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One of six.
700 horsepower.
Carbon fiber body with adjustable spoiler.
$20,000 TWR titanium exhaust.
Lamborghini Reventon-matching paint.
Want.
In an odd but not unheard of move, Jaguar is providing spy shots of the new XF Sportbrake. This isn't the first time we've seen manufacturers sending out their own spy photos, but it is the first time that they've A) Done so via twitter and B) added a twitter tag to the actual vehicle.
The Jag-owned twitter @Sportbrake is mostly full of references to people who have asked for, and received, the hand-out shots of the new Jag wagon. As we get closer to the car's release, though, they may turn to talking about things like the actual car.
But until they do, we have these photos.
How hard-core is the convertible version the Jaguar XKR-S? Hard-core enough that Jaguar has released video of a prototype testing on the Nurburgring.
This 2-minute movie is heavily edited, though, with music to boot. Now kill the music, we say, and show us that full, claimed sub-8-second lap via an on-board camera.
2011 L.A. Auto Show: 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible
First Drive: 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Coupe
(Jaguar UK YouTube via Autoblog)
The Jaguar C-X16 concept is nothing new to us. It premiered at the Frankfurt show a few months ago. We were already pretty excited, but now that we've seen it in person, we can say it's easily one of the most attractive designs out there.
Jaguar pulled the sheet off its drop-top version of the XKR-S, which has, according to Jaguar, sold all available examples of the coupe model. With 500 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque, Jaguar expects similar performance out of this new convertible. With a claimed 0-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds and an electronically limited 186-mph top speed, the XKR-S is the fastest convertible Jaguar has ever produced.
It may not have anything to do with steering feedback or ride quality, but a good-looking cabin can have a powerful impact on the way you experience your car.
After all, where would you rather spend the night: in a five-star hotel, or that dumpy Motel 6 on the skeezy side of town? Yeah, I thought so.
The Jaguar XJ13 is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Only one was built. It is my unicorn -- an unattainable object of desire. Jaguar Design Director, Ian Callum feels the same. And it was this car that inspired the C-X75 concept. The evocative video by Dunhill after the break chronicles the process. Watch it. Love it. You're welcome.
We're still recuperating from our visit to Frankfurt and while we'd sooner want to see a reborn Aztek than another wurst or schnitzel-based dish, we almost want to go back for the public days just to keep staring at the Jaguar X-C16 concept.
They didn't, however, start the concept at the show, nor demo the KERS button. Too bad, that's a big hall, it could've been fun.
During the Frankfurt Auto show I ended up exchanging yucks with Jag Design Chief Ian Callum. We discussed our Chevy hot rods (I have a '55, he has a '56.), the Goodwood Revival Meeting and of course his new concept car the Jaguar C-X16, which is not yet officially approved for production.
Somewhere in the conversation he said this, "If we do the C-X16, clearly we would have to consider doing a convertible." He then added the fact that more than 50 percent of Jag XK sales are convertibles.
I immediately called our inhouse design chief Mark Takahashi and asked him to chop the C-X16's top. "I'll do two," he said. "One with the top up and one with the top down."
What do you think?
This image caught my attention in the earlier posted Jaguar-Land Rover video.
"Wait, are those sunglasses on the Jaguar Growler badge?"
I ran back the video and did a screenshot. Sure enough, those sure look like sunglasses on the C-X16's growler badge. To double check, I looked at the original press images of the car (after the jump) -- no sunglasses. I suppose in between its official photo shoot and the Frankfurt Auto Show, the Jaguar Growler took some fashion advice from Chester Cheetah. Weird, right?
Jaguar-Land Rover's in-house video department put the video together after the jump. It includes running footage of the C-X16, C-X75 and DC100 concepts (or possibly CG footage) as well as interesting insights from key J-LR executives.
Teaser: "Feast your eyes on this beauty ..." Um, you're introducing a car, not a show pony.
Although our spy photographers have caught Jaguar engineers testing the production version of the company's new sports car several times, Jag will not admit that the C-X16 two-seater is a go. Instead Jag will drag the concept version of the Cayman fighter to more auto shows, including Los Angeles in November, to "gauge reaction."
But...
The Jaguar C-X16 may officially be a concept, but it's not exactly a secret that it'll be a real-life production car next year. Be it XE or something else, if the concept is any indication, it's going to look sensational. Follow the jump for Alistair Weaver's take on the C-X16 from the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.
