Jaguar Merritt Island - Blog

Island Gas BP is NOW OPEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:00 +0000

Island Club Members,
We are pleased to Announce that Island Gas BP is now back open after our recent upgrades. We're also now offering Diesel fuel! Come on in and enjoy full service gas at Cost!

Not an Island Club member? Visit www.islandlincolnmercury.com to find out how you can become a member of the Island Club!

Alloy-ed and alluring, the new XJ transports Jaguar to an altogether different place.

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:34:00 +0000

By Aaron Robinson, Car & Driver

Above all things, Jaguar desires to be different. That’s why the new 2011 XJ flagship has the flamboyant lines of an Italian torpedo and the driving manners of a German autobahn cruiser and is tuned for Buckingham Palace fleet duty. Cultures collide in spectacular ways in this luxury limo.

Arrestingly Beautiful

The XJ is a cab-rearward design and is incredibly riveting to stare at as it sits back on its haunches with as much cool as James Bond lighting a Chesterfield. In black, with the big-dish 20-inch wheels, the car is sinister enough to warrant its own RICO investigation.

Jaguar Cars managing director Mike O’Driscoll, who’s peddled more than his share of schlock over a 35-year career with the company, is smiling more lately. He says the mission was to recapture the uniqueness of the original 1968 XJ but in a modern form. They looked at the class stalwarts—the Mercedes-Benz S-class, the BMW 7-series, and the Audi A8—and the more driver-oriented oddballs, including the Maserati Quattroporte and Porsche Panamera, and decided to shoot for a middle ground. Passion—but with typical British reserve.

If you focus on those front three-quarter shots, you’ll wrongly dismiss the 2011 XJ as just an XF with a pituitary run amok. Skip down to the side and rear profiles to capture the XJ’s more exotic stance. The beltline is pulled way up, the side glass is pinched narrow, and the flowing taffy stretch of aluminum sheetmetal ends in a high, short trunk.

…Mostly

The C-pillars are clad in wonky glossy black panels that bridge the side glass with the backlight. Styling head Ian Callum—who gave us all of our current Jaguars and a few Aston Martins—demanded it and got his way. You don’t hear odes to the Jensen Interceptor very often, but Callum is fascinated with the way that car’s rear glass wrapped around the body sides to isolate the roof. He wanted to create an unbroken black band around the car’s cranium, like the Lone Ranger’s mask. On lighter colors the effect is more pronounced—and a little forced, frankly—but it’s definitely not something Jaguar’s competitors would ever do.

Snorting V-8s

On sale now, this XJ arrives stateside with two wheelbases and three engines, the latter shared with the smaller XF. The base short XJ with a direct-injection 385-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 starts at $72,500. The XJ Supercharged uses forced air to attain 470 hp and costs an additional $15,000. Both engines are also available in a size-XL (extra long) version that pulls the wheelbase out another 4.9 inches. The base XJL starts at $79,500 and is expected to be the volume player in the U.S., with about half the sales. The XJL Supercharged is $90,500. Finally, by special order only, there’s the XJ Supersport with 510 hp, thanks to revised engine maps similar to those of the XFR. Price: $112,000 in short form, $115,000 with the stretch. Europe also gets a tugboat-ready 3.0-liter turbo-diesel from Peugeot that is unfortunately considered a bit too, uh, European for America.

Improving on a Familiar Structure

Lately, the market’s air has been pretty thin at the XJ’s price point—the company sold just 1161 of the big cats in the U.S. last year, 2452 in 2008—so you can’t blame Jaguar for leaning on existing components where possible. Unexpectedly, it’s the Jaguar XFR that donates the most gear, including its suspension, steering rack, and, in the Supersports, the active electronic differential with few modifications.

The riveted and glue-bonded aluminum unibody shares DNA with the previous XJ, but thanks to a learning curve and a change in priorities, there are substantial changes. Besides the graceful sheetmetal, there are more cast nodes in the new XJ’s skeleton, helping to drive up torsional rigidity by a claimed 11 percent, and the front subframe is now solidly mounted. In the past, Jaguar used rubber isolation bushings, something it found only negatively affected handling while supplying little isolation benefit.

