More proof that Jaguar is ditching retro: the new Jag XJ saloon will have a radical interior inspired by the modern XF’s. Our spies got up close to this prototype in the West Midlands and managed to reel off one shot inside the XJ – revealing the pop-up JaguarDrive gear selector and a minimalist dash that junks much of the current XJ’s clubby cabin.
It’s not just an XF clone, either. Don’t assume that the interior in this spy photo is the finished item, but this XJ’s cockpit suggests numerous changes from its smaller sibling. The centre console is very different, housing a large circular dial to control fan speed, flanked by buttons to control the dual-zone temperature for drive and front-seat passenger.
Scoop inside the Jaguar XJ: the ‘handshake’
The JaguarDrive gear selector puts paid to the XJ’s trad gearstick; rotate the iDrive-style knob and you flick between P, R, N and D. The knob sinks out of sight when parked and glides up at start-up as part of the ‘hand-shake’ welcome designed by Jaguar, accompanied by air vents that open like eyelids. A far cry from the sober ambience inside today’s facelifted model.
Jaguar is sticking with its touch-screen multi-media system that controls the hi-fi and sat-nav options – and cuts down on the amount of clutter on the dashboard. We counted just 24 buttons on the centre console (remarkably few for a 21st century luxury car, remember).
What else is new? This spy photo suggests there will be a luxurious, leather-lined dash, contemporary wood and a general, XF-inspired air of modernity to the cabin. It signals the start of a new approach to the XJ that arrives in 2010.
Click on the links at the foot of the page to read more about the new Jaguar XJ