Jaguar decided to make its presence known at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and prepared the release of its two newest models: the XKR and the XFR.
The two received some body enhancements and chassis revisions, with the XFR showing a deeper front spoiler and also a lower stance, while the XKR’s most significant change is its chrome front grille.
"Built in tradition of great and tourers, with state-of-the-art engineering, aerospace-inspired construction and outstanding driving dynamics, the new XK is the latest in a long line of legendary performance Jaguars," said Mr. Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars. He continued by saying that the company’s philosophy is to get its designers and engineers to work together on all aspects, in order to develop great solutions for complex technical challenges.
The all-new AJ-V8 Gen III engines have been tagged as the most efficient the company ever produced. They have been designed to deliver significantly more power and torque than Jaguar’s previous generation of engines: 375kW and 625Nm of torque for the supercharged XKR and 283kW and 515Nm in the XK. Looking out for its customers and also the environment, both models feature improved fuel economy and CO2 emissions which meet the forthcoming EU5 emissions legislation.
Jaguar promised a quicker response in sequential-shift mode for the new models, and the six-speed automatic gearbox was upgraded to handle the significantly increased torque levels, through fully electric shift-by-wire features and a revised torque convertor.
The company introduced a laminated windscreen in order to reduce noise intrusion, there are also electronic oil level and brake pad wear monitors, and the new diesel models have a special fuel filler system that only opens for a diesel pump. The vehicles also have new mirrors with integrated LED indicators, new LED tail-lamps with twin reversing and fog lamps, a revised centre console and redesigned instruments and several new chrome detailing design features.
Both will be available in the United States starting this spring. At this point, there are three models in the range: the Jaguar XK, the XK Portfolio and the Jaguar XKR. The Jaguar XK will be available at a starting price of £59,900 for the coupe and £65,900 for the convertible, while the Jaguar XKR’s price will start from £72,400 for the coupe and £78,400 for the convertible.
This is certainly not the best period for new luxury releases, but the company considered the event in Detroit a great opportunity to get its new models out into the open. The cars appear to enter into a segment usually ruled by car manufactures such as Aston Martin, Mercedes, Porsche and BMW. Competition is always good, as it pushes the players involved to find new ways to promote their products and come up with attractive offers. Considering the worldwide economic crisis, this might actually turn out to be a positive move.
The upgraded XF will be available starting with March, while the XFR will enter the North American and European dealerships one month later.
