Autoblog

Proving that Jaguar is truly serious about dumping its staid, old man-ish image is a lone spy shot of the upcoming redesigned XJ sedan's new interior. True, Jag's bread-and-butter sedan has not seen much in the way of changes since... well, never, but we weren't sure just how far Jaguar management was willing to go for its interior redesign. As it turns out, they didn't go very far at all, as the new XJ's duds seem to closely mimic those of its little sibling, the new XF sedan. Gone is the sweeping swath of wood. In its place is a large leather-lined panel that also houses a big touchscreen, which has proven to be refreshingly easy to use in past Jaguar models.

Also making the jump from XF to XJ is the now familiar rotary gear selector called Jaguar Drive, which rises from its console-mounted position when the vehicle is started. In the XF, this is all part of the so-called "Jaguar handshake," and we'd bet that the starting procedure will stay roughly the same in the new XJ. While some may miss the old-world atmosphere with which Jaguar has soldiered on for so long, we find the new-look interior absolutely stunning in the XF. And while we're sure that it won't be exactly what we see in this spy shot, we look forward to seeing it in person in the next XJ, as well.

[Source: Car Magazine Online]

Geoff Polites, who's stewardship of Land Rover and Jaguar improved the health of both properties, has succumbed after a long illness. Polites led Jaguar and Land Rover back to collective profitability, and kept a steady hand on the helm during the upheaval surrounding the sale to Tata a month ago. While rumors swirled and pundits punned, it was Polites leadership that kept Jaguar and Land Rover on an even keel, with heads down and concentrating, instead of freaking out. Polites spent 40 years in the automotive business, and rose to CEO at Jaguar Land Rover in 2005. Both brands have strong, stylish product portfolios with name cachet, and David Smith, CFO of Jaguar Land Rover will step in as acting CEO for now. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Close your eyes, sit back and imagine you're being chauffeured around town. Now open your eyes, and say what luxury conveyance you pictured your ride to be. The editors of The Chauffeur magazine – who we'd all imagine are named Jeeves or Somethingsworth – have made their selections, naming the Jaguar XJ long wheelbase and Lexus LS600hL as their top picks for Chauffeur Car of the Year 2008.

The Jaguar beat out the Volvo S80, Mercedes E, Chrysler 300C and VW Phaeton, which were nominated alongside it in the £25-£50k category. Up one class in the £50-100k segment, the Lexus beat out a selection of Europe's finest in the Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8. No word yet on the final choice for the top category, but with the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Maybach 62 all nominated, we'd be hard pressed to pick one ourselves (hint: it wouldn't be the Maybach). Chauffeur mag was quick to point out that the dedicated chauffeur programs offered by both Jaguar and Lexus scored both the long-wheelbase luxury sedans extra points in their deliberations. Follow the jump to read the press releases from Jaguar and Lexus.

[Sources: Jaguar and Lexus]

Boats are typically thought of as a hole in the water into which you hurl money. It looks like this Craigslist seller realized that he was really after a boat only after sinking considerable time and money into an extensive automotive gene-splicing experiment gone horribly wrong. Take one Jaguar XJ, add half a Ford Ranger Splash, season with a carbureted 305 and stir in a steering wheel cover that's vaguely reminiscent of calimari. Bake only halfway, frost with black, and serve. In all fairness, the small, limited resolution shots on the listing show a vehicle that actually looks better turned out than the recipe for confusion stew might suggest. Whether it's truly nice, or just another 50/50 curiosity would be interesting to find out. At least you won't have to pay to dock it – and with the GM powertrain, it'll likely be far cheaper to maintain than the Evinrude on your pontoon boat.

[Source: Craigslist]

The next generation Jaguar XJ has been spotted by Car magazine photographers, though you might not guess it: the car is a test mule using the current XJ's body. Car's claims for the car, however, predict an XJ that will be make a much greater impression than the one the current XJ made when it was released a few years ago.

