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| On the road Jaguar XK: a living legend! At the 2005 Detroit and Geneva motor shows we had to make do with a mysterious prototype dubbed "Advanced Lightweight Coupé". In Frankfurt we will at last be able to admire Jaguar's latest gem in its entirety, before the launch of the cabriolet version in 2006.
At the origin of the myth: a band of musketeers... Motoring history enthusiasts know that it was William Lyons, creator of the Jaguar marque, who initiated the XK project just after the Second World War. At that time his team consisted of a few engineers, engine builders and designers of genius such as Bill Heynes, Claude Bailey, Walter Hassan (former one-man-band of the Bentley stable) and Franck Raymond Witloof England (who trained at Daimler), to whom all credit goes for the commercial and sporting success of this high-powered car. These artists gave birth to a memorable concept, the XK: a 6-cylinder engine with two overhead camshafts capable of propelling a large saloon with a flowing and aggressive architecture at 100 miles per hour... On its launch in 1948, the XK 120 caused a massive stir: orders flooded in and a new factory had to be built to produce the car that was to become one of the most legendary sports cars of the 20th century.
57 years on, the XK concept is still topical! The new XK is equipped with an all-alloy naturally aspirated Jaguar AJ-V8 engine delivering 304 hp and enabling it to go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 6.2 seconds. Coupled with a sequential shift 6-speed automatic transmission system, the engine and gearbox unit delivers power with smoothness and flexibility the real Jaguar trademark! As for safety, all XKs are equipped with Jaguar's Adaptive Restraint Technology System (A.R.T.S.), which instantly measures the severity of a crash, the position of the driver and front-seat passenger and the usage of seatbelts, to determine the appropriate airbag deployment energy levels in the event of a frontal collision.
A fascinating power of seduction XK is nowadays synonymous with style, luxury and performance. The team led by Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director, has updated the silhouette of the iconic sports car of the 1960s and 1970s. Lower and even more muscular and sexy, the XK still inspires power, but the sculptural bonnet, radiator grille, side sills, rear bumper and spoiler have been entirely redesigned. The rear light clusters are darker. The new white Jaguar Growler badge on the bonnet is framed by the chequered flag (a reminder of Jaguar's sporting past). Inside it is still the height of luxury, and customers can personalise the cabin with a choice of four different colours and two dashboard trims. The dashboard has a new elm wood veneer and the seats and interior are covered with soft-grain leather. The standard equipment is up to scratch, as demonstrated by the heated and electrically operated power-folding side mirrors, headlamp powerwashers, heated and electrically adjustable front seats with memory settings, heated windscreen with automatic rain sensor and xenon headlamps for improved visibility at night... The XK is, of course, equipped with a luxury sound system with eight 40W speakers, and wireless Bluetooth connection. The new XK Coupé is scheduled to go on sale in the last quarter of 2006. The cabriolet version should also be available soon.
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