The curb weights reflect aluminum’s great promise: about 4000 to 4300 pounds, practically a trifle these days, especially for a car casting this big a shadow.

High Tech yet Emotional

If there are shared bits with other Jaguars, you won’t find them without pulling up the carpet. Besides the extravagant exterior, the cabin is a fascinating departure for Jaguar. For one thing, unlike most previous XJs, the space is huge, especially in the stretched models. Resembling a California landslide, the dash seems to have sunk a few inches from the windshield, with a band of the requisite burled wood filling in the gap and reminding one of the prow of a handmade yacht. The dropped dash puts everything lower, making the cabin more intimate and deemphasizing the car’s size.

This is no Mayfair drawing room. In the dash center above the eight-inch touch screen, reminiscent of a Ferrari, large, leather-swathed fairings protrude with the giant eight-balls that serve as air vents. The gauges are digital graphic renderings of analog dials on a 12.3-inch thin-film-transistor (TFT) display. Jaguar has some useful fun with this. For example, the numbers immediately around the “needle” glow brighter in what the engineers call a “torch effect,” as though the needle were shining a spotlight on the dial. And the gauges turn red (red mist?) when you put the car in dynamic mode. However, there’s untapped potential here. Why not give the driver several gauge cluster designs to toggle among?

Refined yet Rapid

When goosed, the various V-8s make suitably expensive and deep roars. All versions have acoustic devices that plumb intake noise through the firewall. In the supercharged models, blower whine is miraculously filtered out. The six-speed automatic does its business quickly and with undetectable slack. Figure 0-to-60-mph times from the mid-fours to mid-fives, depending on the model.

With the XFR’s pretty-darn-quick steering rack and the electronically self-adjusting shocks (they rely on electromechanical slider valves to vary their reactions), the XJ wants to pound through corners in hot pursuit of cars half its size. It has the power, the grip, and the steering focus for that, but the suspension, especially in the base version, allows enough body roll and bob that you don’t forget you’re at the reins of two tons of British luxury. On pitching pavement it can rock a bit side to side, but it never feels loose or discombobulated.

Some suspension give is a prerequisite in this class, but all XJs have as standard a dynamic setting that firms up the shocks while adjusting the throttle response and shift points (there are also normal and winter settings). The Supersport, with its firmer suspension and Z-rated summer tires, will stroke a driver’s ego even better. Had we been the designers, we might not have been brave enough to put such a quick steering rack into this car, given the stereotypical XJ buyer. As we said, however, Jaguar wants to be different. We’d also bring over those 20-inch big-dish wheels, the ones Jaguar says are for Europe only and that are so unlike the fine-spoke alloy clones on every other car.

Finally, Something Different

Quiet, dynamically composed, gloriously comfortable, and supremely unusual, the 2011 XJ does exactly what Jaguar hopes it will: give buyers an alternative choice and a reason to consider taking a leap with the leaping cat again.

75 years of Jaguar – A journey extraordinaire

noreply@blogger.com (SAH) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:36:00 +0000

It's not just the Jaguar brand that steps in to its 75th year. Technical innovation, design leadership and sporting success in the automotive world are entering their platinum year. It's Jaguar that has pioneered state-of-the-art innovation in automobiles consistently.
Merritt Island Jaguar, having been amongst the prominent Jaguar dealerships in and around Merritt Island is proud to be associated with a brand that has come a long way in instilling the feeling of luxury driving amongst millions of Jaguar owners across the world.

Driving down memory lane
In the year 1922, today's Jaguar began as a Swallow sidecar, an initiative of Sir William Lyons. After a stint with the 'SS' motorcycle sidecars and automobiles for more than a decade, the then all-new SS 100 was set to be launched in 1935. That was when Sir William Lyons felt the need for an evocative name, and finally the brand Jaguar was born and the Jaguar SS 100 became the world's first Jaguar.
Sir William Lyons immortal words – “A car is the closest thing we can create to something that's alive” reflects the passion which he infused when he built cars.

