June 22, 2008

The winner of the Towcar of the year 2008 has been announced, it the Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel.  The award was presented by What Car?, Practical Caravan, and The Camping and Caravanning Club.

The XJ has claimed the award in the 1725 – 1899 kg category with the judges describing the Big Cat as offering “unflappable stability with limousine comfort”.  With the roads full of 4X4s and SUVs the versatility of the classic British marque is all the more impressive.

The cars entered were put through their paces for their towing ability and a host of other qualities including driving performance when not towing, practicality, value for money and safety. 

The judging panel comprising industry experts, motoring journalists and caravanning enthusiasts were particularly impressed with the way that the XJ performed.  The judges chose the XJ as the winner because: "Stability and ride comfort don’t always go together. Cars with rear suspension that’s firm almost to a fault in normal driving are often the most composed when towing. But the XJ combines unflappable stability with limousine comfort.  The suspension’s alchemy was worth its weight in gold through the lane-change test. The XJ changed direction quickly, gripping hard and holding the intended line. However much the caravan slid behind it, the Jag wouldn’t budge. Data from the ATC shows how much G-force was generated in the van, but the smooth curve of the graph speaks volumes as to how undramatic the Jaguar made this manoeuvre." 

Managing Director of Jaguar in the UK, Geoff Cousins said: "What this award does is demonstrate the breadth of capability of the XJ.  It is already renowned for its all-aluminium body construction, state-of-the-art technologies and outstanding craftsmanship and build quality.  I am delighted we have won this award; it really demonstrates the diverse appeal of the XJ."

This is the latest in a number of awards for Jaguar's flagship model.  Most recently, the XJ 2.7 litre Diesel was named Britain's greenest luxury car in the Environmental Transport Association's 2008 Car Buyers Guide.  Earlier in the year, the XJ Long Wheelbase was voted 'Chauffeur Car of the Year' by Chauffeur Magazine, while What Car?, Auto Trader and Auto Express all voted the XJ 'Best Luxury Car' in their various Used Car Awards towards the end of last year.

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