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Illustration for article titled Jaguar Land Rover Files To Halt Sales of Volkswagen SUVs Over Terrain Response System Similarities — Image: Land Rover Media

Bloomberg reports that Jaguar Land Rover is seeking to block the import and sale of VW Group SUVs from Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini and Volkswagen. In a claim with the U.S. International Trade Commission and two suits in federal court, JLR says that SUVs from several Volkswagen Group brands use a system that is too similar to its Terrain Response System.

The Terrain Response System made its debut on the Discovery III in 2004. The system allows the driver of the vehicle to set chassis, suspension and transmission parameters based on the terrain the vehicle is crossing. In its current iteration, Terrain Response 2, there are six different settings: Auto, Rock/Crawl, General Driving, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts and Sand. The system has been standard in Land Rover products for years now.

JLR believes that VW has essentially copied this patented system for use in its own products, with JLR lawyer Matthew Moore stating:

“JLR seeks to protect itself and its United States operations from companies that have injected infringing products into the U.S. market that incorporate, without any license from JLR, technology developed by JLR and protected by its patent”

Porsche’s Traction Management System in the Cayenne

Bloomberg goes on to report that Jaguar is seeking to stop sales of nine models: Audi’s Q5, Q7 and Q8, A6 Allroad and e-Tron; VW’s Tiguan; Porsche’s Cayenne and the Lamborghini Urus. Obviously, these models are critical to VW’s U.S. operations; VW sold just under 110,000 Tiguans here last year.

Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar, was involved with every Jaguar built from the SS series, through the XK120 and the E-Type. What was the last Jaguar design he had anything to do with?

The correct answer is the XJ40 version of the XJ6, such as the Pick of the Day, a 1991 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign sedan.

The XJ40 model was the much-needed update of the venerable Jaguar sports sedan. The British car was the most-modern car Jaguar had built, combining modern features and the new AJ6 Jaguar 4.0-liter inline-6 engine with new bodywork and suspension. Unlike earlier updated versions of the XJ6, this was a clean-slate rework of the car.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan, dealer advertising the XJ6 on ClassicCars.com describes it as well-cared for and with relatively low-mileage, pointing out that the white paint shows high luster with an absence of sun fading or dulling from improper care, and the chrome is shiny, although there is a slight haze in the headlight lenses.

The tan-leather upholstery and rich burled wood trim are in excellent condition, the dealer notes, and the doors close with a satisfying thunk. All of the car’s original equipment is present and functional, including the factory audio system, sunroof and automatic shoulder belts, the ad says.

The car includes its original manuals, leather case and recent maintenance records.

For years, this fourth generation of the XJ6 was overlooked by many due to its more squared-off European look. It did not help that the next-generation XJ6 returned to the traditional XK6 headlight treatment.

Interestingly, though, in the past few years, these cars have started to gather a more serious following. Due to their being among the least expensive older Jaguar models, many have been driven into the ground, making finding one this nice quite difficult.

There is also the fact that these were some of the best put-together Jaguars in the history of the company, and did much to improve Jaguar’s reputation for reliability.

The asking price of this nice example is an incredibly reasonable $13,500, or less than any current compact sedan costs new.

So, the questions is: would you rather pay $10,000 more to drive a new Hyundai or would you rather sit behind the wheel of this Jaguar? I know which I would choose.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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Jaguar Land Rover Files To Halt Sales of Volkswagen SUVs Over Terrain Response System Similarities

Pick of the Day: 1991 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign low-priced luxury sedan