Jaguar XJ gets luxury car gong

The International Car of The Year (ICOTY) jury, made up of 12 nationally-renowned automotive journalists, made the decision this week in Mahwah, NJ.

"We're delighted that the 2011 Jaguar XJ has received this honor," said Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director. "The all-new XJ is a benchmark in both design and technology, and we're thrilled to receive such an accolade from one of the highest international panels of judges in our industry."

Hallmark adds, "This success, along with the redesigned XK and XF, speak volumes about the future of the Jaguar brand as a leading edge premium car maker."

Launched in 1997 at the North American International Auto Show, the ICOTY Awards became the first auto awards to honour new vehicles based on the emotional connection between car and consumer. Today, the ICOTY Awards have evolved and are based on lifestyle compatibility and how well automakers achieve that goal.

"The ICOTY Awards are not about power and performance, but rather about personality and passion," said ICOTY Executive Producer Courtney Caldwell.

In order to achieve a balanced perspective that reflects all consumers, ICOTY engages a diverse group of renowned automotive journalists and editors in the voting process.

The ICOTY jury consists of a 12 reputable automotive jurors who represent respected publications such as MSN Autos, Consumer Guide Automotive, Auto Week, and Road & Travel Magazine, to name a few.

Since its launch in May 2010, the all-new Jaguar XJ has been extremely well received by customers and media alike. Other accolades for the flagship model include being named Executive Sedan of the Year by Bloomberg, AUTOMOBILE Magazine's Design of the Year and All-Star awards, Top Gear's Luxury Car of the Year award, and Popular Science's Best of What's New Award for 2010 in the Automotive Category, among others.

Priced from $198,800 (plus on road costs), the Jaguar XJ is available at Jaguar dealerships throughout Australia.