Jaguar XJ 2013 News

The gimbal-like qualities of chooks' bodies and heads were recently used by German carmaker Mercedes-Benz to highlight its flagship S-Class model's 'Magic Body Control' in a slightly bizarre but entertaining ad. The commercial aimed to show how the S-Class's high-tech arsenal of sensors and cameras monitored the road surface ahead and automatically adjusted the suspension to keep the ride smooth and silky. Watch the desktop version of the Jaguar chicken ad here. Jaguar found the chicken motif too good a target to resist, and have fired a returning salvo in their own ad wobbling a chicken around ... "see -- it's just like a Mercedes," the Jaguar boffin says. Then he pits the fowl against a jaguar. Things go exactly as you'd think, which is essentially not at all a happy ending for the poultry. Watch the Mercedes-Benz chicken ad here. "We prefer cat-like reflexes," Jaguar tells us -- hinting the luxury S-Class might be a bit short on sportiness, but without highlighting any particular car. Although the tagline 'Good to be bad' is one being used in the US for the new F-Type. We're hoping that over in Germany they're going to come up with an equally amusing response. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott    

We've seen Tax The Rich punishing a Ferrari Enzo before, but this time they're giving us a closer look at the action in all the grace of slow-motion.It's the latest in a series from the mystery team, who take supercars to places they're never supposed to be. Over the past couple of years we've seen the Enzo, a Ferrari 288 GTO, Bugatti EB110 SS, Rolls Royce Phantom, twin Ferrari F50s and a Jaguar XJ220 thrashed through farm paddocks and down crumbling rural bitumen, dirt and gravel roads.While the identity of the Tax The Rich driver is officially unknown -- and despite his denials -- it's becoming increasingly obvious there's a connection to Harry Hunt, the rally driver son of Brit real estate magnate Jon Hunt, who's the owner of the palatial Heveningham Hall manor estate identifiable in some of the videos.Watch the Ferarri drifting, sliding and doing burnouts.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Ken Block makes do with a specially-built Ford Fiesta Gymkhana thrash machine for his video ventures, but the anonymous souls at Tax The Rich like to create their sideways sequences using museum-grade thoroughbred supercars or ultra-luxury machines.Over the past 18 months we’ve seen a Ferrari 288 GTO, Bugatti EB110 SS, Rolls Royce Phantom, twin Ferrari F50s, a Ferrari Enzo, and a Jaguar XJ220 thrashed mercilessly around their agricultural playground, to the chagrin of supercar fanciers and the guilty pleasure of everyone else.For their latest and tenth instalment, the mega-dollar 288 GTO returns to the Tax The Rich farm, where they put it through the usual opposite-lock action across mud, gravel and tarmac, all to the tune of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries.The 288 GTO was developed for Group B rallying, but never raced due to the disbanding of the category, and the 272 road cars are now worth serious money. Perfect for the Tax The Rich treatment then!The highlight this time are the slo-mo figure-eights the GTO executes within the tight confines of a hay shed, with its composite body slewing sideways just inches from brick walls.And as with recent entries, it looks like there’s a clue to the subject of the next Tax The Rich instalment, with what looks to be a prototype Ferrari F40 (chassis 74047 as seen below) appearing through smoke at the end of the film. If so, it will be the most precious to be pummelled yet.While the identities of the Tax The Rich progenitors officially remain a mystery, the elaborate gates shown in the Phantom film just happen to signify the entrance to Heveningham Hall, a palatial 25 bedroom manor that makes Downton Abbey look like an outhouse, set in 460 acres of lush Suffolk farmland. Significantly, Heveningham Hall is owned by real-estate magnate Jon Hunt, and his rally driver son Harry…This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn Watch the desktop version of the Tax The Rich Ferrari 288 GTO video here.  

You know you're getting old when car comfort is more important than a stoplight sprint. Either that or, like me, you've recently spent too much time with doctors and comfort suddenly becomes the single most important thing in your driving day.I love the Ferrari 458, but right now I would hobble straight past the rip-snorter Italian thoroughbred on the way to a cushy Jaguar XJ limo. It would be the same situation for my first-choice funster, the Porsche Cayman.I've recently driven a race-prepared Fiat 500 Abarth and the pain was almost - almost - worse than the pleasure of romping the pocket rocket around the high-speed swoops and curves of Phillip Island. I was more than happy to slide back into the cushiness of a Chrysler 300 for the drive home, even if the seats in the motown monster don't give as much support as I normally like.The ride back to the airport got me thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of a number of vehicles that have recently passed through the Carsguide garage, focusing on how they make you feel in the body instead of in the head. Every week there are emails to CarsGuide from people of age, asking about upgrading - from a conventional passenger car into something in the SUV style that's easier on the hips and legs at mounting and dismounting time.An SUV can look like a good idea on the comfort front, but lots have bench-flat seats, crappy ergonomics and nowhere near enough suspension compliance. The Subaru Forester has a nice ride, but I prefer the seats in the Toyota RAV4. On the car front, the new Nissan Pulsar has seats that do nothing for me, but the Renault Clio is surprisingly comfy for a little, affordable car.My top favourite seat is a Recaro racing bucket that is almost shrink-wrapped to my shape, like a bathtub full of jelly that provides perfect support. But it's just about the toughest seat to get into or away from. So, right now, the first-choice comfort car is a Range Rover. It's stupidly expensive, but everything works for me, from a body that drops down on its air springs for easy access to beautifully-shaped front buckets finished in lovely leather and even a user-friendly automatic gearbox that means my left leg never has to move out of its comfort zone.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

