New 2012 Jaguar XJ first full body prototype spy photos

What's with all the year + 1 nonsense too. If this is coming out in Spring 2010 then it's a 2010 model - simple.

Hope Tata don't make the same mistake!

Some years ago people underestimated Hyundai, but look at it now, the Genisis has made the mouths of the other up market sedan supporter's shut with superglue.

- a pronounced lift of the shoulderline as the it moves rearward, unlike the very flat shoulderline of many generations of XJ

- no rear quarterlight, unlike recent XJs

- a low nose without any of the highline fluted grills of recent

- faired in headlights, not individual bezels lights

- rakish rear window

- a high boot start line with a possible drop down to a lower trailing edge with what look so like signature XJ taillights

I doubt that will leap so far ahead they'll risk turning everyone off, but we can already see it is a world away from the current XJ and owes more to the CLS and Passat CC than it does to the S-Class or A8.

2) A spring 2010 model would quite possibly enter the market as a 2011. The Jaguar XF came out in March 2008 as a 2009 model.

3) Ian Callum is our chief designer, responsible for the Aston Martin Vanquish and DB9. He is definitely not from India, and is the one signing off on the XJ.

4) Jaguars have asking prices somewhat higher than others in the US market because they don't water them down and add all the options a la carte. An S-Class or 7-Series with the same options are as much or more than the XJ.

5) People who are accustomed to the classic styling of the XJ forget that Jaguar has a heritage steeped in racing. They dominated LeMans in the 50s, so it would make sense that a company looking to become more viable would get back to its roots.