75 and going strong
Today the entire world is in awe of Jaguar's class. In 75 years, Jaguar has been setting path-breaking trends and has constantly lead the path of innovation, sheer luxury and ruthless racing. And this 75th year will also see Jaguar returning to the race track with the all new Jaguar RSR XKR GT2 and will compete in the American Le Mans Series.

Celebrate with Merritt Island Jaguar
Incredible offers on top-class Jaguar models await you at Merritt Island Jaguar. Drive home a legacy that has 75 years of remarkable history behind, while bagging some amazing deals as well!

Introducing the All New 2011 Jaguar XJ, Part 2!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:27:00 +0000

Island is now taking Pre-Orders for the all new Jaguar XJ! Contact us today for more info! 866-415-9833

Jaguar Heritage on the Road and on the Track

noreply@blogger.com (SAH) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:29:00 +0000

On June 12, 2010, a Jaguar XKR GT2 run by JaguarRSR will mark the 75th Anniversary of the Jaguar brand both at and above the speed limit by lining up on the starting grid at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. As the most successful British brand in the history of the French race, Jaguar enthusiasts are eager and optimistic.

"With the introduction of the new XK, XF and XJ, the Jaguar brand has advanced cutting-edge technology, stunning design, plus our 'R' performance driving experience. We now return to motorsport to demonstrate this achievement and the prowess of the Jaguar XKR sports car…” said C.J. O’Donnell, Global Marketing Director of Jaguar Cars.

While in 1988 the Jaguar entrants at Le Mans took 1st place with 3,313 miles raced at 138 miles per hour, Merritt Island Jaguar would like to help you recreate the same satisfaction outside the race and at a much safer pace.

Only at Merritt Island Jaguar in Merritt Island, Florida will you find the Island Club, which offers complimentary Fitness Center, a Tiki Grill and Movie Theater as well as a Barber & Salon shop, amoung countless other perks. The dealership is ideally located to serve those who appreciate Jaguar quality in Vero and Cocco Beach, Cape Canaveral, Port St. John and surrounding areas, but you can visit the online dealership and cruise Merritt Island Jaguar's new car inventory, used luxury cars and their amazing specials from the luxury of your own home anywhere in the country. Yes, Merritt Island Jaguar delivers!

All New 2011 Jaguar XJ Now Available for Pre Order!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:53:00 +0000

How does Jaguar's new XFR compare to the BMW M5?

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:20:00 +0000

How does Jaguar's new XFR compare to the BMW M5? Only one way to find out as Jeremy Clarkson takes it out onto the Top Gear track...

Island, Ford, and JDRF Partner to Save Lives!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:54:00 +0000

Island Lincoln Mercury is proud to partner with Ford Motor Company and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in their fight to find a cure.

During the Month of March Island Lincoln Mercury will make a donation in the name of the customer of $50.00 for every new Lincoln and Mercury vehicle sold in March 2010.

This donation will be eligible on any New Lincoln or Mercury vehicle purchased or leased throughout the month.

Click the flyer for more info!

Island & Ford Motor Co. Partner to Help Cure Juvenile Diabetes!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:40:00 +0000

Island Lincoln Mercury is proud to partner with Ford Motor Company and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in their fight to find a cure.

During the Month of March Island Lincoln Mercury will make a donation in the name of the customer of $50.00 for every new Lincoln and Mercury vehicle sold in March 2010.

This donation will be eligible on any New Lincoln or Mercury vehicle purchased or leased throughout the month.

Introducing the all new 2011 Jaguar XJ!

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:55:00 +0000

Jaguar XJ 220: Britain’s bloody gorgeous world-beating 213 mph supercar

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Jaguar XJ 220: Britain’s bloody gorgeous world-beating 213 mph supercar

Posted using ShareThis

Toyota Voluntarily Recalls 155,000 2010 Prius, Lexus Hybrids and Camrys in the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:44:00 +0000

Toyota announced today they will begin to recall all 2010 Prius Hybrid and 2010 Lexus HS 250h vehicles because of braking systems malfunctioning. Also added to the voluntary recall is the 2010 Camry equipped with the 4-cylinder engine.

