New Jaguar XJ unveiled

Jaguar gave the new striking new XJ its debut in Frankfurt – and a 1.2-litre model could be on the horizon. No, that’s not a mistake, the luxury British car maker is about to start testing its new saloon fitted with a tiny hybrid petrol engine, which could pave the way for it to join the brand’s trademark 5.0-litre V8 and 3.0-litre diesel powerplants in the line-up.

The Limo-Green project is funded by the UK’s Technology Strategy Board, a collaboration between car manufacturers Jaguar and Lotus, vehicle technology firm Caparo and MIRA, the Motor Industry Research Association. Instead of powering the car's wheels directly, the small three-cylinder engine is actually used to generate electric power to drive the vehicle. It should be capable of 0-60mph in less than eight seconds and have a range of 620 miles.

Engineers testing the XJ mule are targeting combined fuel economy of up to 50mpg and CO2 emissions of around 120g/km, and while the Limo-Green programme is likely to remain a prototype for the time being, Jaguar is committed to providing green power within its range of luxury models. It is currently working to develop stop start technology for its automatic models.

The new XJ hits showrooms early next year with a choice of V8 petrol and 3.0 diesel engines. All models come with a panoramic roof and virtual instruments as standard. Prices start at £52,500 for the standard wheelbase 3.0-litre V6 diesel Luxury model while the flagship 5.0-litre V8 supercharged long-wheelbase version costs £88,000.