XJ Topic Hub

Project XJ Frame Stiffeners

Stronger = Better Jeep Cherokee XJ’s are known for being capable off-road vehicles. However, they do have some short comings. The unibody frame makes the XJ lightweight and is plenty strong for stock applications. Even when modified with a lift and large tires the unibody is strong enough for daily driving and on road use. However, modifications along with significant off-road use can take it’s toll on the frame. So to go from this: To this: We decided to start Project XJ off right and reinforce the frame with a set of Iron Rock Off Road unibody XJ frame stiffeners. …

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Jan 25, 2023 Read more

Concept Flashback – 1978 Jaguar XJ Spider by Pininfarina

How advanced is this Pininfarina concept for Jaguar? It is hard to believe there is an XK under these swoopy panels, which predated anything else curvy by more than eight years. Of course, Jaguar had been rocking serious curves since the 1940s. This Pininfarina exercise re-introduced a swoopy, flowing shape that was markedly different from the boxy production XK. Very, very impressive level of production value for a 1978 concept. Although not adapted for sale, some vindication for the designers came when this basic surfacing template was a huge hit for the Aston Martin DB7 and even the Jaguar XK …

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Aug 29, 2017 Read more

2016 Jaguar XJ Carves $3B China Skyroad in Plush, Superlux Fashion!

Who loves grand infrastructure projects? We all do, on some level. But the engineering, cost and sheer complexity of many mountain road projects make them cost-prohibitive for all but the grandest planners. Luckily, China and Jaguar are both chock full of the passion and budget to innovate. In the case of the Paxi Expressway in the Sichuan province, this meant building a modern expressway through mountain passes that have been limited to rural, often-unpaved hiking trails for the last 3000 years. Since 2010, though, the infusion of a million man-hours of prep, and perhaps a billion hours of collective labor, …

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Apr 06, 2016 Read more

JOTA is Back in HUNT! 2016 Jaguar XJR Dragraces JetMan Dubai

XJ. Not XF or XE. This is the big daddy superlimo, the XJR, in rare form! Jaguar has really upped its content-creation budget, and we are all the beneficiaries! The new XJR driven by F1 legend Martin Brundle races aginst Yves Rossy in a 1.75-mile matchup. The four rockets of the ‘jetman’ are all fired and pushing hard as the new XJR stomps the gas, with the winner declared at a finish line deep in the sandy horizon. The XJR is showcasing its latest rear-drive power and launch traction, courtesy of a new ASPC (all surface progress control) that …

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Dec 16, 2015 Read more

JAGUAR 2016 Model-Year: Big Price Cuts + $35k Base for New XE25t Rear-Drive Sedan

Jaguar’s transition to aluminum has been a godsend for playful and fun handling. Even the big XJ can be thrown around with verve. The flipside of the lightweight alloy? Price, of course. Luckily, Jaguar is adjusting its 2016 USA lineup’s pricing. Big chops in list prices are not really in the calculus — the max cut is around $3k — but better standard equipment will take much of the sting out of the options list. Aluminum is currently at six-year price lows as the global commodities slump takes hold — so this is not pure altruism on Jaguar’s part. Jaguar …

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Sep 03, 2015 Read more

2016 Jaguar XJ Updated With New LEDs, Cabin Infotainment, R-Sport and Black Packs

The 2016 Jaguar XJ update is official! Full LED headlamps with a new ‘double J-blade’ of LED DRLs are the most striking change outside for the trad trim levels, but a host of new style enhancements now give the mean and badass look of the XJR to its smaller-engined brothers. These tweaks come from a new-f0r-2016 R-Sport package and a similarly fresh Black Package. We only have a glimpse of the XJ Autobiography and XJR as of now, but the tweaks and the special aesthetic upgrades are helpful in keeping the big cat on pace with the S-Class and A8, …

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Jun 16, 2015 Read more

2016 Jaguar XF Thinks It Is a Porsche 911; We Break The Bad News To Bad Mr. Kitty

Updated 4.1.15 With 99 New Images We stand corrected – the 2016 XF is actually an all-new design, with no panels carrying over from the existing car. The chassis improvements are fairly dramatic as the XF shifts from its steel structure toward the aluminum of the XJ and F-Type. But why oh why must the styling be so dry? This trend of carmakers ever-so-lightly refreshing models makes no sense at all to me – especially if the panels are, in fact, all new. What is the point?! Chrysler 300, Kia Optima, Audi A6, Bentley Continental…. and now Jaguar XF. Every …

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Apr 01, 2015 Read more

2016 Jaguar XF Reveals Fresh Nose and Tail + All-New Cabin

800-feet above the water in a high-wire London river crossing!? Yessir – the 2016 XF is trying to make a splash by… not making a splash. The subtle nose and tail are all-new for the upcoming model-year, with new LED tech for the low and high-beams plus new F-Type-shaped LED optics for the brake lights. It is not a truly splashy makeover, but a subtle update to better fit the new design of the all-new XE compact and upcoming XJ refresh. The biggest news, arguably, happens inside the cabin. All-new Jaguar touch-screen and 12-inch TFT display bring the XF up …

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Mar 24, 2015 Read more

Concept Flashback – 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

How advanced is this Pininfarina concept for Jaguar? It is hard to believe there is an XK under these swoopy panels, which predated anything else curvy by more than eight years. Very, very impressive for 1978 — especially considering that this basic template was a huge hit for the Aston Martin DB7 and even the Jaguar XK from 1996. 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

Sep 23, 2014 Read more

Supercar Icons – 1992 JAGUAR XJ220 Still Enchants the Eye and Mind, 22 Years Later

Of all the many car models in my collection as a kid, the XJ220 was a real favorite. Hours spent caressing its smooth panels – and visually dissecting it from all sides. Moving it around in my hands, it was forever more captivating than the Diablo or F40 that also sat nearby in the bookcase. While its doors and hood and front trunk all opened, it was the shallow lock of the steering action that really stood out. Was it so unwieldy in real life too? Of the 280 cars made in 1992 and 1993, there are very few available …

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Jul 18, 2014 Read more

2014 Buick LaCrosse Trumps Jaguar XJL AWD In Almost Every Way

2014 Buick LaCrosse – Animated GIF of 80 High-Res Photos This new LaCrosse is a real sweetheart. I closely compare it with the Jaguar XJ – which I also got to sample recently in its new AWD V-6 setup at the low end of the price range. Despite the Jag’s panache, it did not look happy with its extra L length and a perceptible increase in rear ride height versus the ultra-sporty XJR. The Jag and its tall rump. Both fabulous, comfortable limousines. The Buick impressed me quite a bit with its incredible NVH isolation, honestly decent steering and …

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Nov 19, 2013 Read more