Monday 16th August 2010

Jaguar Reveals (Not) The New XJR

Sporty XJ concept provides pointers to next-gen super-saloon (w/video)

---

Jaguar has revealed an exciting new concept designed to showcase the potential of its new XJ series.

Although billed purely as a show car, the XJ75 Platinum Concept revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance over the weekend looks like a pretty strong statement of intent.

"The new Jaguar XJ Platinum Concept celebrates Jaguar's 75th Anniversary, and highlights the uniqueness of the XJ, and more broadly, the increasingly personal nature of luxury cars in today's market," says Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars.

"The XJ is thoroughly modern, and captures the innovative and daring character that our founder Sir William Lyons built into every Jaguar. And the design team clearly had some fun making their first one-of-a-kind XJ design concept in that spirit."

So it's not actually an XJR then, but as we're all expecting a new version of Jaguar's sportiest saloon it doesn't take much imagination to imagine this look being carried over to a new production model.

The XJ75 Platinum Concept is powered by a 470hp Supercharged V8, and not the 500hp-plus engine we'd expect in a production XJR. However, it is equipped with new ground-hugging front, rear and side sills, its exterior chrome elements have been revised to either dark chrome or gloss black, and it's got bespoke 22-inch black wheels - all of which could easily foretell the shape of good things come.

Inside the black and white theme continues with white air vents, veneers and diamond stitch suede inserts to the seats and headliner, contrasting with the black leather interior.

Check out the video 'walkaround' below:

 

 

[JumpinJack]

I'm suprised the ratings aren't higher. If it was released looking like that, and I could afford it, I'd snap one off them straight away!

[dlockhart]

Am I the only one who wants to get the tuners in on this as it reminds my of the Nissan Skyline GT-R?

[MrTappets]

I feel that that has lost something over the production XJ. I really hope it doesn't end up looking like it should be wearing Project Kahn badges. They need to keep it elegant.

[Shinobi]

The Big front grill looks incredible but the rear looks a bit to Citreon for me. Does have some presense though.

Great pics PH

[Chapppers]

the rear shot looks incredible. The rest is a little bit "West Coast Customs" for my liking.

I'm sure Snoop Dog will love it though.

[300bhp/ton]

It's ok but it does look rather chav footballer, as in similar to that bentley GT supersport thingy. Strange choice of engine output too. But then again it's a HUGE car, if you want a sporty Jag is an XJ really the answer with this new one?

[pSyCoSiS]

Good effort.

Can't wait to see what the new XJR will be like...

[smiffie]

I like it, appeals to those footballs. Add a bit of pink and im sure stephen ireland will want one.

[coogy]

Utterly hideous. Its supposed to be a Jaguar ffs.

[Chris-R]

coogy said:

Utterly hideous. Its supposed to be a Jaguar ffs.

A video 'walkaround' of this car has just been added to main article. It doesn't look quite so 'blingy' out in the daylight, IMO.

[lionrampant]

Chris-R said:

coogy said:

Utterly hideous. Its supposed to be a Jaguar ffs.

A video 'walkaround' of this car has just been added to main article. It doesn't look quite so 'blingy' out in the daylight, IMO.

Still looks very... heavy, if you ask me. Just something not quite right about the proportions.

[JamesJTS]

Eughh! It's white with black wheels. Grow up for heaven's sake Jaguar and stop trying to pander to the chavs.

[ScoobieWRX]

Everytime i look at the back of this XJ all i see is bloody Renault. Sorry if you disagree but that's the first and strongest thing that comes into my head. Front and side it doesn't look different enough from the XF for me to be anything other than an XF with slightly different but bigger dimensions.

I think the XF is perfectly dimensioned and IMHO is much better better looking from every angle. I wish they'd hurry up and come out with an XF convertible as that would be truly gorgeous!! I wish they'd done that with the S-Type as that would have made a lovely drop top too.

[Escort Si-130]

+1

JumpinJack said:

I'm suprised the ratings aren't higher. If it was released looking like that, and I could afford it, I'd snap one off them straight away!

[Escort Si-130]

At least it isnt as bad as Audi, I cannot really differentiate an A6 from and A8; they look too very similar.

ScoobieWRX said:

Everytime i look at the back of this XJ all i see is bloody Renault. Sorry if you disagree but that's the first and strongest thing that comes into my head. Front and side it doesn't look different enough from the XF for me to be anything other than an XF with slightly different but bigger dimensions.

I think the XF is perfectly dimensioned and IMHO is much better better looking from every angle. I wish they'd hurry up and come out with an XF convertible as that would be truly gorgeous!! I wish they'd done that with the S-Type as that would have made a lovely drop top too.

[gumsie]

Looks absolutely. Terrible.
Funny thing is, I saw the new advert for this model over the weekend and I thought the car looked great, just goes to show, the camera does lie!

[silverspeed]

The rear boot spoiler improves things dramatically IMO. Everything else is a bit OTT. Where will the XJR fir in? Under the Supersport?

[Johnpidge]

Seen a few of the standard ones on the road now and they look good - this looks a bit chav but quite nice in parts!

[Wadeski]

JamesJTS said:

Eughh! It's white with black wheels. Grow up for heaven's sake Jaguar and stop trying to pander to the chavs selling to the people who actually buy these sorts of cars.

[sprinter1050]

Article said:

So it's not actually an XJR then, but as we're all expecting a new version of Jaguar's sportiest saloon it doesn't take much imagination to imagine this look being carried over to a new production model.

How is that ? Surely the XFR fits that description better ?