2007 Jaguar XK

[BMWDave]

Jaguar to launch production version of new XK at Frankfurt; vehicle set to arrive next spring
AUTOWEEK
Posted Date: 8/26/05
Jaguar is set to take the wraps off of the production version its next-generation XK at next month's Frankfurt auto show, with sales of the 2+2 coupe expected to begin in North America next spring as an '07 model.

Succeeding the previous Jaguar XK coupe/convertible range introduced in 1996, the next-gen XK is powered by the latest generation of Jag's naturally aspirated 4.2-liter AJ-V8 engine, developing 300 hp, with a supercharged version developing upwards of 400 hp on the way. Power is routed to Jaguar's new sequential shift 6-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles. The car moves from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds and hustles through the quarter mile in 14.4 seconds with a top speed electronically limited to155 mph, according to Jaguar.



Thanks to the new vehicle's all-aluminum construction, Jaguar claims an 31% increase in bodyshell stiffness over the previous generation steel-bodied XK. It is also lighter than its predecessor at 3671 lbs.

Key features and options include keyless entry, push button start, active lighting, an Alpine Dolby Pro-logic II 525 watt surround sound system and Sirius satellite radio. Bluetooth wireless is standard.

A convertible model will also become available, details of which will be announced later this year. Official pricing will be announced at the beginning of next year.

Jaguar design director Ian Callum describes the XK as having 'clean lines, a purposeful stance and exquisite proportions'.

"The fundamental values of Jaguar design do not change," explains Callum. "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 Lyon's (Jaguar founder) own designs were in their day."

Production of the vehicle will take place at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands region of the U.K.

[Fire It Up]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

[BMWDave]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

[Fire It Up]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

Hopefully. Actually, hopefully not. Cause then I'll be smoking XK's left and right when I get my car.    

[BMWDave]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

Hopefully. Actually, hopefully not. Cause then I'll be smoking XK's left and right when I get my car.  

What car are you going to get?

[giant_mtb]

I like it from the rear wheels forward...but that rear overhang ruins it.  It's way too large.  Another disproportion that ruins my ability to truly love a car.    :ph34r:  

[giant_mtb]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

How is 14.4 slow?  It has 300 HP pushing 3671 pounds...that's not a bad number.

[Fire It Up]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

Hopefully. Actually, hopefully not. Cause then I'll be smoking XK's left and right when I get my car.  

What car are you going to get?

Ummm...

BMW 325i? (I'll mod it)
Porsche 944? (I'll mod it)
Nissan 240SX/180SX? (I'd mod the hell outta this one)

[TBR]

Those numbers are very conservative, the less powerful and heavier XJR has a quarter mile time of 13.4 seconds and a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds.

[Fire It Up]

NVM this post.

[BMWDave]

Those numbers are very conservative, the less powerful and heavier XJR has a quarter mile time of 13.4 seconds and a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds.

Yup, I am almost certain this car should be even faster than the XJ.

[BMWDave]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

Hopefully. Actually, hopefully not. Cause then I'll be smoking XK's left and right when I get my car.  

What car are you going to get?

Ummm...

BMW 325i? (I'll mod it)
Porsche 944? (I'll mod it)
Nissan 240SX/180SX? (I'd mod the hell outta this one)

start a thread about that, and I'll give you suggestions.  I dont want to hijack this thread :)  

[Fire It Up]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

Hopefully. Actually, hopefully not. Cause then I'll be smoking XK's left and right when I get my car.  

What car are you going to get?

Ummm...

BMW 325i? (I'll mod it)
Porsche 944? (I'll mod it)
Nissan 240SX/180SX? (I'd mod the hell outta this one)

start a thread about that, and I'll give you suggestions.  I dont want to hijack this thread :)

OK.  

[Raza]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

The XK8 was not a fast car--don't expect this one to be anything but heavier, so the power increase won't mean too much.  I mean, an SLK320 (last gen) was a match to 60 with the XK8.  The XKR is a different story.

[JYODER240]

Looks great IMO, but hopefully we see some better performance from it. Those numbers don't look much better that the current XK8. But its not far off from an SL500 or XLR.

