Jaguar XJR--D&M Motorsports Video Walk Around Presentation Review 2012 Chris Moran

A spotless 2008 Jaguar XJR from D&M Motorsports. Presented by Chris Moran.
The 2008 Jaguar XJ series sports a new look that's put a controversial face on a vehicle that seemed underdesigned when it bowed in 2004.

"The 2008 Jaguar XJ receives a major makeover with new front and rear fascia treatments and front fender-mounted 'power vents,'" while the back features "a chrome strip [that] spans the width of the trunk," reports Kelley Blue Book.

The front-end treatment seems to be the most controversial bit of the restyling, with some comments suggesting that the bodywork below the front bumper appears to have been tacked onto the car after being swiped from a BMW M5. Automobile says the Jaguar XJ's "interior and exterior designs are stuck in the past." AutoWeek thinks "the facelift creates more road presence," but "Jag appears to be compromising the car's elegance in a bid to boost weak sales." Cars.com more kindly says "a narrower front air dam draws visual continuity with the rounded grille." TheCarConnection.com's team of experts thinks the XJ looks dowdy from some angles, and the new nose on the front of 2008 models doesn't improve matters at all. The single detail that improves the XJ's looks is the fender vent in metallic trim.

Other styling details of the Jaguar XJ include a "new grille, new mirrors (with signal indicators), new wheel designs and new bumpers, along with a subtle rear spoiler," as noted by Edmunds. The various wheel options are handsome, if a bit bling in some cases.

Elsewhere, the 2008 Jaguar XJ retains its "signature styling cues as the curvaceous hood, four round headlamps, and tapered rear end," says Kelley Blue Book. The familiar chrome cat pouncing from the front of the hood of the Jaguar XJ goes away for 2008, replaced by a grille-mounted emblem. However, the "leaper," as it's called, is still available as an option.

"Burl walnut wood trim, chrome and supple leather are liberally strewn about" inside the Jaguar XJ, Edmunds says, but adds, "It would be nice if the XJ's cabin joined the 21st century." Kelley Blue Book notes, "The handsome dash incorporates three circular gauges," which are surrounded by a generous amount of the aforementioned burl wood in the 2008 Jaguar. And Cars.com points to the "newly sculpted front seatbacks," which also increase legroom for rear seat passengers.

A restyling for the 2008 Jaguar XJ has marred its conservative elegance, without going the whole way to a fuller, more radical redesign.
The flagship of the Jaguar range, the XJ continues to be respected and admired by customers throughout the world. Already renowned for its all-aluminium body construction, state-of-the-art technologies, outstanding craftsmanship and build quality, the new XJ is now even more desirable. Since its launch, the model line-up has been extended to include the XJ long wheelbase, the special edition XJR Portfolio, the XJ armoured vehicle and the recently introduced XJ long wheelbase diesel.
A range of four engines - from the highly acclaimed 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine that offers outstanding performance and economy, through to the mighty 4.2-litre supercharged V8, gives customers a choice of rewarding powertrains. Every XJ has automatic transmission and includes many of Jaguar's latest technical features, and of course craftsmanship and quality are high on the list of attributes.
An all-new, distinctive design for the XJ's front includes a new bumper with revised upper and lower mesh grilles and a new Jaguar Growler badge, giving the 2008 model an unmistakably purposeful appearance. This look is complemented by new side power vents to match those introduced on the beautiful XK, lower body sills and a subtle rear aero spoiler. Over the vents new door mirrors carry integrated indicator lights while upgraded alloy wheels add to the sporting appearance of the 2008 Model Year cars. A 19-inch Carelia wheel is now standard on the Executive models, while all Sovereign models now feature the new 19-inch Polaris wheel. The top-of-the-range XJR now comes with aluminium finish power vents and black painted brake callipers. Additionally, customers will benefit from six new exterior paint colours to choose from for all models - Emerald Fire, Pearl Grey, Crystal Blue, Botanical Green, Vapour Grey and Azure Blue.
The 2008 Model Year XJ also enjoys significant improvements to its interior thanks to new heated front seats standard across the range which have been extensively redesigned to offer even more comfort and support. All Executive models now come with a heated front screen as standard while the XJR features an 'R' gearknob as well as heated front seats with air-cooling, an optional choice for the Executive, Sovereign and Sport Premium models.