Have we become so lazy that we need amplifiers in cars to ensure clear passenger conversation? Jaguar thinks so. Its “Conversation Assist” consists of microphones above each seat to amp up the occupant's voice. Embedded in the optional Meridian Reference Audio System in the latest XJ, it “makes it much easier for occupants to be heard clearly by the other occupants in the vehicle above any cabin noise” says Jaguar.Which could be a damning indictment of the legendary quietness of a Jaguar saloon. Conversation Assist is one of the upgrades in the mid-life makeover XJ that also enhances its long wheelbase model with two rear airline-style seats. These seats include cushion and squab adjustment, three massage programs - wave/rolling, lumbar and shoulder - and lumbar adjustment.Rear seat passengers have 13mm more headroom than the outgoing model and can recline the seats by 11 degrees and move the cushion over 103mm. They can even control the front passenger seat from the rear.The XJ has optional front-seat massage functions for each seat with five levels of intensity, allowing occupants to personalise their massage settings to their preference.Options stretch as long as the wheelbase with an entertainment package of two 10.2-inch high-resolution screens mounted on the back of the front seat headrests. These display inputs from sources including the DVD player, digital TV tuner or an external media player. Audio can be transmitted through the wireless headphones, allowing each passenger to watch separate entertainment sources.Rear passengers also have a wireless controller to alter individual climate zones and seat heating and cooling functions. The XJ long wheelbase also has optional leather-surfaced business tables which fold out of the seatbacks of the front seats, rear window blinds and electric side window blinds.Options also extend to a 1300-Watt Meridian Reference Audio System with 26 speakers that include a set of two 80mm standard and one 25mm tweeter in the rear of each of the front seats. All XJ models in the latest iteration have soft-closing door technology and changes to the rear suspension to improve the ride suppleness. The XJR, to be launched later this year, expands on the 2014 XJ range by adding bespoke chassis and aerodynamic developments.It has a 404kW/680Nm 5-litre supercharged V8 engine capable of a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds and will be available only in standard wheelbase for $298,000. This is the first time an R badge has been applied to the latest generation of the XJ range. Prices for the long wheelbase models are unchanged – and parallel pricing for the standard wheelbase versions. The long bi-turbo diesel V6 Premium Luxury is $198,800 and the supercharged petrol V6 is $198,445.The writer is on Twitter: @cg_dowling

While the Jaguar XJ is one of the best looking offerings in its class, its avant-garde styling has come at a cost. The sloping roof may give the XJ a sleek look but it has come at the cost of space for rear-seat passengers. Jaguar remains divided on whether to stick with this dramatic look for the next generation of its flagship sedan or switch to a conventional three-box shape that maximizes interior space. According to Edmunds, Jaguar’s solution is to go with both options; that is, to build two distinct versions of the next XJ. The reason behind the decision is said to be the divergent tastes in Jaguar's global markets, particularly between those of China and the US. In China, it’s common for luxury sedan owners to ride along in the back seat and have a chauffeur deal with the driving duties. It’s because of this reason that rear-seat space is crucial. In the US., it’s the dramatic, almost fastback look that makes the XJ stand out, and returning to the rather dull look of the previous-generation XJ is unlikely to be a popular move among Jaguar’s ranks. Not much else is known about the next XJ, though Jaguar has previewed a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that is expected to feature in the car. A lightweight aluminum chassis will remain, and combined with the hybrid system could see the new luxury sedan return a fuel economy in excess of 70 mpg.

