Jalopnik: jaguar xj

Top Ten Least-Ticketed Vehicles And Why

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

A nationwide study examining police ticket data across the United States has revealed one very important list — which cars don't get tickets. We've broken down the list below.

Quality Planning — a company that validates policyholder info for auto insurers put together this list based on data gathered between August 2007 and September 2008, using a sample size of 1.7 million vehicles.

Click "next" or select any car to learn how it made the list.

[via AOL Autos]

Photo credit: Kipp Baker

Vehicle: 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
Place: #10 (tied)
Percentage lower than average: 60% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: It's a big pickup truck. Unless you're outfitted with the entire JC Whitney off-road catalog, pickups are as good as invisible on the streets. Well, not invisible, more like moving blind spots blocking your view of traffic. Still, given the utility and apparently lower ticketing rate, the higher fuel consumption and parking woes might be offset.

Vehicle: 2009 Buick Lucerne
Place: #10 (tied)
Percentage lower than average: 60% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: It's a Buick. More accurately, it's a part of the "Old Buick." Recently we've seen signs of life in GM's tri-shield brand with the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Regal, but the Lucerne is positioned staunchly in the "old-man driving 10 MPH under the speed limit in the fast lane" stereotype of Buick. This car isn't ticketed because its drivers don't break the law, well, they don't break speeding laws. Tickets for no turn signals and late turns across three lanes of traffic into Old Country Buffet are rare.

Vehicle: 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Place: #8 (tied)
Percentage lower than average: 63% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Nothing says "I'm not worth your time officer" better than a minivan, especially a GM minivan sadly badged as an Oldsmobile. The Silhouette was GM's pity offering to Olds dealers with nothing interesting in the showroom and acted as a footnote in the last days of the brand. It's nothing if not completely invisible in the real world and the drivers are too busy trying not to be seen to go around breaking traffic laws.

Vehicle: 2007 Buick Rainier
Place: #8 (tied)
Percentage lower than average: 63% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Platform prostitution at its finest, the Buick Rainier started life as the Chevy Trailblazer, which begat the Oldsmobile Bravada, which died with the brand, so it was rebadged as both the Saab 9-7x and Buick Rainier. A lesson in how not to manage a platform for success. The Rainier has not one but two invisibility shields: 1) it's an unremarkable looking SUV, and 2) it's a Buick. Might as well have that fancy cloaking technology the Predator used.

Vehicle: Mazda6
Place: #6
Percentage lower than average: 66% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Despite the Mazda 6's more sporting character compared to other mid-size family sedans, it's still a mid-size family sedan. There are more than enough hot-heads in pony cars and German prickmobiles to collect revenue from.

Vehicle: 2005 Buick Park Avenue
Place: #5
Percentage lower than average: 68% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Quite a preponderance of Buicks on this list isn't there? Of the cars on here, we've always felt the Buick Park Avenue got the short end of the stick. The final generation actually wore some pretty crisp styling but was always burdened by terrible old-fogey wheels and later boasted tacked-on ventiports. The supercharged 3800 V6 would scoot off the line but the floaty suspension and drowsy interior made the idea of breaking the law a non-issue. Plus, what cop wants to ticket the nice little grandma behind the wheel.

Vehicle: Chevrolet C1500, K1500, 2500HD, 3500HD
Place: #4
Percentage lower than average: 72% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Same reason as its GMC Sierra twin, it's a truck and thus nothing more than an large lump taking up space on the road. With the 6.0-liter V8 they can be pretty fast and they're surprisingly agile around a corner, but nobody buys a truck for the go. As to why the Chevy has such a remarkable difference in ticketing rate we haven't a clue, perhaps since GMC buyer paid more for theirs, they feel like they should drive it faster and park in goofy places.

Vehicle: Chevrolet Tahoe
Place: #3
Percentage lower than average: 79% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: If there was a way to make the Silverado more invisible to law enforcement, it's to close up the bed, add a pair of doors and call it the Tahoe. Even the name says law-abiding-white-bread-citizen. There's an interesting paradox here in that based on anecdotal evidence a great many Tahoes are driven with reckless abandon, weaving in and out of traffic as if they own the road. And yet, with their inevitably beige, black, or maroon paint jobs, Tahoes blend into the background like a chameleon.

Vehicle: Chevrolet Suburban
Place: #2
Percentage lower than average: 84% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: Take everything about the Tahoe and add more girth. The big, bad, 'Burb has been sailing American roadways so long it's practically an institution. A last bastion for the family of eight which isn't interested in a full-size van, the Suburban is so big as to be imperceptible on a normal human scale, making it perfect for eluding the radar guns gaze. Their relative rarity these days helps out a lot too.

Vehicle: Jaguar XJ
Place: #1
Percentage lower than average: 89% less likely
Why it isn't ticketed: The Jaguar XJ has a shape almost as old as the idea of the car. Until Ian Callum came along and boogered-up the design with the 2010 Jaguar XJ, the car was so ubiquitous, and favored by such old buyers, it's practically never ticketed. The colors are generally sedate and unassuming, British Racing Green is as crazy as it gets, none of those obscene reds and yellows that draw radar guns. The trick is beneath the 40 year old skin is the possibility of an all-aluminum automobile sporting a 400 HP supercharged V8. It's a perfect sleeper and the car least likely to get you ticketed.

2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharges Into Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog

Ray Wert — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:40:00 EDT

The 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition will be the retailer's Christmas Book car-of-choice for this holiday season. Each of the 50 special cats come with a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage for $105,000. More below.

