Ratan Tata: All future Jaguars and Land Rovers to feature aluminum construction
2010 Jaguar XJ – Click above for high-res image gallery
Jaguar has been touting the aluminum-intensive construction of the XJ sedan since the previous-generation model was introduced back in 2003. According to the automaker, the use of aluminum in lieu of steel can lead to an impressive 40 percent reduction in weight. That's bound to have positive effects on driving dynamics, performance and efficiency.
With its latest redesign, Jaguar claims to have improved its aluminum architecture even further, so it's not surprising that the company plans to extend the technology to the rest of its line. According to Ratan Tata, chairman of the company that now owns Jaguar Land Rover, "JLR is planning to have all its future cars constructed with light weight aluminum bodies resulting in considerable savings in weight, and reduction in CO2 emissions."
To go along with their new diets, Jaguar and Land Rover are known to be experimenting with hybrid powertrains. A kinetic energy recovery system may be in the cards for the XJ line in 2011 while Land Rover has been working on an Electric Rear Axle Drive that could debut in the upcoming LRX compact Range Rover.
Gallery: 2010 Jaguar XJ
[Source: Motor E Magazine]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDM Life 9:12AM (8/03/2009)
The rear end just destroys this car.....
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Liquid 9:42AM (8/03/2009)
I like the rear end, it's elegant and innovative. It's the C-pillar blackout that defies logic for me.
Liquid 9:43AM (8/03/2009)
I guess technically it's a D-pillar.... ;)
notYou 9:45AM (8/03/2009)
@JDM Life: "The rear end just destroys this car....."
I think that's what we've all come to expect from someone whose nick stands for "Japanese Domestic Manufacturing".
I will say that it doesn't seem to visualize in 2d well (and I'm not digging the dark look of those c-pillars on the lighter colors). But, have you seen the videos? I think in motion (and probably in person) the rear acquits itself very well. ... at least on the S, I'm reserving judgement about the similar butt-transplant they dropped on the F.
Taglane 10:44AM (8/03/2009)
Liquid: yeah that gets me too.
American Made 9:47AM (8/03/2009)
Looks awesome
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Aloysius Vampa 10:13AM (8/03/2009)
` ""JLR is planning to have all its future cars constructed with light weight aluminum bodies resulting in considerable savings in weight, and reduction in CO2 emissions." `
Somebody gets it.
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JZeke 10:54AM (8/03/2009)
"According to the automaker, the use of aluminum in lieu of steel can lead to an impressive 40 percent reduction in weight. "
It should be stated as a per-part reduction. Much of a new car's weight is in plastics, glass and solid castings as well as the sheetmetal or extrusions. I would love to see any new car be as good as an outgoing model but weigh 1000lbs less, but without equal strides made in weight reduction of other materials I'd expect this to save more like 2-300lbs from a car (ideally) in the foreseeable future.
Impressive, but not quite a quantum leap.
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accelerating_cubicle 12:12AM (8/04/2009)
yea no kidding. Instead of leaving the cars lighter, they stuff more junk into it. So it negates the effect. Our cars are lighter! So we can add more weight! It weighs over 4,000lbs. ! Where is the weight savings? Oh I forgot its a luxury car, it doesn't need to be that efficient. Shut up Tata, the car weighs 5,000 lbs. with coupla average weight 300lb Americans in it.
Papi L-Gee 11:44AM (8/03/2009)
About time. The XF outweighing even the new XJ makes no sense at all.
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Alex 1:25PM (8/03/2009)
Unfortunately for the new XF, it is built atop the old S-Type architecture. We'll have to wait for its replacement before we see it drop significant weight.
Russell 11:43AM (8/03/2009)
man i still say the xf should have gotten these headlights...
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Serge 5:09PM (8/03/2009)
The XF design was finalized before the C-XF or the XJ concepts were drawn up...
Joseph 11:49AM (8/03/2009)
Finally you can drive your expensive car around in the winter without worrying about the salt rusting it to pieces?
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jaartsgroup 12:19PM (8/03/2009)
Actually all Land Rovers have been aluminum for decades now. the original reason was rust resistance..which by the look of the older rovers i still see has worked out very well. .
and i think the JAG tail section looks classy. almost bentley/rolls royce looking. defintely upmarket from the spot ford left jag in.
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inline6 3:20PM (8/03/2009)
ALL Land Rovers? Or just the Defender types?
I thought the Freelander/LR2, Disco/LR4, and RRs were steel. They weigh as much as the moon.
Serge 5:10PM (8/03/2009)
@inline6
I'm pretty sure u're right man. There is no way those things could be made out of aluminum...
Hamhock 1:04PM (8/03/2009)
I'd be a little concerned about going off road in an aluminum vehicle just because body work on aluminum is so freaking expensive.
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inline6 3:24PM (8/03/2009)
You needn't worry. The original Land Rover/Defender series has been all-aluminum since 1948.
Superhands 10:30PM (8/03/2009)
I was waiting for someone to mention this, my father is a panel beater and always said aluminium is a pain/expensive to work on. Guess its a trade off between fuel costs and repair costs, just dont crash it!