Approximately 133,000 Prius’, 14,550 Lexus’ and 7,300 Camry vehicles are involved in this recent voluntary recall made by Toyota after allegations from drivers complaining about their brakes not working. This number reflects the vehicles sold in the U.S.

The problem with the 2010 Prius and 2010 Lexus HS 250h vehicles stems from the anti-lock brake system, where some owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of the brakes. This is happening on rough or slick road surfaces, when the ABS comes on in an effort to maintain tire traction.

The fix for the ABS brake problem in these vehicles is a software update to the ABS system to fix the inconsistent braking.

Toyota is saying the software update should take about 30 minutes to install and of course this estimated time is dependent on the work flow at the dealership. Toyota will cover all repair costs associated with this fix for the customer.

The issue with the Camry vehicles that are equipped with the 4-cylinder engine, is to do with a steering pressure hose in the engine compartment that may be the incorrect length. If this is the case, the power steering pressure hose may come in contact with the brake tube, causing a hole to wear in the brake tube causing the brake fluid to leak.

Toyota says if this is happening in the Camry, the dealer technician will adjust the space between the brake tube and the power steering pressure hose, and they may have to replace the brake tube if a hole has produced.

In all three cases, Toyota instructs customers who experience brake issues, to press hard on the brake pedal and the vehicle will stop safely.

According to Toyota, letters by mail will start to go out to consumers who have these affected vehicles this week instructing the owners when they should bring their vehicle into the dealership to be fixed. by if a consumer has one of these vehicles, they need to take it to their local Toyota dealer to have the technician inspect it and install either the software update or fix the break fluid tube (on the Camry).

For more information, click here, or customers can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at: 800-331-4331 and Lexus customers can call the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at: 800-255-3987.

Toyota Voluntarily Recalls 155,000 2010 Prius, Lexus Hybrids and Camrys in the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:44:00 +0000

Flash Drive: 2010 Jaguar XK Convertible

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:15:00 +0000

Flash Drive: 2010 Jaguar XK Convertible

By Staff of MSN Autos

View Pictures: 2010 Jaguar XK Convertible

The all-new 2010 Jaguar XK Convertible is propelled by a new 385-horsepower direct-injection 5.0-liter V8 engine, which is expertly mated to a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission. Boasting nearly 30 percent more power, it makes the XK really fast. In addition, it benefits from all the modern technology that helps to keep it pointed in the right direction when the driver taps into that power. No longer a lithe sports car, the XK is a fantastic grand touring car with a spectacular interior. Like its predecessor, the supple leather seats are trimmed with contrast stitching. But now they're heated and cooled, and the dash features piano-black trim with touch-screen navigation. –Mike Meredith

One of the sexiest-looking convertibles on the road, the new XK reminds me of Jaguar's classic XKE roadster from the 1960s; the one with the long hood, wide oval grille and short trunk overhang. Unlike the classic XKE, however, this Jag is thoroughly modern, with a power retractable top that folds out of sight in about 20 seconds with the push of a button. Sadly, the rear seat is practically unusable, and trunk is barely large enough for a small suitcase, but this isn't a car you buy for its practicality. Its value lies in its good looks and the powerful V8 engine under the hood. But as good as this car is at making an impression and providing driving enjoyment on a sunny day, it's still hard to justify the $90K sticker price. –Perry Stern

The Jaguar XK makes a fantastic boulevard cruiser. The interior surfaces and materials are a dream to look at and touch; from the high-quality carpeting on the floor and doors to the suede headliner, the XK exudes grace. Although the XK feels like one of the last cars to have a fabric convertible top, as opposed to the folding hardtops of many competitors, I think it looks better for it. The fabric top does imply less sound insulation, and passing cars are easily audible inside the otherwise cosseting Jaguar. The engine sounds great and has plenty of power, but this is a sports coupe that emphasizes comfort and fashion over performance. And compared with other cars in its category, it has a competitive price tag. I'd even call it a bargain. –Paul Hagger

Toyota hit by over 100 Prius brake complaints

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:56:00 +0000

By SHINO YUASA, Associated Press Writer Shino Yuasa, Associated Press Writer –
Wed Feb 3, 7:12 am ET

TOKYO – Toyota Motor Corp. has been hit by over 100 complaints in the U.S. and Japan about brake problems with the popular Prius hybrid, the latest in a spate of quality troubles for the automaker as it grapples with massive global recalls.

