The new aluminum Jaguar XJ

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The new XJ's aluminum chassis is 40 % lighter and 60 % stiffer than if it were steel.
 
The long-wheelbase 2005 XJ weighs 53 pounds more than than normal XJ yet is 5 inches longer.
 
"The complete body with paint weighs 650 pounds compared with an estimated 1,058 pounds for the same car in steel, 952 pounds for a Mercedes-Benz S-class, and 955 pounds for a 7-series BMW."
 
more stuff
 
"Thanks to advances in planetary gearset design, the ZF six-speed automatic gearbox is 24 pounds lighter, 2.0 inches shorter, and has 30 percent fewer parts than the five-speed unit in the outgoing XJ8."
 
for the XJR and Super V8...
 
"Front suspension knuckles are also shaped differently from the standard model to provide adequate clearance for significantly larger brake rotors and calipers."
 
- from The Inside Guide to the all-new aluminum Jaguar XJ by Automobile Magazine
 
more information
 
http://www.keycast.com/keycast/jaguar/xj/USNewXJ_LWB/default.asp?ref=noref&detect=1&flashversion=7&jsenabled=1
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
XJ's ZF 6 speed automatic transmission
 

 
aluminum suspension and brakes. The XJR and Super V8 have Brembo brakes.
 

 

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XJ's air suspension (standard)
 

 
Here is Jaguar's 4.2 liter 390 hp supercharged V-8.
 

 

 

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XJR



XJR in Zircon with optional BBS wheels.



An all-leather steering wheel is available for the XJ.

[westsidewagon]

The new aluminum Jaguar XJ is roughly 26 % bigger than the previous steel XJ yet the weight is kept down.

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The 2005 Jaguar Super V8 weighs over 800 pounds less than a BMW 760Li. It is shown below.
 

 

[westsidewagon]

Here are two great articles about Jaguar and aluminum.
 
They claim an XK by 2010, but they were written before Jaguar confirmed the X150, the codename for the next XK.
 
Here is Mark White who is the senior body structures manager for Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.
 

 
http://subscribers.wardsauto.com/microsites/newsarticle.asp?newsarticleid=2728595&siteid=26&magazineid=1004&instanceid=5121&pageid=824&srid=10088

http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_jag_ponders_aluminum/index.htm

Here is another article about Jaguar and aluminum.

http://www.i-car.com/html_pages/about_icar/current_events_news/advantage/advantage_online_archives/2003/051903.html

The link no longer works so I'll post it here

Here is the link anyway

http://www.sts.sae.org/servicetech/sep-2003/xj-something.pdf

September 2003

XJ is something different: The new Jaguar sedan, with its all-aluminum monocoque construction, will provide some challenges for body shops and technicians alike.

by Paul Weissler | Service Tech

Jaguar says its 2004 XJ is the world's first mass-produced, all-aluminum monocoque. But maybe you are thinking, Hey, that's just for the body shops to worry about. Well, there are things for technicians to realize too. Like any monocoque, including an airplane, the body panels form an important part of its strength. That means creative time-saving is not a possibility, such as cutting some little access panel in an out-of-sight location, then covering up the opening with some sheet aluminum and pop rivets.

Interestingly, the XJ is not welded (well, it has a few, primarily for specific issues). It is built with 3180 self-piercing, high-strength rivets and 394 ft (120 m) of structural adhesive (a one-step epoxy). Because the rivets alone would provide a much stronger assembly than the 5000 welds typical for a car of this size, the overall result is belt and suspenders. However, the adhesive really silences body vibrations, and that is reason enough for its use.

An old gag refers to a vehicle held together by its paint job, and there is a kernel of truth in that with the XJ. The aluminum body panels use a special alloy that is bake-hardened in the paint oven to 165

[westsidewagon]

Slate 2004 XJR.

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The following is from a Jaguar press release:

While gas-electric hybrid vehicles are one answer to increasing fuel costs, Jaguar took a unique approach in 2004 by employing state-of-the-art lightweight aluminum to achieve better fuel economy, lower emissions and enhanced driving dynamics on an all-new version of its XJ sedan. Now, using the same aluminum construction, these all-new 2005 XJ Long Wheelbase (LWB) models have achieved best-in-class fuel economy among segment competitors with a Combined rating of as high as 22 miles per gallon.

"This is yet another, compelling example of the weight-saving benefits of the new XJ's aluminum monocoque construction," said George Ayres, vice president of Marketing at Jaguar North America.

