Jaguar launches new XJ luxury sports sedan

British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover on Monday launched the all-new XJ, the facelift version of its signature sports sedan XJ.

“The New Jaguar XJ drives wonderfully, beautifully, and brings Jaguar to a whole new level,” declared Ian Callum, Jaguar’s director of design, at the launching event held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in downtown Seoul.

Callum, often referred to as one of the greatest automobile designers of our time, said that the eighth-generation XJ, first launched in 1968, has inherited its predecessor’s revolutionary designs but also enhanced it further.

“The XJs are fascinating to look at, exciting, and sometimes, extreme,” he said.

"The XJ was built on those fundamentals from day one. (The new XJ) has the discipline, profile, character and luxury of an XJ. The flowing lines, the purity of the car, the sense of velocity ― emotional and live ― the length and elegance … and the proportions are very exciting,” he said.

The new LED headlamps and tail lamps reflect the contemporary vibes of the carmaker, while the sleeker shoulder and waistline have added delicacy.

The car’s 100 percent-aluminum monocoque chassis and body structure have improved the performance through enhanced weight distribution and stability. The monocoque’s inherent strength and reduced weight improves braking performance, reduces kinetic energy involved in any impact and helps to keep all occupants safer, the carmaker said.

The engine has to work less hard, lowering fuel consumption and emissions, while acceleration has improved as well, the company said.

Several state-of-the-art devices have been installed. The all surface progress control and adaptive dynamics control system improved driving performance, while the infotainment system InControl Touch Pro allows drivers and passengers to multitask inside the car.

Jaguar Land Rover Korea is now holding “Rare Design Studio” exhibition at the DDP, showing two of the classic Jaguars alongside audio-guided insight into the 81 years of Jaguar history and its design philosophy.

“Last year was a milestone for us: We have completed the Jaguar lineup starting from the entry compact sedan to the Jaguar XE, and now we are introducing the new XJ. We will retain our moniker, the producer of the world’s most beautiful high-performance cars,” said Baek Jung-hyun, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Korea.

The New Jaguar XJ comes in 10 different trims, and their prices start from 109 million won ($91,400) to 226 million won.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)