Jaguar xk convertible
Lithe and powerful, this new generation convertible is just perfect for spring !
Lithe and powerful, this new generation convertible is just perfect for spring !
This outstanding car is a cocktail of four basic components : spearhead technology, refined power, dramatic styling and luxury that can be called distinctive. Its designers have taken advantage of research carried out by the aerospace industry to endow it with a bodyshell with components in extruded, cast and pressed aluminium which are riveted, epoxy-bonded and sometimes bolted together. The result is great strength and remarkable rigidity (a 48% improvement on the previous model), but also unexpected lightness (140 kilos lighter). Whence greater agility, faster acceleration and more precise handling. The XK Convertible is powered by the latest generation of the high performance 4.2 liter V8 engine (300 hp) and fitted with an improved version of the CATS electronic suspension system based on electronically controlled suspension dampers to optimise grip, comfort and control. The Trac DSC (dynamic stability control) detects and corrects over-steer and under-steer while enhancing acceleration and traction. The standard Intelligent Lighting System features automatically operated and self-levelling Bi Xenon headlights. Another bonus for the drivers is the car’s Parking Assist. When reversing, it uses ultrasonic sensors mounted in the bumper to detect objects up to 1.80 metres behind the vehicle. An audible warning alerts the driver, whilst arrows on the centre console touch screen provide further information on the object’s precise location in relation to the car. Idem, but as an option this time, for the front parking aid system. As for safety, two systems are particularly noteworthy : ARTS and the Roll-over Protection System. The first assesses the severity of a frontal impact, the number, weight and position of the occupants in order to determine the optimum deployment of the front airbags. The second takes only 65 milliseconds to activate two massively strong hoops stowed beneath the tonneau cover, which deploy and lock behind the rear seats to create a survival zone.
Inside the XK Convertible, we find the luxurious world of Jaguar. Pure lines, rare elegance and top-quality materials. Choose from three colours (Caramel, Slate Blue and Warm Charcoal) and a trim in aluminium, walnut or poplar. The two Sport and Sport Luxury seat versions are equally ergonomic. The standard Sport models are proposed in leather with ten position adjustments. The optional Sport Luxury models propose softgrain leather seats with sixteen adjustments. The automatic dual zone climate control enables the driver and passengers to select individual cabin temperature. And the final touch to this motoring marvel : the design of the rear Liftback door (all in aluminium, the first ever engineered by Jaguar) maximizes the length of the rear window, providing excellent rear visibility for the driver.
By Cécile Olivéro - photos : press
