Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
2010 Jaguar XFR
The XFR is the ultra-high performance version of Jaguar's standard XF sedan, which was widely greeted as the best all-new Jaguar in years when it debuted in 2008. The 2010 XF retails for $52,000 or $57,000 for the XF Premium model. Jaguar says the 2010 XFR will have an MSRP of $80,000 when it hits the roads this summer.
The 2010 XFR will be available for order in February 2009, with the first deliveries expected this summer. Its purpose is straightforward: To give Jaguar a true luxury sedan with the performance of an exotic sports car and a no-excuses competitor for sedans such as the Audi RS6, BMW M5, and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.
2010 Jaguar XK
Jaguar is calling the 2010 XK all-new, but in spirit and execution it looks familiar. And that's a good thing. Rather than a hard-edged sports car, the Jaguar XK has been more of a beautiful, lush, well-appointed grand touring car. The new XK coupes and convertibles don't change that but appear to be a bit faster, more polished, more efficient, and better looking than ever.
Nothing defines the XK more readily than its slinky styling, and the new ones should not disappoint. The 2010 XK models are clearly an evolution of the current car, with familiar proportions and similar profiles. Changes are most obvious in front, with a larger mesh grille below the bumper and a more prominently defined front lip spoiler. In back, the jewel-like LED taillights and rear bumper spoiler have bit more pizzazz. In total, the new XK is a hint flashier than the current car but just as pretty, and it still looks fast even when it's sitting still.
The XK features aluminum construction. Its body/chassis combination is formed from aluminum tubes and panels, glued and welded together like a commercial jet. Jaguar claims the XK has the lightest shell and the most torsional stiffness in its class. That means that it requires less energy to move, yet remains more resistant to bending or twisting over big bumps and bad surfaces, even in open-top form. Those are the ingredients of better handling, a smoother ride, and a more refined road feel.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Luxury Jaguar XF Diesel S
Since December 2008, Jaguar opened the order for XF-diesel plant edition in 2010. Sport sedan that given the title as the XF S V6 Diesel is still maintaining the dynamic performance line of luxury that the main value of XF Series.
XF S V6 Diesel engine and given the new AJ-V6D Gen III. With a capacity of 3.0-liter engine XF Diesel's able to produce a maximum of 600 Nm Torque. Meanwhile, labor is able to achieve the maximum of 275 hp.
Torque achievement is very big for the sport sedan in general. engine similar to that applied by competed only able to reach a maximum of 500 Nm Torque.
Come to achieve Torque 600 Nm XF Diesel's only takes 500 milliseconds from the lowest position lap machine (idle).
Because it is not surprising when the acceleration to 0-96 km / hour XF Diesel S only takes 5.9 seconds and 80-112 km / h in 3.2 seconds. While the speed is recorded until the end of 185 km / hour (speed barrier system are hampered electronic).
Instead of diesel engine 2.7-liter, which is used variants of the previous XF, XF Diesel Torque S greater 33%. Comparison of this and make the acceleration XF Diesel's 1.8 seconds faster than the model 2.7-liter diesel.
Jaguar also proud of the environmental friendliness XF Diesel engine S. Threshold emissions issued newest product is only 179g/km, or 10% lower than the Euro 5 emissions provisions that take effect in 2011.
"The system sequential turbocharger on the new V6 engine comparable with our performance V8 diesel engine made," said the head of Jaguar engineers Ron Lee.
"Our machine is very unique because it is achieving high performance rotary engine from low in a fast time. And, of course, because this machine can also save fuel and the emissions, "he continued.
Model XF Diesel 240 hp
In addition to S model XF Diesel (275 hp), Jaguar XF also release a model equipped with a Diesel 240 hp. With the same engine, the achievement of energy greater than 16% with 15% instead of Torque model motorized 2.7-liter.
This model requires the acceleration 0-96 km / hour in 6.7 seconds and 80-112 km / h in 3.7 seconds. In other words, the performance model XF Diesel 240 hp only more slowly from his brother a vigorous 275 hp. Meanwhile, fuel consumption is only 14 km / liter.
Diesel engine
Ability performance XF Diesel is not the success of the design and build diesel engine transmission system that made the Jaguar engineers.
Through the support of twin-turbocharger and automatic transmission 5-speed ZF type 6HP28, energy and Torque capable of quickly and distributed to the appropriate wheel drive system.
Twin turbocharger technology-XF Diesel using parallel sequential system. This system is the first in the world that is applied to the engine berkonfigurasi V. This makes the system to be diesel engine 3.0-liter Torque able to produce 61% more than the 2.7-liter diesel.
Effectiveness of the system in parallel sequential turbocharger can be explained by a simple example easily.
When running in the city or freeway routes, for example, the network component variable-geometry turbocharger primary will be working fully, but in the opening low. With the implementation of this fuel savings can be achieved in the maximum.
Meanwhile, when a superb performance requires greater engine on lap above 2,800 rpm, the turbo sekuder maximum work. The process works quickly and lasts very fine, which is 300 milliseconds. With so, the rider will not feel the impact and turbo-lag.