Jaguar's capacity reduction program matches similar moves made by Audi and Mercedes-Benz - and even Ford with its Falcon EcoBoost - and aims to reduce fuel consumption while matching the performance of bigger engines. In fact, the new supercharged V6 in the XF is 14 per cent more fuel efficient than the 5-litre V8 it replaces. This V6 will also be used in next year's F-Type. New from November is a 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and a 3-litre V6 supercharged petrol for the mid-size XF and luxury XJ. The small-bore four is a new addition but the 177kW/450Nm blown V6 replaces the existing normally-aspirated 3-litre V6. The new V6 will also replace the 5-litre V8 - which gets dumped - in the XF but will become an addition to the engine options in the XJ. All come here with stop-start systems and eight-speed automatic transmissions. Jaguar will slot the XF's 2-litre four into the XJ primarily for the Chinese market - though some may be available in Europe - but there are no plans for this combination to reach Australia. Jaguar Australia brand manager Kevin Goult says the new turbo-four and blown V6 will debut at the Sydney motor show in October and expects them on the showroom floor by early November. "Cosmetically, the XF and XJ will remain the same,'' he says. He's not giving away pricing however one expects the V6 supercharged in the XJ to come in at about the same price as the existing V8, which has a drive-away sticker of $195,000. The same V6 in the XF should about match the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel version at about $79,000. Prices will be confirmed by Jaguar at the Sydney show. Jaguar's XF petrol engine line up in Australia come November will be the 177kW/340Nm 2-litre turbo-four; 250kW/450Nm 3-litre supercharged V6; and the 5-litre supercharged V8 in two output versions. Turbo-diesels are the 147kW/450Nm 2.2-litre and 202kW/600Nm 3-litre V6. The XJ petrol engines are the supercharged V6; 283kW/515Nm 5-litre V8; and the 346kW/575Nm and 375kW/625Nm versions of the supercharged 5-litre V8. There's also a 202kW/600Nm V6 turbo-diesel. Fuel consumption of the new four and V6 are claimed to average 8.9 L/100km and 9.4 L/100km  respectively in the XF. Jaguar's aluminium XJ models will also pick up the tauter and more sophisticated suspension previously available only on the XJ Ultimate model. The suspension features re-calibrated spring and damper tuning with remapped damper software to ``enhance'' - Jaguar's words - passenger comfort. The Portfolio and Supersport XJ models will come with an upgraded 825W Meridian DAB audio with 20 speakers. It will be optional on other models.  

And it’s doing duty in the one place where you wouldn’t mind waiting for a taxi. The Jaguar move echoes the BMW ‘Ring Taxi that runs from April to October – and this year updates to the F10 BMW M5 – offering hot laps of the Nurburgring. Ring queen and BBC Top Gear star guest Sabine Schmitz used to be among the BMW drivers, but the wheel is now taken by BMW Driving Experience instructors.  The BMW M5 Ring Taxis carry a 418kW/681Nm bi-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The M5 claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds, and a top speed of 305km/h with the optional hi-po package. That kind of performance cred makes the long-wheelbase limo XJ seem a strange starting point for the Jaguar Ring taxi, but that’s exactly the point, according to the Brit brand. "We found it's the XJ Supersport that most often surprises journalists with its speed simply because they perceive it to be a large luxury car,” global head of communications Frank Klaas says. “The XJ is both those things, of course, but its aluminium architecture means it's rigid and lightweight too, which make it a very good car on track. To underline that fact, our engineering team created this special Nürburgring taxi version in which our trained drivers can safely take passengers on very hot laps." The Jaguar Supersport Ring taxi is fitted with the optional Sport and Vmax Speed packs, which add aerodynamic kit, bigger wheels and brakes – and tuning for the 375kW/625Nm engine that raises the top speed from 250km/h to 280km/h. Taaaaxi!  

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.

For Jaguar, the 120 gram per kilometre CO2 fleet limit that becomes effective from January 1, 2012 will be difficult but – thanks to the diesel and micro-hybrid models of sister company Land Rover – not impossible. But that hasn't stopped Jaguar developing its own low-emission answers. At the launch this week of the Jaguar XJ, project chief engineer Andy Dobson said trials were continuing on a new XJ car with a three-cylinder petrol engine driving a generator that powers electric motors. Mr Dobson said hybrid Jaguars would be the first low-emission models to be launched and expected delivery in 2012. "We see a better future in starting with hybrids and perhaps later into full electric cars," he said. "I don’t see hydrogen or ethanol as being fuels with the best answers. But a move into stop-start technology, hybrid technology and electric vehicles offer better solutions for us." Jaguar sees itself as already making inroads into reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions by using the light weight benefits of an all-alloy construction in its latest XJ saloon. It has not dismissed using the same body material for the next generation XF model which is currently predominantly made of steel. Mr Dobson said Jaguar was using expertise for its electric and hybrid future both from in-house development and through aligning itself with specialist suppliers. Now owned by Tata of India, Jaguar can no longer use the technology of its former owner, Ford.