If this looks like a normal XJ to you, then give Jaguar’s engineers a firm pat on the back. This is the new XJ Sentinel, an up-armored version of the long-wheel-base XJ designed to give celebrities, dignitaries, dictators, and their ilk discrete protection from…erm, hostile parties.
According to Jag, the Sentinel is certified at a B7 level, meaning it can withstand multiple rounds of armor piercing 7.62-mm ammunition. Impressive, but Jaguar also says the XJ Sentinel protects against 15 kg of TNT detonated near the car, and offers “substantial” protection from underfloor explosives.
Although the Sentinel retains the XJ’s aluminum spaceframe construction, the additional armor causes its weight to swell from 3909 pounds to roughly 7275. Jaguar says it’s updated the adaptive suspension to compensate for the additional weight, but for some reason, the Sentinel makes use of the 385-horsepower, direct-injection V-8, not the supercharged, 470-hp form. As such, the Sentinel can hustle from 0-62 mph in 9.7 seconds — not horrible, but it’s far slower than a stock car, which can achieve the same metric in roughly 5.7 seconds.
All XJ Sentinel cars do, however, receive the larger brakes from the Supercarged model, along with strengthened 19-inch wheels, Dunlop 245/45 run-flat tires, and a three-year/ 50,000-mile warranty. If that sounds like a blast (no pun intended) to you, give Jaguar a call.
Source: Jaguar
