New Jaguar XJ

[Darthrevan]

the gear knob will come out when the engine is started..and the sound system is B&W..awesome!

[Krado]

I'm almost certain you were referring to the design of the current Jag XK, which does from certain angles (and if one is observant enough), look similarly close to a Hyundai Coupe...happened to be at the launch party back then and there were certainly many whispers among the guests about what you pointed out. The previous XK was so much sexier as it resembled the unforgetable Jag E-Type (which now is of course a classic collectible car).

 

Jaguar Cars, now owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata Group but still maintains its assembly plant at Coventry UK, is gambling that the new designs i.e. XF and XJ would attract "younger" buyers to the marque. Sales of Jaguar cars in the US (which is their main market) has fallen greatly over the years because Jaguar is regarded as an "old man's car." So as sons (and daughters) grew up and decided not to buy their "daddy's car," Jag had to completely re-design their S (into an XF) and XJ (from the traditional 3-box design to an elongated XF) to try and convince the new generation that Jaguar cars are now "hip" and fit for Gen X and beyond.

 

The BMW 7 series and Merc S Class constantly outsells the similar class Jaguar XJ in Singapore. With the launch of the new XJ, I don't think that the statistics would change much. I've heard that Malayan Motors, the local Jag AD, had sold 70 new XJs since it launch in around April this year. But I've actually seen one in motion on our roads, save for the test drive car. Wonder where they've all gone? I must admit that the XJ's interior is class-leading. The design of the instruments and the way the dash wraps around the driver give the car that very special feel which you don't quite find in Merc and Bimmer. I simply can't find any fault with the way the interior of the XJ is designed. However, I find that the new XJ does not command the type of road presence the previous model did. Perhaps it just looks too much like an over-fed Lexus GS300 (of which looks glaringly similar to the XF).

 

You just wasted your time replying to an imbecile.

[PDK]

Not really though. He's entitled to his own opinion about which car he fancies and which car he doesn't. I was merely stating my own observations and experience having owned 3 Jaguars and driven all their models since 2000 (except the current XJ as I have been rejecting invitations to do so since I am still trying to get over its "untraditional" design). I replied hoping to give a little education to those who might want to know more about Jags.

[Ferraricalifornia]

when the XF came out,

 

it was a revolution in design for Jaguar,

 

but it somehow looked like it was a copy and paste design from the Lexus GS, with some changes in the headlamps and tail-lights....

 

then they applied the same thing for the XJ,

 

and having read the review, most UK mag's are really bias towards their 'Jaguar' name....

 

to me (no offence intended),

 

the XJ is a mess of design....it doesn't have that brand identity of old jaguars....

 

i still can't stand the rear design of the car.....

 

as well as the sides....

 

and the front seems to be missing something....

[Viceroymenthol]

they try too hard to look contemporary.

 

they should just stick to something close to what they used to look like and their original identity.

 

what getting younger buyers.. hogwash... those younger buyers won't even look at a jag because the marque itself just turns them off already. youngsters go for Audi and BMW and it is hard to break into that market segment.

[Weiming]

I think it is a good effort on the part of Jaguar to be revolutionary on the XJ design although I don't like the rear that much myself. They must have learnt their lesson from the failed S-type which was too retro in looks and did poorly in sales.

 

The interior is a great leap forward compared to the previous model and the engine choices are very impressive. Also, Jaguar's build quality and reliability is improving so this is the start of the brand's renaissance.

 

Among its peers, the current XJ is the most avant garde.

[Cerano]

i love the rear. dont really like the side view

[Coupecabriolet]

saw a few on the roads around Bukit timah area. odd choices of colour.

 

but the rear is really sexy. when moving, it evokes a very streamlined bodyshape and style and gives a "fast" feeling just by looking at it.

[Ferraricalifornia]

one man's meat is another's poison....

 

but with revamped Jaguar....

 

it definitely has lost that classic and alluring stance Jaguar was....

 

now it's just another competitors to the Germans....only that it's English-Indian....

[Alfisti168]

one man's meat is another's poison....

 

but with revamped Jaguar....

 

it definitely has lost that classic and alluring stance Jaguar was....

 

now it's just another competitors to the Germans....only that it's English-Indian....

Not true, IMO. I just went to see the xj just now. Exterior looks smaller than it is. But the interior. Wow. Brilliant. I loved the chrome. Every single piece of it. Mercs and BMs make you feel like you are sitting in a car, but this one make you feel like you're in a club. i am 100% sure your valet will treat you differently when you drive this car.

[Ferraricalifornia]

sure the interior is nice....

 

but the exterior has lost it's identity....

 

and where's my rear Lounge seats??? where's the legrest???

 

where's the masseuse???

 

LOL....

[Alfisti168]

sure the interior is nice....

 

but the exterior has lost it's identity....

 

and where's my rear Lounge seats??? where's the legrest???

 

where's the masseuse???

 

LOL....

Haha. These are for cars that want to show off the ultimate of luxury. But Jag is for showing off the ultimate of coolness now. (hah my eng no good now, couldn't phrase properly... but hope still can understand)

[Ferraricalifornia]

can can....

 

at least it's better than driving around the mundane default choice of the 7-Series or S-Class???

 

lol....

 

but still,

 

where's my masseuse and flat bed???

 

lol....

[Sons_of_singapore]

This kind of car is supposed to be chauffeured.

[Kiadaw]

Jaguar never mean to sell the volume of BMW or Merc. It wanted to become the best of its class, a proper sport car & sedan maker. Not my word, but the the CEO. As of now, all Jaguar & Land rovers are made in U.K, Although not Coventry as someone have mention. Coventry is the Engineering center where they do their R&D & testing.

 

But of course, the parent company TATA wanted to have production in India or China for lower cost. This would be especially hard hit for the production stuff back home, but we shall see.

 

They have been doing well in recent time, & I believe its the right direction, & some new models being planned, like a new roadster & the baby Range Rover Evoque.

 

There is still a distinctive British favor about Jag, despite its recent styling, & developed by people who are passionate about cars (which I can personally testify).

[Ferraricalifornia]

Jaguar still has their own people....

 

it's only managed by TaTA now, rather than Ford....

 

so it's still the same group of people handling the design, and engineering for Jaguar and Land Rover cars....

 

just that money is now coming from TATA....

[Ferraricalifornia]

but the old XJ (1990's) will always be imprinted in my mind....

 

the new one though???

 

nah....

[Kiadaw]

Jaguar still has their own people....

 

it's only managed by TaTA now, rather than Ford....

 

so it's still the same group of people handling the design, and engineering for Jaguar and Land Rover cars....

 

just that money is now coming from TATA....

 

That's about right. Most of the people barred the contract stuff I work with a couple of years back are still there, very nice bunch of people. The best time in my working life is spend there in Coventry.