2003 JAGUAR XJ 3.6L V8 6AT (258 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The 2003 XJ was more of an evolution rather than a revolution in terms of design for Jaguar’s flagship model, but in terms of technology, it was an important leap forward.

While it was already under Ford’s umbrella, Jaguar received approval for creating a bold statement on the premium segment with the XJ. The British brand unveiled it at the 2002 Paris Motor Show with unpainted bodywork so that everyone could see that it was made from aluminum.

Jaguar knew that most premium cars already followed a new design trend, where the dual round headlights were considered obsolete, but it just didn’t care. Following the same principles of its classic design, the XJ kept the low-roof attitude, even though it affected the occupants’ headroom. The slightly sloped-down trunk lid was also a traditional Jaguar line. To simplify things, it kept the taillights exclusively on the quarter panel, so the carmaker could comply with U.S. regulations.

Despite its luxurious interior, with leather or wool upholstery, the cramped headroom made it impossible to sell to taller people. Apart from that, on the center stack, the carmaker had to rely on Ford-sourced equipment, including several buttons and switches. Those plastic knobs didn’t match the real wood trims on the door cards and the center console.

Under the hood, the carmaker installed a choice of five engines ranging between 240 hp and 400 hp, the latter being for the XJ-R version. A turbodiesel engine developed together with PSA was also available.