XF Diesel engine systems also mengaplikasi common-fuel-injection Railway latest third generation that has five injektor with the pressure reaches 2.000bar. In each injektor there are seven holes in the cylinder compression space.
Unlike the system of common-conventional Railway, Jaguar has implemented the new model features metering. With this feature Jaguar injektor ensure piezo crystal can maintain the high heat diesel.
Therefore, Jaguar is confident that the methods used in diesel engines XF Series is also remove the emergence of voice compression. Jaguar sound perfection remove the higher diesel engine block after XF Diesel made from compact GRAPHITE iron (CGI) with the aluminum cylinder.
Price
For the UK market (bersetir right) XF Diesel 3.0-liter (240 hp) removed the start price of 33,900 pounds sterling (approximately Rp 572 million). Meanwhile, the model for the highest XF Diesel S (275 hp) starting price of 36,900 pounds sterling. All the models will begin circulating in the market in March 2009.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
2007 Jaguar C-XF Concept
For Jaguar sedan design, time stopped in the 1960s. Today's X-type and XJ sedans both follow in the tire tracks of the first XJ, which debuted in 1968, while the S-type apes the even older, early-'60s Jaguar Mark II. Design chief Ian Callum is determined to drive Jaguar styling out of its cul-de-sac, and the Concept XF is the first indication of where he plans to go.
Interiors will use wood as both a structural and a decorative element. Jaguar cabins will be styled so as to emphasize their width, and technology will be discreet. The RD-6 and R-coupe concepts--as well as the new XK--follow this philosophy, but the C-XF is the first Jaguar sedan to do so.
Jaguar has announced that the S-type will be replaced in spring 2008 with a car called the XF, so the C-XF clearly points the way toward that production model. How close is the C-XF to the XF? "It's that styling direction, but it's not that car," says Callum, adding that "it's a less radical version of that shape." He characterizes the concept's design as "twenty percent exaggerated"--particularly in its low roofline, its wide track, and its pumped-up details.
The C-XF's 114-inch wheelbase is virtually identical to the current S-type's, and the concept is an inch longer overall. But the C-XF is significantly taller than an S-type and wider than an XJ. A supercharged, 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 mates to a six-speed manu-matic in the C-XF, but the production XF surely will be offered with a V-6 and Jag's normally aspirated V-8 as well. We'll find out how closely the production XF mirrors the C-XF concept this fall, when the XF will be unveiled, perhaps at the Frankfurt auto show.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Jaguar XK Coupe
“You delight in the metal strips on the running board section of the after-wing. Running your hand across them discovers a delicacy in polished steel, perfect for muddy boots or brogues. They stand out like expensive fountain pens bejeweling the deep luster of the black paintwork. Each is longer than the last, each pointing to the vertical louvers on the bonnet. Scattered elements made of stainless steel glisten on the bodywork like brooches. The entire car exudes strength, fortitude, an easy gracefulness, British practical design and purpose at its very best as exercised in the 1920s.” I wrote that paragraph on seeing Sir William Lyons Swallow Jaguar SS90 Prototype in a heritage museum. Lyrical it may be but the car inspires poetic prose. More than that, it’s a man’s car; it does manly things, makes manly noises, and has lots of manly metal to polish. It was designed to be both sporty and a GT, as was its successor, the SS100. Every road-going Jaguar sports car since has been imbued with the same manly GT qualities. Sir William went on to create other great motorcars, though after the XK150 he left design to his gifted aero dynamist engineer, Malcolm Sayers, the result was the XKE, or E-Type, as it’s known in Europe. Then came Sayer’s XJS with its controversial flying buttresses, not as beautiful as the XKE but still with great road presence. The XK that followed harked back to the XKE in looks but was saddled with the XJS’s chassis. The new XK is a giant leap forward yet it hasn’t had an easy ride from some quarters. Reviewers assert it’s not a true sports car because the ride is too soft; it is too like an Aston Martin, the cabin is nothing special; it’s the same engine as before; women will drive it, ad nauseam. Let’s look at those criticisms closely.
“The XK is too like an Aston Martin DB9.” Is that a worry? Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head of design, made his imprint on both companies. It’s debatable which is the most beautiful. The nose of the Aston does not have a polyurethane protective cone. All the lines converge on the grille. The front elevation is commendably clean and uncluttered but minimalism comes at a price in stone chips and costly repairs at the slightest bump. The Jaguar XK coupe I drove got compliments from drivers and pedestrians alike. I asked six discerning motorists to compare the XK with the DB9. All thought both cars beautiful, but the XK more “elegant,” “taut,” “muscular.” One felt the headlights cut to the wheel arch awkward, while another thought the DB9 had an attenuated nose, “too close to the headlights.” All felt the interiors good design solutions, simple and minimalist. Perhaps there is a convergence of possibilities when it comes to designing a desirable GT. Historically, the DB9 is a development of the DB7, a car also designed by Ian Callum, a car originally destined to be the new XK Jaguar. Here’s a new XK owner’s view, “I thought the [Aston Martin] V8 was a great car, but the clutch was heavy, the gearbox clunky; the ride was harsher than the Jag’s. I think the Jag is the perfect balance between sport and comfort. When you put your foot down it turns into a hooligan.” (John Steele – Scotland) Believe me; it takes a lot to convince a Scotsman to buy anything that isn’t good value. John’s commendation is praise indeed.
