Jaguar has admitted that it is currently working on a new sedan that will be the entry-level model of the range. Smaller than the XF, the new model is expected to have a starting price of around £28,000 (€31,850/$45,685). According to Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar's global brand director, the sub-£30,000 premium car market is four times larger than that of sedans priced above £30,000 (€34,120), so developing a cheaper, smaller Jaguar makes a solid business case.
Every car enthusiast has their obsessions. For some it's '50s Chevys or '30s Fords; for others it's Chargers or Beamers or just about anything else you can think of. For me, it's Jaguars. I don't know why exactly. Could it be because they're big, affordable British luxury cars with sporting pretensions? You know, Bentleys for the upper middle class.
And there's more. I don't think there's a Jaguar I don't like. I'm even a fan of the bloated, much maligned XJS of the '70s, '80s and even '90s. So surely I'd be interested in this black, mostly stock 1976 Jaguar XJC Coupe? Here's the thing:
Other than the colour, year and what we can derive of the car's condition from looking at the photos, there's really no information on this car. How many miles it's done, what modifications have been made etcetera. All things a potential buyer would want to know. And as a Jaguar aficionado, I know that '70s Jags are bad enough before you start tinkering with them.
So maybe I'll pass on this one (besides, Connecticut is a few thousand miles further away from me than I'd like). Though if you are a Jaguar fan and live close to Motorcars Incorporated's lot in Plainville, you can pick up this potential gem for just US$27,500 (€20,114). Not a bad haul for an old cat.
When you're sitting behind the wheel of a new Jaguar XJ, it would appear that no rainy day could affect your mood. Well, except for those 6,475 U.S.-spec units manufactured between July 28, 2009 and November 3, 2010, on which the front wiper arms weren't sufficiently torqued during assembly. Consequently, Jaguar has issued a recall for the affected cars, according to a NHTSA press release.
The safety agency said on its website that during operation, the securing nuts could fail, resulting in a loss of synchronization and ultimately lead to a clash [sic] of the wiper arms. Furthermore, the wipers could detach from the car and leave the driver blind in the middle of the pouring rain. And that can't be good, especially at highway speeds.
So, dealers will check if the wipers arms are fitted correctly onto the spindle and the securing nuts will be tightened. As with most recalls, the fix will be carried out free of charge.
The recall is set to begin on or before December 13, 2010. For more information owners can call Jaguar at 800-637-6837 or the NHTSA hot line at 888-327-4236.
The all-new Jaguar XJ is one of those cars you either love or hate. There is no middle ground with this strange mix of old and new, of traditionalism and modern manufacturing techniques. Now German tuners Arden, perhaps best known these days for tuning Jaguars, Minis and Land Rovers, have returned to their roots and taken the big cat for another turn around the workshop.
The XJ's exterior gets a subtle bodykit, stainless steel mesh grille, LED fog lights, 21-inch alloys and the brand's now defunct leaping cat emblem. It's the interior, though, where things start to get interesting. Customers can specify a whole host of options including several varieties of Connolly Leather or Alcantara as well as carbon, chrome or wood for the trim. Dynamic interior lighting helps further accentuate the Arden Jag from the norm.
The full details are all rather sketchy at the moment, including what modifications were done to the XJ's 5.0 L petrol and 3.0 L diesel engines, though hopefully these will be released at a later date. Until then you can sit back and admire our fine gallery of photos from Arden's website.
Just prior to World War II Jaguar, known then as SS Cars, started using a numbering system beginning with the letter X for internal projects. X meaning experimental, XB for military chassis projects and XF to XK for engines. This numbering system has never been consistent and there appears to be many omissions and duplications.