20 Apr 09 11:44
Jaguar XJ teaser
Shanghai Motor Show visitors have been treated to a sneak preview of the next-generation XJ saloon ahead of its July launch.
A brief image of an aerial shot of Jag's new Mercedes-Benz S-Class competitor was flashed towards the end of the firm's press presentation.
From the image we can see the roof is dominated by an almost full-length panoramic glass roof, but it is also possible to make out the new car's sculptured bonnet and sharply raked front nose.
So far the firm has confirmed both the new 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel and the direct injection 5.0-litre V8 will make up the range, plus a first for the brand - an electric-drive hybrid that could use technology similar to the Chevrolet Volt. Instead of a typical hybrid the Volt uses a tiny petrol engine only as a generator to charge the batteries.
A performance XJR version has not been confirmed.
The official Jaguar XJ launch is scheduled to take place at a special event in London on July 9, with customer deliveries starting at the end of this year.
