A Brief History of the Jaguar XJ
2009: The Fifth-Generation XJ Ditches the Old Looks Once and for All
Given that almost every XJ for the previous 41 years shared a fairly consistent set of design traits, the looks of the fifth-gen version made for a massive break from the past. The four headlights, the long, flat trunk, the high-and-tight greenhouse — all gone, replaced by a sleek, almost fastback-like shape with wide, sharp headlamps and a high bustle in back. If previous XJs had been designed to look dignified parked in front of the manor, this new one looked ready to battle Porsches on the autobahn.
Inside, there was also a fresh new look to match the sleek new exterior. The stuffy straight lines and wood paneling that had been ubiquitous were largely ditched for curving forms wrapped in leather and accented in chrome, with the sole nod to the past being an elegant sweep of wood trim that spanned the top of the dash and flowed into the doors. Even the “J-gate” shifter — a staple of Jags for generations that placed the automatic’s detents into a shape resembling the 10th letter of the alphabet — was gone, replaced by a metal puck that rose from the center console when the car was turned on.
The new look, however, disguised that the latest model — code-named X351 — was actually based on an evolution of the same aluminum chassis as its predecessor. Likewise, the engines were also improved versions of the ones from before. At the center of the line, as had become tradition, was a naturally aspirated V-8, now enlarged to 5.0 liters and making 380 hp. At the top of the line was a supercharged V-8, also displacing 5.0 liters and making 464, 503 or 543 hp, depending on tune. Below that was a V-6, introduced in 2012, sized just 3.0 liters but accentuated with a supercharger to make 340 hp; a twin-turbo diesel of the same size and form was also offered, making 271 hp and a hearty 442 lb-ft.
The old XJ6 and XJ8 nomenclature had been put on the shelf, however. Every new variant would simply be called XJ, with a displacement or trim suffix afterwards. (The exception, of course: the high-performance XJR, which debuted in 2012.)
The fifth-gen XJ soldiered on for a decade, adding features to suit the times; all-wheel-drive became available on V-6 models in 2014, a mid-life refresh came for the looks two years later, the infotainment was updated with a bigger screen a year after that. Come 2019, however, Jaguar announced the XJ would be discontinued that summer to make way for a new, all-electric sixth-generation car, one that built on the then-revolutionary I-Pace EV’s foundation to create a true sedan of tomorrow.
But it never was to be. JLR invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the project, but a combination of factors—not the least of which was the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020—meant that the company decided to can the sixth-gen XJ EV in February 2021, just before it was revealed to the public. As such, the world never officially got to see the final XJ other than in highly camouflaged prototype form (although one or two photos have leaked online since then).
Then again, that just might not be the final-final XJ. Jaguar is currently in the midst of a brand rebuild meant to push it substantially upmarket while also going all-electric—and while the company plans to launch this new version of itself with a gran turismo coupe inspired by the Type 00 Concept, a new, Bentley-esque sedan is expected to hit the streets soon after. Jaguar may be rebranding, but given the cache behind the name, we wouldn’t be shocked if it were named XJ.
