The New Jaguar XK

Jaguar unveiled an all-new 2006 car, called simply the “XK”, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005. Designed by Ian Callum, who also worked on the Aston Martin DB9 and Vanquish, the new XK bares a striking resemblance to its Aston cousins. Offered as both coupe or convertible it was a direct replacement for the previous XK8 model.

Design

 

The all-new XK is visibly more assertive and sportier than the model it replaces, but in true Jaguar tradition it is also elegant, understated and mature. In hard-top guise it has classic, ground-hugging Coupé proportions, with long hood, steeply raked windscreen and rear window, arch-filling wheels, and minimal overhangs. The front-wing power vents are a new Jaguar styling signature recently seen on the special edition XJ Super V8 Portfolio; the distinctive oval grille opening, prominent hood power-bulge and practicality-enhancing rear Liftback all echo the classic E-type, while details like the sweeping front and rear light shapes and powerful stance catapult Jaguar sports car design firmly into the 21st century.

Inside the new XK, the layout is driver-focused and sporty, with excellent ergonomics and body-hugging seats, set low against the high waistline to give a strong ‘cockpit’ feel. With the new XK’s longer wheelbase, wider tracks and taller roofline, the 2+2 layout has significantly more interior space for front seat occupants than the XK that it replaces.

Also like the XK it replaces, the all-new XK is available in both two-door Coupe and Convertible forms, each model in its own right developed in parallel under one umbrella program. The decision to give the Convertible version a classic soft-top rather than a folding hard-top means the open option offers exactly the same 2+2 seating layout, without compromising the elegant lines of the rear body, the strong, rising waistline or the light weight of the car.

The fully-lined triple-layer roof has exceptional wind and road noise isolation. It opens and closes at the touch of a button in less than 18 seconds, and when dropped it stows neatly below a rigid aluminium tonneau cover without unacceptable intrusion into the large luggage space. Furthermore, the loadspace can be increased by approximately 3 cu. ft. (83 litres) by stowing the retractable loadspace separator when the Convertible roof is up. The use of a soft-top has also allowed the exterior body to be designed with much cleaner lines and a relatively low deck, meaning the door waist line can be carried right through the vehicle from the front of the car to the tail.

 

The roof is constructed from three layers, which also insulate against wind and road noise. The outer layer is a completely waterproof cloth/rubber/cloth laminate, and the inner layer is a luxurious cloth lining which is taut and smooth when the roof is closed. The ‘sandwich filling’ is an insulation layer, using 3M Thinsulate™ material. This gives significantly better insulation for less than half the thickness of the previous XK soft-top construction. It is not only lighter, it takes up significantly less volume when the roof is stowed, allowing more space for passengers and luggage. The rear window is toughened glass, with a heating element, and is bonded into the roof. The door glass automatically drops slightly as the doors are closed, and rises again to seal inside the roof water channels. Additionally, the Convertible’s rear windows can be lowered even when the roof is up.

The new XK was created by Jaguar’s new design team under the leadership of Design Director Ian Callum. The new 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 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 XK looks very compact, it has excellent luggage space, and the Coupé is designed to be able to carry two golf bags. Although the rear overhang is fully 4.8 inches shorter than on the previous 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. 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.”

Ian Callum