The exciting new Jaguar XJ has won the prestigious 2010 Car of the Year award from Professional Driver magazine, rating it as the top car for Britain’s chauffeurs and Private Hire drivers. To receive the overall Car of the Year accolade, the winning XJ – a 3.0-Litre V6 Diesel Long Wheelbase model – not only defeated its nearest rivals in the closely-contested Chauffeur Car of the Year category, but it also gained the highest average score of the four individual award winners.

The annual Professional Driver awards are judged by more than thirty expert judges from the chauffeuring and Private Hire sector and the motoring media, including our very own Ian Robertson, Sue Baker and Craig Thomas. Each vehicle is rated on ten different criteria considered most important for professional drivers, ranging from appearance and driving dynamics, to rear seat comfort and legroom. “The new Jaguar XJ makes a statement that none of its rivals can match,” said Mark Bursa, editor of Professional Driver Magazine. “The judges loved the XJ’s looks, its beautiful and distinctive interior and outstanding driving dynamics.”

With the highest overall points score of the 33 vehicles entered, the Jaguar XJ 3.0-Litre V6 Diesel Long Wheelbase was rated the best car for professional drivers, outscoring competitors like Mercedes S350 LWB and BMW 730Ld, last year’s winner. The Jaguar XF was also rated highly by the judges, finishing in the top three of the competitive Executive Car category.

Geoff Cousins, Managing Director, Jaguar UK, said: “Professional drivers have very high standards and expect the best in their choice of car. The new Jaguar XJ has brought a bold new approach to the executive car market in the UK with its distinctive design, generous accommodation and impressive predicted residual values. Winning this important award isn’t just about recognising how impressive the new Jaguar XJ is, it also reflects how competitive our new class-leading Chauffeur Programme support package is. “With our comprehensive support programme, which provides a class-leading combination of round-the-clock support and minimised running costs, Jaguar is now in a strong position to challenge the established contenders in the chauffeur market.”