The hood has the characteristic curves that flow back from the top edges of four small, round headlights. The wide grille protrudes forward slightly and the leaping jaguar, called the Leaper, sits on top of the hood. Yet if you place this Jag alongside the previous-generation model it's immediately apparent there are a lot of subtle changes.
If we start at the back it's easy to see that the trunk lid is much higher than ever before. That's good as it means the trunk is bigger: an amazing 30-percent bigger in capacity. Yet the rear end is uncluttered and the iconic stylish triangular taillight clusters remain.
Viewed from the side it's notable that the roofline is 4 inches higher than in the previous generation, with the long-wheelbase versions growing an additional three-tenths of an inch and thus providing even more head room on the inside. Yes, the new car stands taller than ever before but Jaguar's designers have managed to keep all those feline curves in the right places.
Keeping the proportions correct means there is a high belt line. Higher beltlines are the trend, at least partly because people feel safer with taller side panels. This makes the side windows appear a lot shallower. In reality they are not much smaller, but it has taken away the open greenhouse feel of earlier models in the XJ line. To offset this the windshield is set at a more raked angle.
The subtle way in which the belt line edges up as it goes to the back gives the car a purposefully crouched look. Indeed, the XJ looks as though it's ready to pounce even when it's standing still.
