A SUPERCHARGED WAY TO KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND - THE FIRST U.S. 2011 JAGUAR XJ FINDS A HOME

By Todd Agostini, Cherry Hill Classic Cars, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

This past Friday, May 28, 2010, Gerald and Janet Raffa of Sea Isle City, N.J. were the first customers in the United States to receive delivery of the highly anticipated all‑new 2011 Jaguar XJ. Well‑worth the wait, Gerald and Janet picked up their XJL Supercharged on Friday and quickly headed out for a spin to enjoy the luxury sedan, just in time for the holiday weekend. The eagerly awaited vehicle, delivered by the Cherry Hill Classic Cars dealership in N.J., was also 1 of 50 Neiman Marcus Edition XJs, that were offered through the luxury retailer's 2009 holiday catalogue.

The Raffas are true Jaguar lovers, so it was fitting that they received the first 2011 Jaguar XJ in the U.S. After turning in their leased 2005 Jaguar XJ SV8 a few years ago, the Raffas realized that they could not live without an XJ, so two days after returning the last generation XJ, the Raffas went back to the dealership to buy the car back. Unfortunately, the car had already been sold to a new owner; leaving an automotive void for the Raffas. They knew that if they were to replace it, they would have to do it with something extraordinary... that something extraordinary eventually came along when Gerald saw the Neiman Marcus edition car early last fall. Gerald was never going to let this car get away again and immediately took action on the phone and was lucky enough to order the first car.

Thomas J. Hessert Jr. and the staff at Cherry Hill Classic Cars were thrilled to deliver the all‑new XJ to its new owners. This was truly a wonderful moment for our staff, the Raffas, Jaguar Cars, and Neiman Marcus. We are delighted that the Raffas, a couple that truly treasures and adores the Jaguar brand, were the first recipients of the 2011 XJ in the U.S.

The special edition Neiman Marcus Jaguar XJL Supercharged features an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint exterior and a custom butter‑soft navy and ivory leather interior with Zebrano matte wood accents. The Neiman Marcus Edition XJL also has 20" double‑10 spoke polished alloy wheels, illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher as well as the nameplate on the custom interior Intaglio that reads: "Neiman Marcus 1 of 50." The Neiman Marcus XJL Supercharged is powered by a new third‑generation 5‑liter V‑8 engine with an Eaton supercharger that delivers 470 horsepower and also features the Jaguar Sequential Shift™ six‑speed ZF automatic transmission that adapts to its driver, with wheel‑mounted shift paddles for sport, standard, and winter mode driving.