Next Gen Jaguar XJ Mule Latest Spy Photos

Not since this past winter testing in Scandinavia have we seen the next generation XJ test mule. Now, compared to earlier photos, spy photographers have caught the prototype in Germany wearing a heavily modified front end.

Similar to the unchanged body silhouette of the Porsche 911, the XJ has kept its traditional design since the vehicle's inception in 1968. But that's all about to change. Due to growing criticism that the vehicle is becoming old fashion in addition to dwindling sales figures, Jaguar has finally decided to relent and build an XJ that is even more daring than the new XF. According to Jaguar’s chief of design, Ian Callum, the reason for the breaking tradition is that the XJ is selling in considerably lower numbers than the XF.

Whatever that will mean, what you see here is the new car’s inner structure married to the existing model’s sheet metal, though additional modifications had to be made to accommodate the new XJ's wider track and other technical parts. Code-named X351, the all-new XJ will make its official debut in spring 2011.