to find a way around that blacked out D pillar with a little body color paint, just like Acura dealers have done with the TL front end so the cars would stop scaring women and children off their lots.
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Protzenegger 9:49PM (7/20/2009)
If I had untold sums of money, what I'd do is leave the XJ interior intact, and have the rest of it coachbuilt. Win.
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Gregg 10:37PM (7/20/2009)
the back is elegant and really sets the car apart...the c pillar blackout is also distinctive and may become a signature...but what happened with the hood-to-front-fender line? I know they have to have a more upright grill for European pedestrian safety, bu the more I look at the hood-fender-grill meld, the clumsier it looks.
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