In a bid to price the XJ saloon more competitively, the British luxury automaker Jaguar decided to assemble the entry-level Jaguar XF saloon in India for the very first time. The new 2014 XJ will take on its German rivals – BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8.
The updated XJ gets some minor exterior and interior tweaks. It shares a great resemblance with its predecessor. It’s only the new wheel design that marks a distinction to the new XJ. What adds more to its exterior appearance are the long bonnet, coupe-like roof well-merged with the blackened C-Pillar and the erected taillights.
The interior of the new XJ will be up-market than before. The changes go more evident at the rear side. Now, the rear seats are offered with a standard option of a bench or individual seats with an entertainment package including two independent displays supporting different multimedia formats. The large glass roof will remain unchanged.
Jaguar will offer the new saloon with a petrol (2.0-litre turbocharged) and a diesel (3.0-litre turbocharged) engine option. However, the Jaguar XJ supersports will continue to be imported. The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine produces a peak power output of 240PS @ 5500rpm with a healthy torque of 340Nm @ 1750rpm. The Jaguar XJ diesel is powered with a 3.0-litre, V6 turbocharged diesel engine churns out a maximum power of 275PS @ 4000rpm with a peak torque of 600Nm @ 2000rpm. An 8-speed ZF will be the available transmission option. Having an advanced air ride technology and four-wheel independent suspension, the new XJ delivers the segment-leading performance, handling and drivability. The new Jaguar XJ is expected to be available within price range of Rs.90 lakh – Rs.95 lakh (ex-showroom).
It will be the second product under the Jaguar flagship to be assembled at the company’s Pune facility. The locally assembled XJ will be launched by the next month.
