Jaguar XK was created by Jaguar's new design team under the leadership of Design Director Ian Callum, to push Jaguar deeper into the 21 st century. The new Jaguar XK's lines are bold and beautiful, powerful but elegant. In Ian Callum's words, it looks "just like a Jaguar should - powerful and exciting. That power comes from a sense of tension, muscle and form and is very much part of the new design language we are creating."

That new language begins with the proportions and stance, which are dramatically different from those of the previous Jaguar XK. The new car sits on a longer wheelbase but it has markedly shorter overhangs, so it is very little longer overall. Its width, strong, high waistline and short, powerful haunches give an impression of a car hugging the ground, crouched, ready for action. With its dynamic hood and roof lines it looks much more compact, more contemporary, and extremely muscular and athletic - suggesting movement, power and agility even when it is stationary.

Although the new Jaguar XK looks very compact, it has excellent luggage space, and the Coupe is designed to be able to carry two golf bags. Although the rear overhang is fully 4.8 inches shorter than on the previous Jaguar XK, the rear luggage volume is only 0.28 cu. ft. less, or 0.78 cu. ft. more when the optional runflat tires are specified - and of course it has gained the enormous benefit of the all-new Liftback design, which provides excellent access to the loadspace area.

"I am very proud of the new XK," says Ian Callum. "It is contemporary with wonderful modern proportions yet we have succeeded in integrating design cues from our heritage. The front grille, for example, is pure E-type, and makes the perfect statement that this is, first and foremost, a Jaguar."


LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

- All-aluminum construction gives best-in-class torsional rigidity for Coupe and Convertible
- Lightweight body structure means better performance, handling, safety and economy
- Volume production of aluminum monocoque body structure unique to automotive industry

Key to the all-new Jaguar XK's character is Jaguar's industry-leading bonded and riveted aluminum monocoque body structure, introduced with the latest XJ saloons. The aluminum body incorporates the latest thinking in epoxy bonding and riveting techniques to produce a chassis that is very safe, as well as very light. In fact the new Jaguar XK's aluminum chassis is significantly lighter and stiffer in both Coupe and Convertible form than the steel model it replaces - over 30 percent stiffer and an impressive 50 percent stiffer respectively.

As a consequence the new Jaguar XK accelerates faster, uses less fuel and produces lower emissions than the model it replaces, while offering high levels of safety, reduced noise and vibration intrusion, and improved ride and handling characteristics thanks to improved suspension dynamics.

Jaguar's Lightweight Vehicle Technology is unique in the industry as a complete aluminum monocoque body structure as distinct from an aluminum spaceframe with separate aluminum panels. Developed from aircraft industry methods, where strength is critical for huge temperature variations and very high stresses during take-offs and landings, Jaguar's manufacturing process produces a massively strong but very light structure. The new Jaguar XK takes the concept a step further with extended use of lightweight aluminum castings and extrusions as well as the pressed aluminum panels. Its strength and light weight come from the way the shell is constructed, using new jointing technologies developed by Jaguar and its suppliers.

There is only a single welded joint in the new Jaguar XK Coupe body, the one 'cosmetic' joint on the roof. That also has an environmental benefit in that the body construction needs no high electrical current, produces no welding sparks or fumes, and needs no water for cooling.

previous page | go to page 5