Jaguar confirms turbo-diesel for XJ sedan

JAGUAR used the Brisbane motor show to unveil its XKR super coupe but it also announced the imminent arrival of diesel power for its flagship XJ sedan for the first time.

Beating both its major rivals in BMW's 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class to offer diesel power, and joining Audi's ballistic A8 4.2 TDI as Australia's second diesel limousine, the oil-burning XJ will employ the same 152kW/435Nm 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel that powers Jaguar's S-Type 2.7 TDVi sedan.

According to Jaguar HQ, the XJ 2.7 TDVi, which was launched in the UK in mid-2005, costs 27 per cent less to maintain than the S320 CDI.

It also offers class-leading interior and exterior noise suppression.

Jaguar claims the XJ TDVi, which features common-rail direct-injection, sprints to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds, offers a top speed of 225km/h and returns average fuel consumption of 8.1L/100km.

It will be priced at $154,900 ($5000 more than the XJ6 3.0 V6 and $25,000 less than the XJ 4.2 V8 LWB) when it goes on sale next month.

Meanwhile, the hot XKR coupe and convertible is already a sell-out for the first two months of Australia's production, even before it goes on sale in April.

Jaguar dealers are now taking orders for delivery beyond June for the XKR, which has been priced at $227,900 for the coupe and $249,900 for the convertible.

Weighing in 70kg lighter than its predecessor at 1665kg, the all-alloy XKR employs a 306kW/560Nm supercharged 4.2-litre V8 to sprint to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds, making it 40 per cent quicker than the XK upon which it is based.

Jaguar Australia said its 2006 total of 1000 sales (representing a four per cent increase on 2005 levels) saw it leapfrog South Africa, Canada and The Netherlands to be ranked the tenth best-selling Jaguar market globally, just one sale short of China.