Jaguar Unveils Three New Models at British Motor Show
Jaguar, it seems, has finally “gotten” it. After more than a few years of spotty quality and uninteresting engineering, the crew from Coventry has finally produced some remarkable models. The new XK comes to mind, having grabbed headlines for its dynamic styling and improved design. Of course, like any good manufacturer with a marketing department, Jaguar knows that fame can be fleeting, and that holding onto it as long as possible is key to a model’s success.
So, they took the lauded XK and announced that they’d be building a super XK, calling it an XKR… just like they did with the last one. Enough has already been said about this downright beautiful automobile, so we’ll forgo the details except to say that besides appearing on the cover of every magazine this side of Soap Opera Digest, the sexy coupe and convertible have also created the nice side effect of heating up excitement around the XJ sedan lineup; a model line that, tragically, never received the same attention when it was redesigned in 2004. So now, with their new flagship sports car grabbing the headlines, it’s only logical that Jaguar should capitalize on their brand’s newfound glory and use the moment to introduce the world to two interesting new XJ models alongside the stupendous XKR at the British International Motor Show: the XJR Portfolio and XJR Long Wheelbase Diesel.
The former, the Portfolio, is actually based on the Concept Eight shown at the New York International Auto Show in 2004, and represents Jaguar’s range-topping XJ. As a fellow “R” model in Jaguar’s stable, the XJR Portfolio and the XKR share many a design cue, with both sporting the same sculpted and polished aluminum vents on the fenders, and the same signature “R” bright mesh grille. On top of that, the Portfolio has a chrome-finished exhaust system, 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels, and shares a few modern-day interior enhancements with the XKR, like aluminum weave veneer trim. Oh, and it’s only available in the classiest colour of them all; black. With a price tag that’s reported to be in line with the competition’s entry-level V8 luxury sedans, the Portfolio promises to follow in the Jaguar tradition of offering more for less.
Speaking of more for less, it’s hard to get that from a gas station unless you drive a diesel. While not the most popular form of alternative fuel here in North America, Europeans have wholeheartedly embraced oil-burners for years, and even luxury brands like Jaguar haven’t been able to ignore the diesel tide. Having introduced a diesel variant of the XJ last September, Jaguar debuted a long wheelbase version of that same car this year. Powered by a 2.7 twin turbo diesel, the extended version promises exceptional gas mileage and performance that should also be impressive, thanks to the new XJ’s all-aluminum construction giving it a curb weight of only 1,665 kilograms (3,670 pounds), which is 350 kilograms (771 pounds) less than one of its main competitors, the BMW 730 LD, which also, coincidentally, made its debut at the show.