JAGUAR UNVEILS 2010 XJL SUPERCHARGED NEIMAN MARCUS EDITION IN RETAILER'S CHRISTMAS BOOK
Jaguar launches its flagship luxury sedan, the all-new 2010 Jaguar XJ, in Neiman Marcus' eagerly anticipated Christmas Book

MAHWAH, N.J., October 6, 2009 – Jaguar today announced that it will kick off the holiday car shopping season with a unique all new high-end entry to the market: The 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, exclusively through the celebrated Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. Jaguar will produce only 50 of the 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition - making it a stylish and unique way to celebrate this holiday season. This is the third time a Jaguar has been selected as the featured vehicle in the Book. In 1968, the XKE Grand Touring Coupe was featured, and most recently, the 1997 Jaguar XK8 Convertible.

The all-new 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, complete with a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage in navy blue leather, will be available for purchase in this year's Neiman Marcus Christmas Book for $105,000. Reservations for the XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition open on Friday October 16 at noon EDT by calling

1-866-524-6963. There will be only 50 Neiman Marcus Editions made, and Jaguar and Neiman Marcus expect them to sell out fast. For those not lucky enough to reserve one of these 50 Neiman Marcus Editions, the XJ arrives in showrooms nationwide in early 2010.

"Being a part of The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is a spectacular way to launch the Jaguar XJ, one of the most anticipated new luxury cars in the market this year," says Richard Beattie, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Jaguar. "Designed to attract the clientele of Neiman Marcus as well as automotive enthusiasts, the Neiman Marcus XJL Supercharged is unique and intelligent. It demonstrates our commitment to producing fast, beautiful cars that offer luxury, performance and first-rate quality."

An aggressive take on the highly anticipated all-new 2010 Jaguar XJ, the all-new 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, comes in an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint exterior and a custom butter-soft navy and ivory leather interior with Zebrano matte wood accents. The Neiman Marcus Edition XJL also has 20" double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels, illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher as well as the nameplate on the custom interior Intaglio that reads: "Neiman Marcus 1 of 50." The Neiman Marcus XJL Supercharged is powered by a new third-generation 5-liter V-8 engine with an Eaton supercharger that delivers 470 horsepower and also features the Jaguar Sequential Shift™ six-speed ZF automatic transmission that adapts to its driver, with wheel-mounted shift paddles for sport, standard, and winter mode driving.

The all-new 2010 Jaguar XJ was revealed to critical acclaim this past July, and features a new frame that is pressure cast from aluminum and magnesium to give the XJL a strong, light architecture that improves fuel efficiency, structural rigidity and performance. A panoramic glass roof enables the car to have a lower, more streamlined roofline, while dramatically enhancing the feeling of light and space inside. The vehicle's LED light clusters wrap stylishly over the rear wings, and feature three dramatic red vertical stripes while the elongated teardrop shape of the side windows establishes the car's silhouette. The sleek design and refined luxury is continued inside the all-new XJ by mixing newly advanced technologies and contemporary design to create an environment more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a car cabin. Chrome and piano black detailing provide an eye-catching contrast to the beautifully crafted leather and veneer surfaces. At the center of the instrument panel is an analog clock with individual chrome chaplets, a spun metal face and iridescent blue background; a look inspired by luxury watches.

There are stunning, three-dimensional, interactive 12.3" high-definition Virtual InstrumentsTM that complement an innovative 8-inch Touch-screen that displays vehicle functions ranging from audio and video to navigation and climate control – all in the driver's line of vision. There's also a media hub with docks for MP3 players and USB devices, a Bowers &Wilkins 1,200-watt premium sound system with Dolby® ProLogic® IIx Surround Sound and 20 speakers throughout the cabin.

The all-new 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition is featured in the 2009 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book and is undeniably one of the finest cars in the world and will sell out quickly. Interested buyers, automotive connoisseurs and luxury enthusiasts are encouraged to call 1-866-524-6963 for purchasing details.

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About Jaguar

From its beginning as a manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars in 1922, Jaguar Cars has grown to become one of the world's premier manufacturers of luxury sedans and sports cars and with that, one of the most recognized commercial brands. The company's vision is simple: To produce beautiful fast cars that are desired the world over. The company operates two manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and is fully engaged in environmental programs, community work and brand awareness exercises such as motorsports.

Please visit www.jaguarusa.com/neimanmarcus for terms and conditions.

2010 Jaguar XJ: A Controversially Redesigned Pussycat

The Auto Insider — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EDT

There's no questioning the 2010 Jaguar XJ is controversial in its design. We've compiled a gallery of 68 images to help set the record straight. Pussycat! Faster, Kill!

Most will recognize the new XJ as a member of the post modern leaping cat fleet, borrowing heavily from the smaller XF sedan in front view, but the rear design and the strange black-out panels on the C-pillar is what's caused the most controversy. Some have made reference to the Citroen C6, but is that comparison truly fair?

With an interior chock full of luxurious appointments, a tasty rotary gear selector and a trick full-digital cluster, the XJ brings a new level of class to the Jaguar range and might just make up for the somewhat strange exterior appearance.

But did Ian Callum monumentally fail or will the 2010 XJ eventually grow on us like so many other controversial designs? We invite you to form your own judgment by studying the follow 68 detailed images and leave us your comments below.

2010 Jaguar XJ