2008 Jaguar XJ Preview – Geneva Auto Show: There’s a link between cars and plastic surgery addicts – neither is able to grow old gracefully. Addicts don’t appreciate their natural beauty; the constant call for improvement leads to some disproportionate mess that scares children and puppies. Cars, unfortunately, are at the mercy of the buying public and designers, so every few years they go under the knife. The operations vary from severe to a mild augmentation, as is the case with the 2008 Jaguar XJ. This iconic British sedan rolled away relatively unscathed, with its overall shape and potent powerplants intact, but that gratuitous growth of a front bumper is like a pimple on the face of Gisele.

Jaguar faces some very fierce competition in the luxury segment, especially in the area of high-end sedans. Consider that the XJ fights for buyers’ attention, and dollars, among a field that includes the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Each of those heavyweights has been updated recently, and to remain relevant the XJ required at least a little tweaking. The powertrains were already competitive, if not class-leading, and the iconic XJ shape could only be messed with so much. As a result, the 2008 XJ arrives with a look that distinguishes it from the 2007 model, and is aimed at maintaining interest in the car until an entirely new version arrives within the next couple of years.

Buyers can choose between regular and extra-strength versions of the 2008 Jaguar XJ. The so-called lesser models draw motivation from a 4.2-liter V8 that pushes 300 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 310 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,100 rpm. Those are nice figures, especially when considering Jag’s very optimistic rating of 24.8 mpg in mixed driving. If the 6.3-second 0-60 mph time isn’t up to snuff, the supercharged XJ should do the trick. With that extra bit of hardware under the hood, XJR and Super V8 models cruise to 60 mph in only five seconds, thanks to 400 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 408 lb.-ft. of torque peaking t 3,500 rpm. Mileage is rated at 23.4 mpg overall. All XJs feature a six-speed automatic transmission.

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