[BMWDave]

More Pictures:

[BMWDave]

Jaguar XK Makeover Revealed
Date Posted 08-26-2005

IRVINE, Calif. ? After tipping its hand with the Lightweight Coupe Concept at last year's Detroit auto show, Jaguar has now released official specs and photos of the next-generation XK coupe.

Like the current XJ sedan, the body and chassis of the new XK will be made entirely out of aluminum. It reduces the car's overall weight by 108 pounds compared to its predecessor, a change that gives it improved acceleration and shorter stops according to Jaguar. The aluminum construction also makes the car 31-percent stiffer than the previous model which should go a long way toward improving the handling.

Power for the standard coupe will come from a 4.2-liter V8 with 300 hp. A six-speed automatic will be the standard gearbox although a new paddle-shift system will allow for easier manual-shift operation. Jaguar claims the 2007 XK will accelerate from zero to 60 in 5.9 seconds on its way up to a top speed of 155 mph.

Inside, the XK's longer wheelbase, taller roofline and wider track open up more passenger room. The XK gets all the latest technology including Bluetooth wireless connectivity, touchscreen navigation and a Dolby Pro Logic II audio system.

An XK convertible will be introduced later this year. Sales of the XK coupe start next spring.

What this means to you: If the XK shape always intrigued you but its performance left you cold, this new, more athletic XK may finally deliver the best of both worlds.

[BMWDave]

Nearly ten years after the launch of the current-generation XK coupe Jaguar has officially pulled the wraps off its replacement, which goes on sale early 2006. Sure, we've seen some pretty accurate images of the car thanks to spy shots, but this is the real deal complete with Coventry's seal of approval. There will, of course, be a convertible version of the new XK, as well as a firebreathing supercharged 'R' model. And as this new car is so much lighter than the current XK, we wouldn't rule out V6 models. Diesel could also be on the cards.

The original concept, which appeared earlier this year at the Detroit Motor Show, was called ALC (Advanced Lightweight Coupe) in honour of its all-aluminium construction. And recently, 4Car was invited for a private viewing of this crucially important new Jag. Even better, we were invited to join test drivers for a thrash around the legendary Nurburgring road circuit.

In the flesh, this new XK looks much more masculine than the car it replaces. And unlike the current car, which received criticism for excessive front and rear overhangs, the new XK sports less overhang and looks much better planted on the road.

Another feature not seen on Jaguar coupes since the E-Type is an opening hatchback. The luggage area that it reveals, though, is tiny and a bit awkwardly-shaped.
 
No question, this new XK has terrifically well-balanced proportions, as well as styling cues that aren't as painfully retro as those on the S- and X-Types. And a new Jaguar signature touch has been introduced with the so-called power vents in the front wings.

So the new XK has presence and a sort of brutish grace. But to our eyes, what the new XK lacks is a big visual 'wow' factor, a feature that the 1996 XK had in spades.
 
The new XK is built around a lightweight aluminium structure as pioneered by the latest XJ saloon. That's resulted in a kerb weight of 1595kgs, which is nearly 100kg less than the current XK. That's a lot - think of it as driving around without Johnny Vegas in the passenger seat...

The monococque aluminium construction - an uncommon but highly effective approach - is some 31 percent stiffer than the current XK's structure. In other words, a great platform upon which to base a car with credible sporting dynamics.
 
The interior, in which you sit way down low, is dominated by an imposing central console. And because the new XK has a longer wheelbase and wider track than the car it replaces, engineers have been able to address one of the biggest complaints about the current XK, namely, cabin space - the new car boasts more room for front seat occupants and in particular, 20mm extra (badly needed) headroom. But while the XK bills itself as a 2+2, the rear seats are strictly parcel shelves rather than proper seats for anybody not still in short trousers.

The driving environment is cocooning but comfortable, with all major controls just exactly where you'd expect to find them. The seats are particularly enveloping and supportive, a further clue to the more sporting brief the XK's aimed at. The large seven-inch display screen is also an easy thing to find your way around, whether to adjust the climate control or set the sat nav system.

The XK also gains a keyless starting system, which uses an evocative red button for firing up. There will also be optional keyless entry - all you do is carry the so-called Jaguar Smart Key in your pocket or bag and the car locks and unlocks as you approach or leave.

