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Though important, the work of the Vehicle Certifi cation Agency is hardly likely to set hearts racing; vehicle type approval and the production of new car fuel consumption and CO2 databases, just two of the areas it’s involved in, are not exactly top of petrol-heads’ reading lists. However, the news that the VCA has certifi ed a full life cycle assessment of the new XJ is certainly worthy of note. Now, whatever your views on climate change may be, the fact is that car manufacturers are facing both ever-tightening regulations on emissions and a buying public that, on the whole, is increasingly conscious of a car’s ‘green credentials’. And I’m not talking about colour palettes. Any manufacturer that chooses to ignore these facts, even one that produces large luxury cars, will be on a very sticky wicket indeed in a short space of time. Jaguar, however, is proving itself to be increasingly proactive. While alternate-power Jaguars, though undoubtedly in development, are still some way from being a production reality, the marque’s use of lightweight-aluminium construction in the XK and new XJ (and before that, of course, in X350 XJ), is very much key in its building of cars that have a minimised environmental impact, despite their luxury and performance credentials. The latest VCA certifi cation will help Whitley’s engineers ensure that the next generation of Jaguars will be the ‘greenest’ yet. The analysis of the new XJ included all aspects of its life cycle, from materials used, through manufacturing, projected use, and ultimate disposal. Not only is it the first Jaguar to have been subject to such scrutiny, it is one of only a few vehicles worldwide to have been analysed in this way. It’s not hard to envisage that the publication of such data may well become mandatory in the not-too-distant future, so for Jaguar to be in there at the beginning can only be a good thing.