Jaguar unveils new XK
Concept-like aluminium body adds lightness
     Jaguar XK for 2006 |
Jaguar has officially announced the new XK -- and it looks very much like the Advanced Lightweight Coupe concept that it first showed off in January at the Detroit car show (see link below).
Gone are the chromed air outlets on the sides and front valance but the shape is the same -- as many have remarked, the Ian Callum-designed car still hints heavily at Callum's previous job as design director at Aston Martin (see link below). You'll be able to buy one early next year.
According to Jaguar, "it bristles with practical, intuitive, modern technology, clearly focussed on enhancing the driving experience. It delivers significant improvements in performance, dynamics, safety, exterior and interior design and equipment, and product quality." The company's plans for the car include it becoming "the sporting flagship of the Jaguar brand".
Using an aluminium monocoque body structure, like the new XJ, the XK’s bodyshell is 31 per cent stiffer than before and offers a 10 per cent improvement in power to weight ratio, weighing 1,595kg. Performance is a claimed 5.9 seconds from zero to 60mph.
Other key features include:
- Naturally aspirated 300bhp 4.2-litre V8 engine developing 300bhp
- New sequential 6-speed automatic transmission system incorporates steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual gear changes
- Top speed of 155mph (electronically limited)
- Convertible model will also be available – details will be announced later this year
- Driver-focussed technologies such as keyless entry, push button start and active lighting
- Spacious, elegant sports car cabin exemplifies Jaguar craftsmanship, luxury and quality
Design
Ian Callum described the thinking behind the car: "The fundamental values of Jaguar design do not change – not even since Sir William Lyons created the first Jaguar all those years ago. The entire design team worked with those values as we looked to create a car with clean lines, a purposeful stance and exquisite proportions. We took influences from our heritage and evolved them to produce a car that is beautiful, visually fast yet undeniably modern; just as Sir William's own designs were in their day."
The front-wing power vents are set to become a new Jaguar styling signature while inside the XK uses stitched leather to contrast with a choice of more high-tech trim surfaces including metallic finishes.
The layout is said to be driver-focussed and sporting. It has a longer wheelbase, wider track and taller roofline than the outgoing XK so the 2+2 layout has more interior space. With a 20mm increase in front-seat headroom over the previous XK, Jaguar claims class-leading front leg and shoulder room.
The instrument cluster houses two prominent round dials either side of an advanced high-resolution colour display based on thin-film transistor technology -- otherwise known as an LCD. This display is split into several zones showing vital information such as gear selection, cruise control information, low tyre pressure warnings and satellite navigation instructions, depending on market. A centrally mounted 7-inch touch-screen allows selection of climate, audio, navigation and telephone settings.
Owners also get a Jaguar smart key, which provides keyless start with a push-button starter, along with optional keyless entry simply by carrying the Jaguar smart key in your pocket or bag.
Engines and transmission
The XK gets Jaguar’s 4.2-litre, 300bhp V8, which is based on the one in the new XJ. It develops maximum torque of 303lb-ft at 4,100rpm, more than 85 per cent of it delivered from 2,000 to 6,000rpm.
Zero to 60mph is covered in 5.9 seconds, and the standing quarter-mile time of 14.4 seconds is said to be less than half a second off the pace of the previous supercharged 4.2 XKR. While good, it's not earth-shattering, so it's a fair bet that a supercharged or otherwise engine-enhanced version is on the cards.
For the first time in a Jaguar, drivers will be able to use steering wheel-mounted paddles to change gear with the new Jaguar sequential shift transmission. In either Drive or Sport Manual modes, fast gear shifts are achieved by combining the use of one-touch paddles with an automatic blip of the throttle from the drive-by-wire engine management system during downshifts.
The XK’s six-speed transmission introduces a new generation of automatic gearshift for Jaguar, replacing the familiar ‘J’ gate with the new Jaguar Sequential Shift system with Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Sport modes. The fully automatic Drive mode adapts to individual driving styles, while a Sport Auto mode can also be selected. This is claimed to offer an even more responsive, fully automatic shift strategy, with a throttle blip for smooth gear shifts.
Brakes and steering
The XK has a new braking system, tested at Jaguar's dedicated research facility at the Nürburgring, resulting in more braking power and more responsive feedback. The hardware consists of larger, ventilated discs with four-channel ABS, electronic brake force distribution, hydraulic brake assist to increase brake pressure during an emergency stop, and Jaguar’s electronic park brake function.
Jaguar reckoned that, unlike conventional digital ABS systems, the XK’s ABS system can vary the brake pressure at each wheel using analogue valves in the hydraulic control unit. The claimed benefit is more refinement and increased steering input during heavy braking.
The car's power steering system is the same as that in the XJ but tweaked for "optimum high-speed feedback under all conditions".
Safety features include legislation-mandated pedestrian impact safety systems, a tyre pressure monitoring system and run-flat tyres, both options, a dynamic headrest system to protect against whiplash injuries, and forward alert which uses the optional adaptive cruise control’s forward-facing sensors to scan the road ahead 10 times every second to warn of a potential collision. It also gets a new switchable dynamic stability control with traction control system.
Optional too is an active front lighting system that swivels the standard bi-xenon headlights, depending on road speed and the angle at which the steering wheel is turned.
Body engineering
Jaguar claims a first, in that the new XK uses an aluminium monocoque body structure, as distinct from an aluminium spaceframe with separate aluminium exterior panels. Developed from aircraft industry methods, where strength and light weight are critical, Jaguar’s manufacturing process produces a strong but very light structure that is both riveted and epoxy-bonded.
According to Jaguar, its remarkable strength and light weight come from both the way the bodyshell is constructed and the use of new jointing technologies.
Rear entrance is via an all-aluminium rear liftback door that pivots on two hinges so its edge moves away from the your head as the lid is raised. Rear visibility is described as "excellent" – rare in the sports coupé field.
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Needs another 100 bhp and overall quality to match. No verdict possible in the immediate future.
r988 said:
Looks how a Z4 coupe might look from this angle...
Not 100% convinced yet, but I did prefer the ALC when I actually saw it in the flesh.
From this angle it looks like one of those old DB7's?!!
I think the out going model says more about it being a Jag unlike this new XK.
G
PS When is the 'R' version arriving?
Ir brings to mind a much more modern version of the ageing XK currently for sale, but still retains the class and beautiful design!
I hope it is a rampant sales success for Jaguar!. At last they have begun to sort the weight problem out!
And yes, it does look much more classy next to a 6-series. I want to know when the XKR is out and if there is anymore news on the proposed 500bhp version that Coventry was considering.
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