Battle for 21st-century luxury sedan supremacy was initiated when the exemplary Mercedes-Benz S-Class trumped the aging automotive elite with its silken performance and high-tech wizardry. Lexus followed with the impressive LS 430, pushing refinement and value boundaries. Now BMW and Infiniti are preparing to launch their flagship sedans, with Jaguar's big cat nipping at their heels.
So now the Jaguar XJ is about to be reborn as a larger, more ferocious sedan -- there's been no shortage of spy photos circulating to prove it. While there is still some time left before the actual car is revealed, our artists have scrutinized those spy shots and studied inside information to create the interpretation of the final production model shown here.
The new four-door sedan is based on a modified and stretched version of Ford's DEW98 global platform (used for the Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS, and 2002 Ford Thunderbird), and it will be slightly taller, wider, and longer than the current XJ. The growth in size was inevitable to compete with its peers and to slot in above the newer Jag models, both of which shame the sub-compact XJ's interior space.
The front wheels appear to have been pushed forward creating a higher hoodline, and of course, a longer wheelbase that allows a roomier cabin with a spacious cockpit and taller roofline. The traditional Jag-style long rear overhang continues, providing a reasonably sized trunk.