The Jaguar XJ (X350) is a full-size four-door luxury saloon car manufactured and marketed worldwide by Jaguar Cars for model years 2003–2009 as the third generation of the Jaguar XJ saloon, carrying the internal designation X350 and the internal designation X358 following its 2007 intermediate facelift. Both the X350 and X358 were available with a six-speed automatic transmission, a range of petrol and diesel engines (V6, V8, and supercharged V8), numerous trim levels, and short wheelbase (2003–2009) or long wheelbase (2005–2009) car body configurations. The extended-length model was the longest saloon Jaguar had manufactured, eclipsing the 1961–1970 Mark X, though the latter is still 3 inches (8 cm) wider.
The X350 was noted for its advanced electrical systems, self-leveling, adaptive air suspension, and full aluminium unibody chassis and bodywork, among the first for a mass-produced automobile. The bodyshell (body in white) was 40 per cent lighter and 50 percent stiffer than its predecessor, despite its increased overall size.
Styling was a conservative evolution of the previous XJ's styling, and its slatted grille recalled that of the original 1968 XJ Series I. Exterior styling was by principal designer Tom Owen, along with Sandy Boyes, under the design directorship of Geoff Lawson, who died midway through the project, and his successor Ian Callum. The XJ's interior was styled by Giles Taylor.
The XJ was manufactured at Jaguar's Browns Lane plant in Coventry and was the final Jaguar to be produced there. With an unpainted and highly polished example of its all-alloy body shell on display, the X350 debuted at the 2002 Paris Motor Show. The full X350/358 generation largely coincided with Jaguar's ownership by Ford's Premier Automotive Group until Tata Motors purchased Jaguar in 2008. Production ended in March 2009 after seven years, with a total production of 83,566.
While it was generally well received and profitable, sales were less than Jaguar had expected. It was followed by the XJ X351.
X350 Body and chassis
The X350's aluminium bodyshell used an aerospace construction method, a hybrid of adhesive bonding and rivet joinery and known as rivet-bonding or riv-bonding, which was an industry first in volume automotive production. Both chassis and car body formed an aluminium unibody structure. Using aluminium rather than steel required new techniques, technological development, and production layout, along with significant investment.
The stressed aluminium unibody used 15 aluminium castings, 35 extrusions, and 284 stampings, which were bonded using 120 yards of robotically applied, heat-cured, aerospace-grade epoxy adhesives, and approximately 3,200 self-piercing zinc-coated, boron steel rivets, which were Jaguar's first use of self-piercing rivets. In addition to the rivets, which do not require a predrilled or punched hole, each rivet making its own hole on insertion, the process also uses a small number of nuts, bolts, and spot welds. Castings and extrusions accounted for about 11 percent of the XJ bodyshell.
To ensure manufacturing feasibility, numerous styling elements required a redesign to accommodate forming in aluminium rather than steel, including the bonnet profiles, especially around the headlamps; the radii in the wing-to-bumper gaps and the rear wing/door shut pressing; the side light configuration, and the bodyside haunch. Jaguar's chief program engineer Russ Varney, who engineered the Jaguar XK's 2007 redesign, said the XJ also taught Jaguar "about the 'springback' of stamped parts, where the pieces won't keep their exact shape."
To reduce front-end collision repair costs and ameliorate increased insurance rates associated with aluminium construction, the body was designed to withstand an impact of 10 mph without structural damage and used a bolt-on front-end module (BOFE). A hydroformed aluminium extrusion with an energy-absorbing foam cover formed a bumper beam cross-member, to provide strength and crushability in the event of a minor collision. Sacrificial extruded aluminium crash cans were designed to protect the body structure and front-end componentry.
Steel is used for front and rear subframes, and magnesium, which is as strong as aluminium while 30 per cent lighter, is used for seat frames and lateral instrument panel beams. Jaguar had previously and prominently used aluminum construction in the XK120, which was produced in the 1940s and used aluminium panels, along with its C‑Type and D‑Type race cars, as well as the 1960s E-Type, which used aluminium chassis and body design. Ford retained the bonding and riveting patents of the XJ's aluminium monocoque body when it sold Jaguar to Indian automobile manufacturer Tata Motors in 2008.
Design and engineering
The X350 employed a multi-link suspension layout with four-wheel self-levelling, adaptive air suspension instead of the previous generation's double wishbone of the Jaguar IRS. The suspension was controlled electronically, requiring no intervention from the driver, to adjust damper settings (in milliseconds) and the ride, and handling under varying conditions; this electronic control system was marketed as the Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS). The air suspension was designed to activate every 24 hours to level the vehicle when parked and not in use.
From the previous generation, the overall body was wider, longer, and higher—with increased head, leg, shoulder, and cargo room—and carried a .32 coefficient of drag. Door shut lines were engineered uniformly to a 3.8 mm gap to adjacent body elements. The bonnet and boot were engineered to 3.5 mm to adjacent body elements. The doors opened to 62 degrees front and 65 degrees rear.