Buyers can specify their XKs in traditional wood and leather - Americans in particular are wedded to this combo. More contemporary metallic finishes are available for those less convinced that Jaguars must be tweedily retro.

The new XK will launch with the latest development of Jaguar's familiar 300bhp 4.2-litre V8 as used in the XJ saloon. It delivers 303lb ft of torque, of which 85percent is available from a low 2000rpm. That means lazy, flexible performance, which is just what you'd expect of a big Jaguar coupe. But because the XK, which is electronically limited to 155mph, is now so much lighter, the 0-60mph sprint comes up in just 5.9 seconds compared with 6.1 for the current car. Jaguar also claims that the new XK is just half a second slower over the quarter-mile sprint than the current supercharged XKR. So how fast will the next XKR be? Very, we reckon.
 
The XK also gains a new-generation six-speed automatic transmission, which adapts to different driving styles. That means, effectively, that if you are driving like a hooligan, gears will be held longer before upshifts occur. Calm down, and so will the gearbox. And with Sport Mode activated, there's even a function that blips the throttle for you on downshifts.

Another Jaguar first here is the availability of steering wheel-mounted paddles that allow drivers to sequentially shift gears, F1 style.

Along with all of the usual stability and traction control programmes, the new XK gains an anti-lock braking system that can vary the brake pressure at each wheel using analogue valves in the hydraulic control unit. This is meant to give even more steering control during a maximum-effort stop.

Elsewhere, the Jag offers a tyre pressure monitoring system and run-flat tyres. There's also Jaguar's Protec dynamic headrest system which minimises whiplash injury.

Forward Alert uses the Adaptive Cruise Control's forward-facing sensors to scan the road ahead ten times a second in order to warn of a potential collision scenario. Also for the first time on an XK, the headlights swivel in sympathy with the steering wheel so drivers can see into corners as they turn.

On the pedestrian protection front, Jaguar will be one of the first to adopt an active system on the XK that'll raise the rear of the bonnet to soften the impact force.
 

[BMWDave]

The car is beautiful inside and out, IMO.

[MX793]

It's an attractive car overall, but the headlights don't sit well with me.  They look very similar to those of the previous Ford Falcon from some angles.

[Raghavan]

For some reasons, in some angles, the headlights look awkward...

[thewizard16]

I like the current one better.   (exterior style wise)

[TBR]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

The XK8 was not a fast car--don't expect this one to be anything but heavier, so the power increase won't mean too much.  I mean, an SLK320 (last gen) was a match to 60 with the XK8.  The XKR is a different story.

Did you read the article? :
"Thanks to the new vehicle's all-aluminum construction, Jaguar claims an 31% increase in bodyshell stiffness over the previous generation steel-bodied XK. It is also lighter than its predecessor at 3671 lbs."

[Raza]

The vent looks so much more at home on this car than at the Super V8.

[Raza]

Its beautiful. But man, 14.4 is slow.

Thats not slow, and these are conservative times, I am sure the car will be quicker when it is actually tested.

The XK8 was not a fast car--don't expect this one to be anything but heavier, so the power increase won't mean too much.  I mean, an SLK320 (last gen) was a match to 60 with the XK8.  The XKR is a different story.

Did you read the article? :
"Thanks to the new vehicle's all-aluminum construction, Jaguar claims an 31% increase in bodyshell stiffness over the previous generation steel-bodied XK. It is also lighter than its predecessor at 3671 lbs."

Obviously, no, I did not read the article.  But that's good.

[BMWDave]

Here is a big shot of the interior:

[Minpin]

Wow i absolutely hate this car IMO. The tail end looks EXACTLY like the new eclipse but Mitsubishi pulls it off better IMO. Last gen is much better...

[BMWDave]

Wow i absolutely hate this car IMO. The tail end looks EXACTLY like the new eclipse but Mitsubishi pulls it off better IMO. Last gen is much better...

I see absolutely no similarities.

[TBR]

Neither do I. I absolutely love the new interior, but I am not sure it is quite up to the very high standard set by the previous XK:

[BMWDave]

Neither do I. I absolutely love the new interior, but I am not sure it is quite up to the very high standard set by the previous XK:

Design wise you may be right, but the interior of the new XK looks to be of far higher quality, IMO.