The Japanese company's sales are being battered in the U.S. — Toyota's biggest market — after recalls of top-selling models to fix a gas pedal that can stick in the depressed position.
The new Prius gas-electric hybrid, which went on sale in Japan and the U.S. in May 2009, is not part of the recalls that extend to Europe and China, covering nearly 4.5 million vehicles.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received about 100 complaints involving the brakes of the Prius new model. Two involved crashes resulting in injuries. Japan's transport ministry said Wednesday it has also received 14 complaints since July last year about brake problems with Toyota's new Prius hybrid.

The 14 complaints included an accident in July 2009, in which a Prius crashed head on into another car at an intersection. Transport ministry official Masaya Ota said two people were slightly injured in the accident.

"The Prius driver in the accident told police that a brake did not work," Ota said. "Other Prius drivers also complained brakes were not so sharp." The complaints in Japan involve the new Prius model, and the vehicles were all made in Japan, he said.

The ministry ordered Toyota, the world's No. 1 automaker, to investigate the complaints. The other 13 cases happened from December to January 2010. Ota said the ministry has yet to receive a formal report on the complaints from Toyota.

Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said the company has received reports about the Prius complaints in North America and in Japan and was now looking into the matter.

Toyota shares plunged 5.7 percent to 3,400 yen ($38) with jittery investors dumping stocks in the wake of the Prius woes in the U.S. and Japan. The benchmark Nikkei stock index edged up just 0.3 percent to 10,404.33 as the drop in Toyota dampened sentiment.

"Investors were worried the latest trouble involving the Prius could get bigger. The problem could pose a bigger question on Toyota's quality and safety," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, market analyst at Daiwa Securities SMBC Co. Ltd.

Also Wednesday, the South Korean government said Toyota's local unit was recalling 444 vehicles over defects in gas pedals and floor mats.

The vehicles were made in North America, and the more than 19,000 Toyota vehicles imported from Japan weren't part of the recall, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said in a statement.

Toyota is facing growing criticism that it has not done enough to ensure the safety of its vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told The Associated Press Tuesday that federal officials had to alert Toyota to the seriousness of the safety issues that eventually led to the recalls.

"They should have taken it seriously from the very beginning when we first started discussing it with them," he said. "Maybe they were a little safety deaf."

LaHood also said the U.S. government was considering civil penalties for Toyota for having dragged its feet on safety concerns.

Toyota executive vice president Shinichi Sasaki acknowledged Tuesday in a Nagoya, Japan, news conference that it took prodding from NHTSA officials for the company to decide on the U.S. recall.

Toyota has long prided itself on sterling vehicle quality and assembly line methods that empowered workers to ensure faultless production.

The latest recall, announced Jan. 21, over sticky gas pedals affects 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. alone.

Any serious problems emerging in the Prius, Toyota's flagship green car model, is certain to further tarnish its brand.

The Prius, now in its third generation since its 1997 introduction, is the best-selling gas-electric hybrid in the world, racking up a cumulative 1.6 million units sold so far, according to Toyota.
Hybrids, by going back and forth between a gasoline engine and electric motor, tend to offer better mileage in slow-speed and stop-and-go driving that's common in crowded cities.
___

AP Business writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and Kelly Olsen in Seoul contributed to this report.

Jaguar Merritt Island

noreply@blogger.com (Island Lincoln Mercury Jaguar Land Rover) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:47:00 +0000

Jaguar Merritt Island