REFINEMENT AND RARITY VALUES TO DRIVE NEW JAGUAR XK SALES
01 February 2006 - Jaquar

Refinement and rarity will drive the success of the new Jaguar XK coupe and convertible sports cars, according to Jaguar’s managing director Bibiana Boerio.

Since first details of the new XK were released in August 2005, Jaguar has amassed an order bank of 1,500 in the UK and it is steadily rising as part of 4,000 worldwide, Boerio said at the new sportster’s UK press launch last week.

Since 1999 the global market for premium sports cars has doubled and it is now close to 100,000 orders annually. The US is expected to take 40pc of XK sales, twice as many as the UK.

Jaguar has been told by customers they want an everyday sporting model with good looks, occasional rear seats and a useful boot and which is practically equipped and comfortable yet can deliver a driver-focussed experience.

Bibiana Boerio said that the company had made a strategic decision last year to improve unit profitability and while this had seen a decline in registrations, particularly in the US, it did lead to improved profitability and meant its models acquired a greater rarity value as well.

“We believe there is something beneficial in being exclusive and this car will provide that.

“We are also looking at other small markets, such as China, where the profitability is two or three times better than in, say the US.

“The arrival of the XK will be very good for our strategic plan.”

Ms Boerio added that part of the strategic thinking meant focussing on models which were in greatest demand and this would be reflected in everything from the top end X-Type to the new XK series. The XK will go on UK sale in March, the US in April and also begin rolling out in Europe about the same time.

Although reluctant to forecast likely XK sales, she said it was her belief they would be more modest than the current series was, but the profitability would be greater.

The latest XK is powered by a 300bhp 4.2 V8 built in Ford Bridgend engine plant and it has been given a more sporty sound as engineers developed a “bark-box” which collects sounds from the inlet tracts and feeds them along a tube to the front bulkhead where they resonate while special valves in the exhaust give the emitted vibrations a deeper note as well.

Sensual pleasure underscores the development of the new XK which has been designed to provide a classic flowing shape over a finely honed chassis and well equipped, luxurious full leather, wood or aluminium trimmed 2+2 cabin.

The convertible features a multi-layered fully electric roof with glass rear window which opens or closes in around 18 seconds.

With its 4.2 engine and six-speed box operated by a lever or wheel paddles, the XK hits 60mph in around 6 seconds and covers the important 50-70mph interval in just over 3.0 seconds while running to an electronically limited 155mph. The coupe weighs 1595KG and the convertible is 1635KG thanks to its aluminium body and that gives it a combined consumption figure of 25mpg.

It is bigger inside than the current car and standard equipment includes keyless entry and start, cruise control, bi-zenon lights, touch-screen Bluetooth compatible info-centre, sat nav, six-disc MP3 player, electronic parking brake and rear parking sensors.

The new series is being simultaneously launched as a coupe and convertible at £58,995 and £64,955 respectively.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

With over 80 years experience building luxury performance cars and more than five decades of XK the newest Jaguar has a proud heritage to live up to. And it does.

To some, a sports car is all about noise. To others it is power and handling. For luxury, read equipment and comfort.

The Jaguar XK has all the elements and fulfils many roles. It is traditional, yet modern, composed and capable, fast and fine handling.

But these attributes only become apparent after you have heard that 4.2 bark and burble into life and you have effortlessly moved into gear and pushed the throttle.

Depending on your driving style it can be gentle or get-up-and-go, relaxed or rapid. You decide and the Jaguar does the rest.

Over more than 250 miles of South African roads I was able to get some measure of the Jaguar XK and it has the vital statistics for success in its sector. Style, sophistication, speed and superb dynamics.

It copes very well over any surface and its responses are sharp and surefooted to throttle, gearchange, steering and brakes. The coupe is probably sharper and more a driver’s model of choice.

The room in the front is very good, even for a 6ft 4in 18-stone colleague, and the controls fit around the driver like a glove. The two rear seats, however, are little more than suitable for a child and in the coupe there is minimal rear headroom.

The coupe’s boot is about 330 litres and fairly useful, more so than the just over 300 litres of the convertible, which loses some space to the compartment for the hood. Oddments space is tight throughout.

Visibility to front and sides is good and you soon become used to allowing for the blind spots created by that thick B-pillar carrying the roof to rear wings.

Noise levels are very low, the most noticeable being that of road rumbles from the big tyres, particularly if you select the 20-inch versions, and there is an eerie lack of vibration.

The turning circle is good without the XK being twitchy at speed but I felt it go lighter at 130mph, some 25mph short of its maximum.

On twisting mountain roads it stuck like glue and you have to push very hard to even make the tyres squeal because they hold on so well.

Miles Better News Agency

by Robin Roberts

www.jaguar.co.uk

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