Constructed using lightweight aluminum joined by self-pierce rivets and epoxy adhesive - state-of-the-art techniques learned from the aerospace industry - the new XJ's body is some 60 percent stiffer yet 40 percent lighter than before. The result is that a new long wheelbase model, like the supercharged Super V8, is a staggering 800 pounds lighter than BMW's long wheelbase 760Li.

The reduced weight not only delivers exceptional fuel economy, it also results in lower emissions, more agile handling and truly athletic performance. The new XJ8 L, for example, accelerates from zero to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds - compared to 6.9 seconds for the previous XJ8 standard wheelbase model.

According to the latest EPA government fuel figures, the 2005 4.2-liter XJ8 L has a best-in-class Highway rating of 28 miles per gallon. That gives the car an outstanding theoretical calculated range of 630 miles - a one-tank trip from New York to Cincinnati, Denver to Kansas City, or a round trip from Chicago to Detroit.

With an EPA Combined rating of 22mpg - another 'best-in-class' figure - the new XJ8 L's real-world touring range on a full tank is still a theoretical 495 miles, the approximate distance of a drive from San Francisco to San Diego.

In the new 2004 supercharged Super V8, the benefits are even more pronounced. Its 17mpg/24mpg (City/Highway) EPA rating provides exemption from 'gas guzzler' taxation - another advantage over high performance competitors. And, against the stopwatch, the Super V8 can accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in a sportscar-like 5.0 seconds.

"With gas prices in the U.S. heading towards record levels, fuel economy - even in luxury cars - is becoming a key buying consideration," adds Ayres.

Three versions of the 2005 Jaguar XJ LWB - the XJ8 L, Vanden Plas and Super V8 - will be offered in North America from September. The XJ8 L and Vanden Plas models both feature a 4.2-liter 294bhp (SAE) AJ-V8, while the flagship Super V8 is powered by a 390bhp supercharged AJ-V8. Each engine benefits from being coupled to the highly-responsive six-speed ZF automatic transmission.

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This is a 2004 Vanden Plas





The 2005 Vanden Plas is five inches longer than the 2004 model. It also has different wheels. It can be ordered with the same wheels as the new Super V8.

The 2005 Vanden Plas features the following in addition to the new XJ8 L:

Twin-stitched trimmed dashtop
Hand-inlaid burl walnut veneers with Peruvian boxwood inlay
Soft-grain ruched leather seating with contrast piping
Lambswool footwell rugs
16-way power front seats
Rear fold-down picnic trays
Power-fold exterior mirrors with chrome caps
Electric rear sunblind
18 x 8-inch 'Rapier' alloy wheels fitted with all-season tires
Three-stage heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel
Alpine Premium 320-watt sound system with AM/FM stereo and six-disc CD changer
Power-folding door mirrors

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The dimple in the hood is for the leaper.



2005 Jaguar Super V8

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This is a European-spec XJR. The leaper isn't allowed in Europe due to the danger for pedestrian impacts.

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X350 is the code-name for the new XJ

XJR shown below

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All 2006 XJs have more powerful brakes than 2004-2005 XJs. Supercharged XJs no longer use Brembo brakes, but the calipers are now floating.

2006 normally-aspirated XJs:

Front: 12.83 x 1.18 in. ventilated discs, floating cast iron calipers

Rear: 12.83 x 0.79 in. ventilated discs, floating aluminum calipers with integral park brake caliper

2004-05 normally-aspirated XJs:

Front: Ventilated discs, 12.6 in x 1.18 in., sliding aluminum calipers

Rear: Ventilated discs, 11.3 in. x .79 in., aluminum calipers

2006 supercharged XJs:

Front: 13.98 in. x 1.26 in. ventilated discs, floating composite aluminum and cast iron four calipers

Rear: 12.83 in. x 0.79 in. ventilated discs, floating aluminum calipers with integral park brake caliper

2004-05 supercharged XJs:

Front: Brembo ventilated R Performance discs, 14.4 in. x 1.26 in., fixed aluminum four piston calipers

Rear: Brembo solid R Performance discs, 13.0 in. x .59 in., fixed aluminum four piston calipers

2006 supercharged XJs have 400 hp (new SAE [Society of Automotive Engineers] ratings) and 413 lb-ft of torque.

The addition of an acoustic laminate to the windshield and side glass of the 2006 XJ helps to reduce interior noise, while simultaneously increasing occupant safety by making "smash and grab" theft particularly difficult.

2006 normally-aspirated XJs have 300 hp and get 27 mpg on the highway.

2006 XJ shown below