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Autocar’s spy photographers have snapped these pics of the new Jaguar XJ.

Jaguar’s radical new executive model is also now just weeks away from being unveiled, Autocar can reveal. The new car will be stripped of its extensive disguise some seven months or so before its scheduled on sale date at the beginning of 2010.

These latest spy shots of the car also show that the Jaguar XJ will have the option of a fully glazed roof. The clear roof and the car’s shallow side windows are remin...Read the full article

 I can't wait to see this one uncovered!

I never knew Mad Max lived in Coventry!  Always thought he had a strange accent!

Autocar:

Jaguar’s radical new executive model is also now just weeks away from being unveiled, Autocar can reveal

Are you sure Hilton?

The reason I question that is two-fold:

Firstly Jaguar like most manufacturers tend to remove the disguise of their pre-production test models slowly, to give the media something to speculate about, and this still looks fairly heavily disguised - I'd expect to see it over the next few months wearing less and less plastic before its unveiled fully.

Secondly in recent years Jaguar have stuck to a fairly common reveal procedure that they have found works well - Show a concept that is very close to the final product in Frankfurt in September, then show the real thing in Detroit in January, with sales starting in the UK in March.

Maybe they are skipping this and showing the concept at the Shanghai show in April?

I'm sure I read somewhere that Jaguar had register the trademark C-XJ implying that there will be a concept version of the new XJ as there was the C-XF before the XF.

Still...can't wait to see what it looks like for real!

The best I can tell is that when I say 'weeks' I mean about 12 or 13.... But you are right. Jaguar has always stripped its new cars bare about six months or so before they go on sale. I don't think this car will be much different. However, I'm pretty damn sure there's no concept version of the XJ planned. That said, the front end of the XF concept could be a big clue to the XJ's look. I don't know that as a fact, but it'd be my guess.

Well they need to get a move on, it needs to be out this year and to be honest, it could really do with being out and clear for the start of the summer; its needs the press.

Its about a rolling product release (or should be), Toyota used a process with their cars over a period of time.....look another Toyota, look another Toyota again, over time they got publicity from the press in terms of covering the new car (saves advertising) and it was constant so it constantly got that and people thought it was an "innovation" automotive company (even though its not).

JLR need to constantly brand build, they cannot afford to do anything other, therefore they need something out before summer hols and something then at the end of summer and something again in on the run up to Christmas; they need to keep that progress going, otherwise they will struggle and the XF becomes wasted and they all need to be very good......if they are not, they are in bother.

This new XJ is a stop gap as much about establishing the brand as the car; they then need the Coupe and they need the LXR Freedlander thing to be out.......they then need a the green tech. and they need (in my opinion) a new X Type and they definately need a new XK.....and that is six years work.

Then over the next six years they repeat with a mix of facelifts and new models and then that is 12 years work......no offence but its 12 years......and it will be hard work......if they slip it will be 16 years....if its 16 years they are in trouble again....its just how it is.......I hope they succeed.....but the road for them is long and anything could (good/bad) happen....but its 12 years hard work; they need to keep working very hard indeed.

Ps; I have still not looked at the solar panel calculations (but will do) and I will also look at the areodynamic calculations re. Orangewheels...a bus is like a motorbike?

HiltonH:

That said, the front end of the XF concept could be a big clue to the XJ's look. I don't know that as a fact, but it'd be my guess.

From what I've heard from Jaguar dealers who've seen the car, its a bit like the C-XF nose with a wider grille, on the body of the Aston Rapide but slightly more obviously a saloon rather than stretched 2 seater sports car. I do know the version they saw had the twin angle screen so driver and passenger could see different things - as in the S-Class and it was larger than the current 7" screens - 9-10". Unsure if the dealers saw a concept or the real thing. Described as very good looking, but then Jaguar dealers would say that, plus they aren't that brilliant at building up a visual description as they're salesmen, not designers.

Still, the dealers were very happy to have it coming, even in the current climate. They recon it could upset a few XJ traditionalists, but thankfully Jaguar isn't as bothered about that as it used to be.

I'd still guess they'd show a concept - possibly more like the Advanced Lightweight Coupe, which was essentially the finished XK's pressings with show bumpers and wheels.

Jaguar stops building the current XJ this March/April and with the small volumes the model sells the dealers recon they have enough stock to last them the year (as long as you want the 2.7 diesel - very few 4.2's left) the new 3.0 diesel & 5.0 litre are being saved for the new XJ.

I'll have another chat and find out exactly when they're expecting the new model.

Autocar:

Autocar’s spy photographers have snapped these pics of the new Jaguar XJ.

 

Bit slow off the mark aren't you Autocar? I've seen these going up and down the M40 for over a year.

 Can't wait to see this car... Although it's heavily disguised you can see that it's got very dramatic proportions. I have a feeling it'll be gorgeous.

Yes, the dual-view screen - so the driver can see the sat-nav and the passenger the TV - is indeed being rolled out at JLR. God knows how it works.

HiltonH:

Yes, the dual-view screen - so the driver can see the sat-nav and the passenger the TV - is indeed being rolled out at JLR. God knows how it works.

Imagine each pixel on the screen  - rather than being one pixel (and I know pixel isn't exactly the correct word in an LCD) that's at 90 degrees to the screen, but 2 smaller pixels each cut a 45 degrees in opposite directions, both showing different outputs. if you were to look directly at it it makes no sense as you see both images, but at a slight angle one side or the other you only see one.

so pixel in a normal display would be:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 and new dual view version:

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

 

with a different image coming from each side of the V.

(at least I think that's how its works!)

Combining it with a touchscreen is slightly more tricky, but the touchscreen makes so much more sense I'm surprised BMW Merc and Audi are sticking with versions of iDrive.