Motoring in Spain - Jaguar XK
For the true enthusiast
Jaguar XK For the true enthusiast
Motoring correspondent Charlie Flindt is pleased to discover that the new XK remains the epitome of a luxuriously equipped grand tourer – with some clever and subtle refinements.
Few car companies have been through the mill in the way that Jaguar has over the last thirty years – and survived. Sometimes, when looking at today’s Jaguars, it’s hard to believe that this proud name found itself entangled with the industrial and political madness that was British car manufacturing of the late Seventies.
Now, however, Jaguar is bursting with confidence. Those bad old days of a limited number of long-in-the-tooth models, industrial strife and dodgy quality are gone. Now, you can take your pick from a range of cars that has something for everyone. The thoroughly modern and practical X-type, or the retro-styled S-type. There’s the remarkable XJ, which even the least observant would recognise as the latest – and best – variant of a model that’s been around for decades.
And the jewel in the Jaguar’s finely polished crown is the XK. Since its launch in 1996, this machine has established itself as the classic gentleman’s carriage: elegant, refined, and capable of huge speed and performance.
Now, a decade on, the all-new XK is on its way. And I challenge you not to be stunned by your first glance at it. Start at the back and wander round. It’s all so elegantly understated, with clean, simple, flowing lines. Mind you, it’s not all dedicated to being a pleasure on the eye. There are practical touches as well. That huge rear glass in the "liftback door" (what you or I would call the hatchback – but don’t do it within earshot of a Jaguar man) is there to improve rearward vision. The side windows seem to be tiny slots by comparison; the modern trend for deep doors and low-slung seats means the days of cruising along with an elbow resting out of the open window are well gone.
If the front seems to stir memories of a long time ago, don’t be surprised. There have been some clever and subtle styling changes: there’s a small, round Jaguar badge on the horizontal chrome bar in the radiator grill. The headlights have been rounded off. All you need is a big chrome bumper, a spaced out pop star and a blonde groupie in an indecently short miniskirt, and you have the E-Type – which, let’s face it, is the archetypal Jaguar.
That spaced-out pop star, if he is still with us (and is probably an accountant in Milton Keynes), would be stunned by the technical improvements. Those pedestrian-unfriendly bumpers have gone, and the XK features a novel pop-up bonnet, which is activated by sensors in the bumper. At the first sign of impact with a pedestrian, explosive charges flip the bonnet up a few inches. It now acts as a safety zone between body and engine, and all done within three hundredths of a second.
Other technical advancements under the XK’s beautiful skin are less dramatic. Jaguar has continued with its aluminium-only Lightweight Vehicle Technology, which has proved so successful on the XJ saloons. It is unique in the industry as a complete aluminium monocoque – as opposed to an aluminium frame with aluminium panels attached to it – which is incredibly strong and very light.
And, as I say to myself every morning as I look in the mirror, if you start with a beautiful, strong, lightweight body, the rest has got to be easy. Jaguar has slotted a 4.2 litre V8 under that pop-up bonnet. It is compact, lightweight (again), and capable of a nice and convenient 300 bhp. A wide torque spread, thanks in part to being naturally aspirated (no brash turbochargers or superchargers here, thank you), gives 85% of torque at a decidedly lazy 2,000 rpm – perfect for the gentleman who finds gear-changing a bit of a fuss and bother.
If, however, gear changing happens to light your fire, then you’ll be pleased to know that Jaguar has followed the trend for modern gearboxes. It’s a six-speed with a multitude of option for operation. You can change with paddles on the steering wheel, you can use the gearstick, or you can leave it in automatic mode – "Drive" or "Sport". Push all the right buttons, pull all the right levers, and you can hustle the XK to 100 kph in about 6 seconds, and on to an electronically limited 250 kph.
But this, if you are a gentleman, is not why you buy a Jaguar. You want a luxuriously equipped grand tourer. You want the finest leather, finely stitched. This you will get, with a few modern metallic touches among the polished wood. You want nice traditional dials with the occasional high-tech screen. You want heritage, but you want all the advantages of the modern technology.
The new Jaguar XK is the Jaguar enthusiast’s Jaguar. You might be the gentleman, the gentlewoman, the former rock star, or the ex-groupie; but if you like Jaguars, you’ll love the new XK.
Jaguar XK Coupe
Engine: 4196cc, V8, 32 valve
Power: 300 bhp
Max. speed: 250 kph
Performance 0 to 100 kph: 6.2 seconds