The long-wheelbase model, introduced in 2005, was the longest vehicle Jaguar had manufactured at the time. With a five inch extension behind the B-pillar (i.e. the rear doors were 5 inches longer), the extended model had a wheelbase and overall length of ; the bodyshell's weight increased by and the roof height increased by over the standard-wheelbase XJ. The turning radius was increased by 13 inches over the standard-wheelbase model.
The 12-volt wiring system used multiplexing to integrate four systems: low-speed, event-driven communications around the body; high-speed powertrain system (engine, transmission, air suspension system, and instrument cluster); fibre-optic communication protocol for telematics, navigation, phone, voice activation, audio, and multimedia systems; and safety systems protocol. Ian Callum, who took over the position of Director of Design after the death of Geoff Lawson, summarised: "The new XJ is a luxury car with a true sense of gravitas. The proportions, stance and obvious dynamic quality clearly display that all-important Jaguar DNA and give it real presence on the road."
Equipment
At introduction, standard equipment included mirror-matched walnut burl wood grain trim throughout the interior, piano-black center console trim, leather seating, wood-trimmed steering wheel, leather-covered overhead assist handles, dual-zone automatic climate control, glass electric tilt and slide sunroof with single-touch open/close, rain-sensing automatic wipers, automatic headlights, front fog lights, 24 lamp LED taillights, front and rear parking sensors, boot power latching mechanism, electrically adjustable steering wheel with memory and entry/exit function, electrochromic self-dimming side mirrors with compass, a trip computer, electrically adjustable pedals with 2.5 inch travel, 4 power points, all window one-touch up/down power operation, metallic paint (no-cost option), a full-size spare tyre, electronically tilt and telescoping steering wheel, keyless entry, puddle lamps, electronic park brake, and 8-speaker, 320-watt sound system with boot-mounted 6-CD changer and in-dash CD player.
Safety systems included four-channel anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist, traction control, dynamic stability control, and front, side thorax, and full-length side curtain airbags. Electronic coordination of seatbelts and airbags, marketed as Advanced Restraint Technology System (ARTS) was designed to sense crash severity, driver position and seatbelt status using ultrasonic and seat weight sensors to optimize airbag deployment force.
Optional equipment included xenon headlights, headlight powerwash, adaptive cruise control, multi-stage heated seats, heated steering wheel, DVD navigation (with postal code programming where country-provided), soft-grain ruched (micro-pleated) leather seats and trim, electrically adjustable pedals, and rear-seat multimedia entertainment system for CD listening or DVD movie watching via front seat head restraint-mounted video screens. At introduction, upper trim levels offered soft grain leather, leatherette fascia top and contrasting seat piping, inlaid Peruvian boxwood trim, lambswool rugs, 320-watt, 12-speaker audio system, 4-zone heating and cooling system, 16-way adjustable front seats, rear heated seats and optional electrically reclining rear seat, and power rear centre sunblind. The rear seating of long-wheelbase models could be equipped with a fixed or power-adjustable bench or individually powered and heated seats.
Engines
The V8 engines remained in the new model but were the revised and more powerful versions found in the 2003 S-Type. The 294 PS 4.0 L and 375 PS 4.0 L supercharged engines from the X308 Mk II were replaced by the S-Type's 4.2 L and 4.2 L supercharged units respectively, while a new 3.5 L V8 was also introduced for the European market, was derived from the 4.2 L engine, and was rated at .
The 3.2 L V8 from the previous model was replaced by the 3.0 L V6 from the X-Type and S-Type. The V6 powers the XJ6, while the XJ8 was powered by a naturally aspirated V8. The XJR was powered by a supercharged 4.2 L V8. The XJ6 and the XJ TDVi are the only X350 models not sold in the Americas. In 2005, Jaguar introduced the diesel-powered XJ TDVi, featuring the same Ford–Peugeot-developed 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged V6 found in the S-Type. The engine, known as the AJD-V6, is rated at and of torque, and was fitted with electronically controlled active engine mounts to minimise vibration at idle. Both X350 and X358 used a six-speed automatic transmission manufactured by ZF Friedrichshafen.
North American XJ models were equipped with the naturally aspirated engine or an optional supercharged 4.2 L V8 engine. The latter engine's valvetrain had a dual overhead cam design with four valves per cylinder and its top speed was electronically limited to .
Model Type Power, torque at rpm2.7-litre V6 diesel 2.7 L twin-turbocharged V6 , 3.0-litre V6 petrol 3.0 L naturally aspirated V6 3.5-litre V8 petrol 3.5 L naturally aspirated V8 , 4.2-litre V8 petrol 4.2 L naturally aspirated V8 4.2-litre supercharged V8 petrol 4.2 L supercharged V8
Trim levels
At introduction, the XJ was marketed worldwide in various trim levels, including the XJ8, XJ Vanden Plas, and XJR versions in North America, and the XJ6, XJ8, and XJ Sovereign models in the United Kingdom. The original range in the United Kingdom included the XJ6 3.0-litre at £39,000, the XJ6 3.0-litre Sport at £42,250, the XJ 3.0 SE at £42,250, the XJ8 3.5 SE at £48,000, the XJ8 4.2 SE at £51,500, the XJR at £58,500, and the Super V8 at £68,500.