Jaguar Concept Eight

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars

The launch of the New XJ Long Wheelbase marks not just the return of the seminal luxury British saloon but also an opportunity for Jaguar Cars’ Advanced Design Studio to use the most spacious vehicle the company has ever built as the base for an intriguing design programme – the Jaguar Concept Eight. This sumptuous luxury saloon blends the best in contemporary British creativity with the ultimate in automotive engineering to offer a compelling glimpse of future Jaguars.

The Concept Eight has been designed to reflect the unique position that Jaguar holds in the luxury car market. Developed from the New XJ Long Wheelbase saloon, it has been extensively reworked beneath its broad, single-piece, glass roof to produce a luxury concept car that is understated and tasteful, yet powerful, exciting and undeniably glamorous. Making the most of Jaguar's New XJ Long Wheelbase structure – with the longest wheelbase in its class – the Concept Eight introduces new luxury elements, new in-car entertainment technology, and new performance styling cues.

British design is acknowledged to be world-leading in creative areas as diverse as fashion and architecture, interiors and furniture making. The Concept Eight reflects Britain’s standing in design by using the most contemporary materials and trim to create an environment that is unlike any other luxury saloon. You won’t find lap-top computers, satellite uplinks and plasma screens inside the Concept Eight, instead you will enter a world of inch-deep handmade carpets, chilled champagne, Waterford Crystal and even essential oils to allow you to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

"The Concept Eight is not about cramming in half an hour’s work on the way to and from the airport," says Julian Thomson, Chief of Advanced Design, Jaguar Cars. "It is a car that exudes British good taste and calmness. It has a very relaxed but contemporary feel about it. Jaguar is not an ‘all work and no play’ company and the Concept Eight reflects that. When you ride in it you should get the same feeling of well-being that you would enjoy if you stayed in the latest trendsetting hotel.

"The biggest luxuries in life are increasingly just having your own time and space – this is what the Concept Eight is meant to provide. This car is all about travelling in style to a movie premiere or a party. It’s about having fun."