The combined Land Rover/Jaguar company, now owned by Indian automaker Tata, had a little fun for the holidays, coming up with concept images for Santa's sleigh, one designed by Jaguar, and the other by Land Rover.
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Jaguar)
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Land Rover)
Land Rover went futuristic with its land-based speeder design. Being a Land Rover, we assume it handles rough terrain well. It also looks like the cockpit is designed for a reindeer driver, which must require some very special controls.
Ahead of its official North American debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Jaguar gave us a look at the new XJ in San Francisco. The new XJ was designed by Ian Callum and is a radical change from the previous body style, which was little changed for 40 years. The new car's look might tweak Jaguar purists, but the lines are modern. In some respects, it resembles the XF. The XJ will be Jaguar's flagship sedan, and the first launch under new owners Tata Motors. The new XJ features some impressive tech, its most over-the-top feature being a virtual instrument cluster.
Jaguar launches an updated XJ for the 2010 model year.
(Credit: Jaguar)Today, Jay Leno took the stage in England to introduce the 2010 Jaguar XJ. This model update follows on the successful update of the XK and launch of the XF, completing Jaguar's revamp of its model line-up. In his opening remarks, Leno commented on how it was a Jaguar that first got him into cars, an impressive achievement considering his current car collection.
The new XJ keeps many traditional Jaguar styling cues, such as a wire grille, but its sides come straight down; probably better for aerodynamics, rather than the more torpedo-like shape of older Jags. The roofline also extends back far over the trunk, with small triangular windows behind the main rear side windows. A standard glass top also has two sunroofs, both of which open, for front and rear seats.
Jaguar worked with stereo maker Bowers & Wilkins on the audio systems for the XK and XF, and continues the partnership in the XJ. The stereo for this car uses 1,200 watts of amplification, and includes a media hub with two USB ports for iPods and other sources along with Bluetooth audio streaming.
Instead of traditional analog instruments, the XJ gets a 12.3-inch high-resolution screen for its instrument cluster, with virtual speedometer and tachometer. The center LCD is an 8-inch touch screen for controlling audio, navigation, and the phone system.
The car will be built as a standard XJ and in a long wheelbase model, dubbed the XJL. The base engine for the car is a 5-liter V-8 making 385 horsepower. A supercharged version will also be available with 470 horsepower, and a Supersport model makes 510 horsepower.
The 2010 Jaguar XJ goes on sale in September.
Burmester B25 speakers
(Credit: "Home Entertainment" magazine)Here at CNET we write about all sorts of gadgets and toys, but I've noticed that when I write about high-end gear I get the biggest reaction.
I like hearing about stuff I can't afford, like the recent road test of the $80,000 Jaguar XFR. The big sedan can hit 162 mph, can stop from 150 in 6 seconds, and it's a ball to drive fast. Funny, the road tester never mentioned fuel economy. There you go, people don't buy $80,000 cars for their practicality, they buy them to be seen in and for how well they perform.
High-end audio isn't so different, but it's more private. High-end buyers' families and friends are the only ones who'll ever get to be bowled over by the sound and looks of their spectacular audio systems. So while you've probably heard of Jaguar, chances are you're less familiar with high-end audio brands. I'm here to help raise awareness of quality audio.
I write about the world's best audio gear for "Home Entertainment" magazine, and I recently had the pleasure of testing the Burmester 032 integrated stereo amplifier ($22,495) and B25 speakers ($11,995/pair). Burmester is based in Berlin, Germany. The company builds the sort of hi-fis a Jaguar owner would buy.
The 032 amplifier in all its German splendor
(Credit: Burmester)The 032 amplifier's sculptured metalwork is drop-dead gorgeous. The amplifier's front and sides are covered by machined heat sinks. They provide optimal cooling for the stereo 240-watt-per-channel amplifier's output transistors, eliminating the need for noisy fans. Burmester components, fully decked out in chrome, are a startling sight to behold.
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Sarah Tew/CBS Interactive)
There may be a lot of new green cars on the floor at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, but powerful cars still have a strong presence. We take a look at the new Ford Shelby, Jaguar R series, Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, the last SLR, and a new supercar from Revenge. These cars show there is still a place for highly tuned engines with performance-oriented suspensions.
See photos of the fastest new cars from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
On first getting into the 2009 Jaguar XF, the car seems like the ultimate in automotive tech. A red backlight on the engine start button pulses with a heartbeat cadence. Push it, and panels over the air vents open up while the shift dial rises from the console. That's right, a shift dial. Recognizing that most automatic transmissions are electronically controlled, the XF does away with a big legacy shifter, opting for a big dial that you turn to the different drive modes. The touch-screen interface uses a nicely designed set of menus, reminiscent of the LCARS computer interface from Star Trek.
But there are a few signs that Jaguar isn't quite ready for this tech future. The touch-screen interface is slow, taking a few moments between the time you touch a button and the resultant action. The information architecture is also poor, with too many actions required to access the iPod integration screen, for example. It's too bad Jaguar isn't still a Ford property, as the XF could really benefit from Ford Sync. Driving tech is better, though, as the XF can be had with a blind spot warning system and adaptive cruise control, not to mention the excellent audio produced by the Bowers and Wilkins stereo system.
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Jaguar)
Figuring that owners of the iPhone and iPod touch are probably a good source of potential customers for its new XF sedan, Jaguar has launched a multimedia magazine to promote its forthcoming model designed specifically for Apple's touch-screen devices. The custom site, which was designed by 29HD Network, features some pretty snazzy-looking photos and videos of the new Big Cat in action that have been edited specifically for the iPhone/iPod Touch widescreen display. Check it out at jxfphone.com.
Via: Autoblog
Click the image to access the gallery
Christmas came early last week as we got the 2008 Jaguar XKR Convertible into the CNET Car Tech garage. The supercharged soft-top version of the XK is currently the most expensive car in Jag's lineup, and our tester came with a price tag north of $100,000. For that kind of money, we were expecting a lot, and the beautiful Big Cat didn't disappoint. The XKR comes with blistering performance thanks to a blown 4.2-liter V-8, as well as some advanced tech features, including as-standard nav and adaptive radar cruise control. Check out our full review of the 2008 Jaguar XKR Convertible.
Jaguar is a brand with quite a bit of history, and as such has retained some of its basic body styles for decades. But no more. The company is undergoing a major change as it redesigns its cars for the new millennium. The XK got a makeover that had some comparing it with Aston Martins. That was the coupe, and now comes the sedan. Jaguar's new XF is a beautiful and thoroughly modern car, with a design suggesting Bentley and Maserati. Even better, it will sell for substantially less than those cars, while having interior components never seen outside of a concept car.
2008 Jaguar X-Type
(Credit: Jaguar Cars)Jaguar announced Friday that it will be offering a diesel engine with automatic transmission option for the 2008 Jaguar X-Type.
The 2.2-liter diesel engine will come with a six-speed automatic transmission, as well as the Jaguar Sequential Shift.
The car, which is available in both left and right hand drive, will be available in the U.K. in March 2008 and in Europe in April 2008. No word yet on a U.S. release.
