car Jaguar’s XJ 2.7 Diesel has been named the greenest luxury car on Britain’s roads in the Environmental Transport Association’s 2007 Car Buyers Guide. The award, presented by television presenter Janet Ellis at the RIBS in London recognises Jaguar’s commitment to delivering CO2 and fuel consumption advantages to customers with the development of its industry-leading diesel engines and application of advanced lightweight aluminium vehicle architectures.

The ETA guide lists 2,500 new cars and provides a star-based ranking system giving consumers an overview of a vehicle’s performance against the following categories; power, carbon dioxide emissions, fuel consumption, noise and safety. The XJ beat off strong competition from the Mercedes-Benz S320 and BMW 7 Series to claim this award – following in the footsteps of its stable mate, the X-TYPE, which won the category in 2006.

Managing Director of Jaguar in the UK, Geoff Cousins said: “We fully recognise our responsibility to the environment and are committed to playing our role in developing technology solutions in cars, fuels and infrastructure to address climate change – this award shows we are heading in the right direction.”

This is the latest in a long line of awards for Jaguar’s flagship model, which last year further demonstrated its fuel economy credentials by covering 1000.2 miles on a single tank of fuel – the average fuel consumption hitting 53.5mpg* which equates to 139g/km of CO2.

car The all-aluminium XJ, face-lifted for 2008, boasts an all-new distinctive design and features a host of state-of the art-technologies including the sound-deadening ‘Vibramount’. Supplied by Avon this technology was nominated for an innovation award at the Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contributions to Excellence) Awards in New York. ‘Vibramount’ has helped the XJ Diesel gain its reputation for worldclass smoothness and quietness by countering engine movements to eliminate vibration and noise. Refinement has been improved whilst allowing ride and handling to be optimised.

In the UK, the Jaguar XJ boasts just over 20% share of the large luxury segment and sales in 2006 were up 25% over the previous year. It was recently voted Luxury Car of the Year in the Business Car Awards.

Experience the Might of Jaguar's XKR - Palmer Style

Jonathan Palmer is the latest in a long line of fans bowled over by Jaguar’s XKR. After driving the luxury sports coupe on the track Jonathan knew there was only one car which could enhance the PalmerSport line-up for 2007. The award winning XKR, launched in 2006, boasts Jaguar’s classleading, advanced aluminium construction, ensuring that its power is matched by a dynamic, lightweight chassis that handles supremely, rides exceptionally and stops with surefooted reassurance.

Geoff Cousins, Managing Director of Jaguar in the UK says; “Jaguar customers have quickly come to appreciate that the XKR stands for superlative performance, so it is not difficult to see why the XKR was the natural choice to headline the PalmerSport event for 2007.”

The 420bhp, 4.2 litre V8 supercharged car has been stripped of its luxury interior and fitted with uprated brakes and a lowered, stiffened suspension enabling it to achieve a stunning top speed of 185mph with a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds. In fact, so powerful is the latest addition to the PalmerSport line up that the North Circuit has been extended by 60% to include a longer 140mph straight and new fast flowing corners that will challenge even the most experienced of drivers.

car Founded in 1991, the PalmerSport driving event – brainchild of exformula 1 driver and commentator Jonathan Palmer – aims to deliver an unsurpassed corporate track driving experience. Located at the Bedford Autodrome, the unique venue boasts four specially designed circuits, six miles of tracks and over 100 high performance cars maintained by a team of 35 dedicated mechanics. Those with a passion for driving will doubtless recognise that quality is at the heart of Palmer’s philosophy.

With over 18,000 guests in 2006, this year promises to be Palmer’s most successful yet. Jonathan Palmer says; “The PalmerSport event has earned a reputation for being the best driving event in the world. Part of achieving this is to continually evolve our programme with a new headline car each year. Inevitably it gets tougher to improve upon the best, but the Jaguar XKR has ticked all the boxes. Stunning looks, incredible performance, a beautifully balanced chassis, glorious sound and outstanding value. And what’s most important, our customers think so too!”

The Jaguar XKR shares the grid with an unrivalled line up of exhilarating cars ranging from the motorsport focused single seater Caterham 7 to the Le Mans-style Palmer Jaguar JP1 sports prototype. No matter what your level of experience there is something to satisfy everyone at a PalmerSport driving event.

For those bitten by the XKR racing bug, there is a new model in the Jaguar stable which promises the ultimate driving experience – the special edition XKR Portfolio. Available to order from the end of this month the model features a six-speed sequential shift transmission with paddleshift, new high-performance Alcon braking system with 400mm front discs and 350mm rear discs – the largest ever fitted to a production Jaguar – and a Bowers & Wilkins speaker system exclusively tuned for the Portfolio. To complement the enhanced drive, the XKR Portfolio also has an upgraded luxurious interior to satisfy the most discerning of customers.