Sunday 30th July 2017

Updated Jaguar XJ launched

More tech, more assists and a new 575hp XJR as well

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While an old stager now in luxury car terms, there remains a lot to like about the Jaguar XJ. The stylish good looks and finely honed dynamics contribute to some of that, but a big chunk of the appeal is the bombastic XJR flagship.

Not a Maranello, but still quite exciting

In some news to brighten the Monday of car enthusiasts everywhere, Jaguar now has a new XJR: the XJR575. As the name implies, the big Jag now puts out 575hp from the 5.0-litre supercharged V8, sufficient for a 4.4-second sprint to 62mph and a 186mph top speed. And yes, it's still rear-wheel drive too...

The biggest dynamic change for the 575 is the introduction of electric power steering, with Jaguar saying it "improves responsiveness and driver feedback"; it's also used for the lane keeping assist now introduced. Marking out the 575 from the Luxury, Premium Luxury, Portfolio, R-Sport and Autobiography are unique bumpers, spoilers and sills, plus 20-inch 'Farallon' black wheels and a pair of unique colour options - Satin Corris Grey you see here, with Velocity Blue also available.

The rest of the XJ range now benefits from LED lights front and rear as well as a raft of changes inside. Jaguar's latest Touch Pro infotainment screen is now standard, with a capacitive 10-inch touchscreen, new features as seen in the F-Pace and the possibility of having the 12.3-inch Intervactive Driver Display show full screen nav. It may not be a 7 Series in there, but it looks a decent improvement.

Interior gets an update too

The driver assistance features introduced for this car are those familiar from lots of other installations now and include blind spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking, reverse traffic detection and 'Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist', the latter presumably making traffic rather less stressful. The XJ can even now park itself too.

The revised XJ is offered with the 300hp 3.0-litre V6 diesel (now said to be quieter and more efficient than ever), the 340hp supercharged V6 petrol, the 510hp supercharged V8 (only as a Long Wheelbase) and the XJR575. Prices start at £59,995 for the diesel; the V6 petrol is from £75,215, the 575 is £93,710 and the Long Wheelbase model kicks off at £101,730. Nobody mention depreciation now...

[DPSFleet]

Just right for our wonderful Politicians to be chauffeured around in whilst preaching austerity and environmental restraint to the rest of us! I do like these though and so pleased that shape has been retained. (like the XJ always did in the old days)

[j90gta]

Why is a V6 petrol £15,000 more expensive than the V6 diesel? Is the spec really that different?

[Jimmy Recard]

I was expecting an all new model from the title

[rodericb]

Jimmy Recard said:

I was expecting an all new model from the title

yeah same here.

[David87]

DPSFleet said:

Just right for our wonderful Politicians to be chauffeured around in whilst preaching austerity and environmental restraint to the rest of us! I do like these though and so pleased that shape has been retained. (like the XJ always did in the old days)

It's not a new model (the title is a little misleading), it's just a MY update. It's not even a facelift. Lovely car, though.

[rtz62]

David87 said:

DPSFleet said:

Just right for our wonderful Politicians to be chauffeured around in whilst preaching austerity and environmental restraint to the rest of us! I do like these though and so pleased that shape has been retained. (like the XJ always did in the old days)

It's not a new model (the title is a little misleading), it's just a MY update. It's not even a facelift. Lovely car, though.

With that in mind, and the government wanting to steer us away from diseasel engines to save the odd Silver Birch etc, I'm surprised that JLR haven't mitigated for a hybrid/electric version so that the PP's (Pious Politicians) can assume their 'holier than thou' smirks as they waft past the very people who are paying for their luxurious bolides.
However, the thought of an XJ with such a powerful engine does give me a warm glow, even though the boot badge does look like something from Halfrauds or RipoffSpeed....

[Matt Bird]

Sorry about the headline all, wasn't intended as a misleading one - honest!

There's a new - sorry, updated - headline now

[Ares]

So why is that engine not available in the XF or (mainstream) XE?

Crazy.

[Twoshoe]

Saw quite a few XJs in central London yesterday and I think they're ageing very well, even the rear end which was quite heavily criticised when they came out.

[Resolutionary]

j90gta said:

Why is a V6 petrol £15,000 more expensive than the V6 diesel? Is the spec really that different?

I too would like to know the answer to this - can't even begin to fathom the logic applied by JLR.

[court]

Resolutionary said:

j90gta said:

Why is a V6 petrol £15,000 more expensive than the V6 diesel? Is the spec really that different?

I too would like to know the answer to this - can't even begin to fathom the logic applied by JLR.

As usual you cant get the petrol in poverty spec.

[Sheepshanks]

Twoshoe said:

Saw quite a few XJs in central London yesterday

I wonder how many get sold outside London? I doubt I've seen half-a-dozen in total in the North-West.

[iSore]

As awkward and generally gopping as ever. This is a Jaguar XJ, a thing of beauty:

[Ares]

Sheepshanks said:

Twoshoe said:

Saw quite a few XJs in central London yesterday

I wonder how many get sold outside London? I doubt I've seen half-a-dozen in total in the North-West.

Lot round here? In the North-West.

[ZX10R NIN]

That facelift looks very good.

[Wacky Racer]

Lovely.... fast, luxurious, spoiled by one of the ugliest rear ends of any current production car (imo)

[Resolutionary]

court said:

As usual you cant get the petrol in poverty spec.

Makes sense - poor show though. I expect the same can be said for the Panamera, of which I see plenty in diesel form but few in petrol / S guise.

[lotus116tornado]

I fully expect a 3.0V6 Supercharged in poverty spec to be available shortly. Priced from around £66-68000. So sub £60000 with the normal discount.

[Jimmy Recard]

Sheepshanks said:

I wonder how many get sold outside London? I doubt I've seen half-a-dozen in total in the North-West.

Plenty around here. West Midlands

[alpha channel]

I've seen a few knocking around the Durham area. I quite like the car overall, the rear end? I'm certainly liking it the more it ages (never used to mind), at least it isn't the identi-kit VAG rear end the XE has. The car is, I think, ageing very nicely.