Teaser: "The more conservative management types think the cabin looks like a tart's boudoir."
Yesterday we brought you an interview with Jaguar's Ian Callum talking about the Frankfurt-bound Jaguar C-X16 concept, He talked about the ideal buyer, the bolder style and the fact that a V8 would certainly fit. That was a significantly more informative video than the one we have today.
The video after the jump is nothing more than a flashy promo flick Jag put together to show off the stunning new concept. There's no new information, but we do get to see the C-X16 in motion and that's well worth the minute-long run time.
Earlier today, Jaguar officially released the C-X16 concept and despite the concept designation, this small car is destined for production as the Jaguar XE which we've seen before.
Now, the official line on the concept is that it's a hybrid (KERS) supercharged V6 with an 8-speed automatic transmission. That doesn't add up with what we've seen and heard, though. The car we caught in our Jag XE Spy Video sounded like a 6, but that's not the only one we've seen. Take a look at these spy photos which show two distinct exhaust routings. Our spy photographer said that the car sounded different than previous cars, and that further research on the car's registration indicated it was running a 5.0-liter V8.
And then there was our discussion with Ian Callum. Jaguar's design director strongly hinted that a V6 would indeed be offered. More interesting was the fact that he let loose the fact that although the XE won't arrive with a manual transmission from the start, one will be available at some point down the line.
So a 5.0-liter XE-R with a six-speed manual? Yes please.
Following up on the hotness that was the C-X75, Jaguar is bringing another sensational looking concept vehicle to the Frankfurt Auto Show. This is the Jaguar C-X16 and, like the C-X75, it mixes high performance with an alternative drivetrain. Unlike the C-X75, though, this is a simple 375 horsepower 3.0-liter V6 -- albeit a supercharged and direct-injected one -- with a KERS-linked electric motor that kicks out an additional 94 horses and 173 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a ZF-built 8-speed automatic.
Performance of the Ian Callum-designed (shock) concept is estimated to be 4.4 seconds to 60 and a top speed of 186 mph.
Apart from the hybrid powertrain, the C-X16 also gets some high tech features on the inside. These include configurable OLED screens and a touch-screen with full smart phone integration.
Insofar as concept cars go, this one is pretty mild (except for the Vermillion Red interior) and isn't far from what the production version (called the XE) will look like.
There's nothing quite like walking out to the curb and finding a Jaguar XKR-S waiting for you. It kind of brightens up your whole day.
We knew something was up the night before when our host from Jaguar started talking about the Nurburgring Nordschleife and told us about the new development center that Jaguar had recently established there. Then he began talking about the way the XKR-S steers into a corner and took that pose as if he were holding an imaginary steering wheel with his fingertips, which is the posture that racers everywhere adopt when they talk about cars.
So when we fired up the supercharged V8 of the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S there in the hotel portico and the navigation system laid in the route from San Francisco to Monterey, we knew the day would turn out pretty good.
"Editor's Note: This weekend, on California's Monterey Peninsula, the automotive world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beautiful Jaguar E-Type. Four years ago Inside Line borrowed the first production E-Type roadster, the 1961 Geneva Auto Show Car, from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust and spent the night cruising London and the historic Ace Cafe. Enjoy the ride.-- Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief"
In case you missed in on our home page, we've re-run our story, Cruising London's Ace Cafe in the Original Jaguar E-Type Roadster, that initially ran back in 2007. If you missed it the first time, check it out. And if you did see it the first time around, well, no harm in going back, right? We've added about 40 new photos which can now be enlarged to full screen view.
Cruising London's Ace Cafe in the Original Jaguar E-Type Roadster
Jaguar has just released a preview sketch of the slick new coupe concept they'll be showing at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle is designed by the XJ, XF and XK design team working under Ian Callum. "The C-X16 concept is a precursor to future Jaguar sports cars that will aim to set new class benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology." reads the press release.
"Great Jaguar cars have always been beautiful, innovative and have looked firmly to the future," added Callum.
Until Sept 7th when it's shown at Frankfurt (As the XE?), this is all we've got to go on. It looks sharp -- Callum is good at this -- but does anyone else see a Z4 rear end, an Aston / Zagato front and a side vent from the....Kia Optima?
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