SPY PICS: Jaguar XJR facelift

Jaguar’s XJ sedan is now just over four years old, which means it’s mid-life facelift time for the leaping cat’s flagship sedan.

We saw evidence of that in spy shots of the standard XJ earlier this year and now these Automedia spy pics captured at the Nurburgring reveal an updated version of the range-topping XJR variant that was added to the line-up last year.

Although this test mule wears front and rear camouflage to mask the tweaks, it’s still possible to discern the revised front fascia with reprofiled air intakes. The grille also looks deeper set than before, thanks to a grille surround that extends slightly further outward.

The derriere is largely unchanged, barring a remodelled rear bumper that once again incorporates cut-outs for the quartet of tailpipes.

Under the bonnet, it’s believed to be a case of as-you-were, with propulsion once again provided by Jaguar’s trusty 5.0-litre supercharged V8, eking out 405kW and 680Nm, putting it in the same general ballpark as the Mercedes E 63 AMG, BMW M5 and Audi RS 7.

Similarly, the current model’s ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission is expected to be carried over unchanged.

In its current form, the XJR sprints from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and tops out at an electronically governed 280km/h. That’s not expected to change dramatically in the facelifted model.

That said, Euro reports suggest there may be some tweaks to the XJR’s suspension, which already features stiffer springs and dampers than the rest of the XJ models.

The fact that this prototype was captured undergoing testing at the Nürburgring clearly suggests the Jag boffins are looking to further hone the car’s already impressive high-speed handling balance.

With no revisions to the headlight or tail-light clusters, this is clearly the most minor of facelifts. The question is whether this will be enough to stave off the challenge of the all-new Merc S 63 AMG and svelte Audi RS 7.

There’s no doubt the Germans have a decisive edge in tech features, but the XJR still has a cabin ambience and ride/handling delicacy that makes it an appealing package.

The stage is set for one heck of a super-luxo sedan group test later in the year…