For one, the styling is expected to be much edgier, inside and out. The new body, still in aluminum, will hopefully maintain the grace that Jags have a lock on, but move the car's lengthy design lineage firmly into this century. It is nearly 2008, after all. Design director Ian Callum has cited the CLS as "an inspiration to the design of large sedans," (you'd really think sporty sedans didn't exist before the CLS appeared on scene). We hope this doesn't mean he merely attempts to mimic a shortened rear-glasshouse-into-trunk for the next big cat.

Inside, the car will take many of its cues from the XF, and under the hood will be the next generation 5.0-liter V8 engine. The car might also get some high-tech LED headlamps (it's about time), but please, Mr. Callum, keep those XF headlights away from what is still one of the world's most beautiful sedans. The car is due in 2009 or 2010.

[Source: Car]

Opinions may be split over the execution of the new Jaguar XF that was priced for U.S. consumption yesterday at the LA Auto Show, but the British luxury marque remains committed to its new design direction. That is, at least, what our friends across the pond at Auto Express are saying, and they may not be far off.

The XJ sedan, though arguably a timeless classic shape, is getting a little long in the crooked tooth, and the report suggests that its replacement will follow the XF's lead in taking a more aggressive, modern direction in order to compete with the likes of big German sedans like the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class. Auto Express says the chassis will be an updated version of the current aluminum structure, with a range of updated engines in both diesel and gasoline versions, supercharged and naturally aspirated, six cylinders or eight. (The interesting part is a reported boost to the range-topping supercharged V8 to 500 horsepower for the XJR.)

As with the XF, Jaguar's trademark though arguably unpopular J-gate shifter gives way to a more crowd-pleasing console dial and wheel-mounted paddle-shifters. The rest of the interior is also tipped to follow the XF's modern lead, all decked out in leather, wood and blue mood lighting, while repositioned and redesinged seats promise to optimize interior space.

Follow the link to read more crystal-ball forecasts on the next XJ sedan range, which is anticipated to hit the market in 2009.

[Source: Auto Express]

click above image for 14 pics of the 2008 Jaguar XJ

Many radio stations have been advertising HD Radio for some time, but until now BMW has been the only volume automaker to implement the technology in production vehicles. Jaguar has decided to enter the fray, offering HD Radio as an option for the 2008 XJ. The suggested retail price is a hefty $500, but we don't think many XJ owners will buckle at the price.

Within the radio industry, HD Radio is gaining momentum, with 1,200 AM and FM stations broadcasting with digital signals, and 550 of those stations being subscription-free, FM multicast channels. The main stumbling block for HD Radio right now is the cost of the hardware, which is why luxury automakers are the first to adopt the technology.

We got a feel for the power that is HD Radio with some of the cars in the Autoblog Garage, and we are blown away at the quality. We found the quality of the HD radio signal to be extremely clear, and the crispness of talk radio surpasses by far anything offered by XM or Sirius. Hit the jump to read Jaguar's press release.

[Source: Ford Media]

click above image for 14 pics of the 2008 Jaguar XJ

Jaguar will be unveiling a freshened XJ at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show next week, which it hopes will help the large luxury sedan stay relevant until its replacement reportedly arrives in 2010. The changes are few and include a revised front end with a wonky new air inlet below the grille and new fog lamps in a revised front bumper. The big cat also gets XJ-style vents aft of the front wheels and a subtle wing on the rear deck. Three new colors and three new wheel designs will also be available. Inside the 2008 XJ are new seats that Jaguar claims are more comfortable and take up less space, which increases leg room for rear passengers.

The aluminum chassis remains, of course, as does the same engine lineup as the current model. AutoWeek, however, reports that the XJ will share its future engine lineup with the upcoming XF sedan. We've learned already that the XF will feature an intriguing engine lineup that includes a base 4.2L V8, a supercharged 4.2L V8 producing 420 hp and a supercharged 5.0L V8 producing around 500 hp in the range-topping R-badged models. So we can expect all three engines for the fully redesigned 2010 XJ, as well.

[Source: AutoExpress, AutoWeek]