“It is not a sports car.” If journalists are expecting a pure sports car not sports GT they should direct their criticism to Bill Ford and ask him to approve the budget to build a production version of the exquisite F-Type, and stay true to the concept. The criticism is often accompanied by the opinion the suspension is too soft. It is the fashion for journalists to harp on (and on) about steering feel and suspension. While eradicating numb steering feel is desirable ultra-sensitivity is not. Far too many car manufactures are dialing in suspension that rattles teeth with lightning steering responses leaving you exhausted after a long journey. Racing suspensions are for racing cars. The XK soaks up most bumps and undulations with aplomb but still allows you to “feel” road camber and alignment irregularities. Only the worst pothole unsettles steering momentarily. Steering feel is fine for a GT of its size, and it is benign on the limit. I would not want it to have the instant responses of a go-kart. There is no rule book stating a driver will know a “real’ sport car when it feels as if wrestling a mad gorilla.
The cabin is nothing special.” The cabin is a good example of modern simplicity of design and good ergonomics. Plastic surfaces are kept to a minimum. Those evident are of a good quality and texture. Materials are matched tastefully. I’d have preferred the innovative seared black wood seen in the stunning C-XF concept to the alloy inserts in the XK, a better combination against the volume of stitched grained leather. Instrument faces are modern interpretations of the Jaguar style, green glow and all, pleasant enough even if they don’t quite sparkle as jewelry. They are not illegible vulgar bling.
“The engine is the same as before.” The engine is one of the world’s best. And it has undergone constant development to meet stringent emission regulations. The 4.2 liter variable valve-timed V8 shoots the car forward to 60 mph in less than six seconds, and quite frankly, that’ll do fine for most driving situations. If you want faster buy the supercharged version. In any event, I found it very difficult to hold the car back to the speed of parallel vehicles when the lights changed to green. Even the lightest touch on the pedal pushed your back into the seat squab. The thrill of power and torque underfoot never diminishes, mile after mile of humdrum city street. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. The Jaguar’s 6-speed sequential auto shift is flawless, smooth changes in transmission arrive without hesitation. The big revelation is the paddles behind the steering wheel for manual shifts; the best I have tested in any modern car, Porsche Tiptronic take note. The XK is a thoroughly modern car brimming with electronics.
“The car is too big to be agile.” This is a strange comment because the car is one of the lightest in its class, 1595kg curb weight. It has an all-aluminum construction, [the convertible is 1635kg] guarantees best-in-class torsion rigidity. Turn the steering and the car goes where you point the nose, instantaneously. On mountain roads Jaguar’s Electronically Computer Active Technology Suspension (eCATS) with automatic damping comes as standard and lifts the car from GT to sports GT with athletic agility, supremely able to negotiate the most sudden of bends. Poise and balance are excellent.
“Women will drive it.” What can I say about that dumb comment? Male drivers who ridicule woman do so because unlike their cars they cannot steer them. Women will choose to buy an XK because, like some men, they enjoy driving a car with character and genuine sporting ability. And like men it will make them feel sexy. The motor industry may be the last bastion of misogyny but I never thought to see it in “objective” reviewers.
“What does the XK not do?” It doesn’t drive up vertical scrub hills like the Range Rover Exhibitionist. It doesn’t handle well on sidewalks, or leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It does not look like an extension to a penis, not even in red. It doesn’t hold ten vile children like the Chrysler Weeping Wagon. It doesn’t have an exotic or an amusing name such as Yukon or Rabbit. It won’t develop your biceps or abs because the steering is as heavy as an ocean liner. It won’t turn heads by knocking, rattling, or backfiring. Nor will you be offered a dealer monogrammed pen as a trade in. It will hold its value well.
“General observations.” The XK has been thoroughly reviewed so I’ll keep my comments to personal observations. I took the car along Pacific Coast Highway, past Malibu, over the Santa Monica Mountains and back through rush-hour traffic to Los Angeles on the 405. It is reassuring to know of all the safety features built into the XK while driving around the vertiginous twisties and 200 feet cliffs of Decker Canyon where an unfortunate member of the rock band, Iron Butterfly, disappeared one night, his remains and car wreck lying undiscovered for years. Worth special mention is the pyrotechnic deployable bonnet that automatically deploys mitigating the severity of pedestrian injury. The brakes inspire confidence; 60-0 in 113 feet is up with the best sports cars. Oh, and the Xenon headlights that adjust to sudden corners are terrific.
One of the drawbacks of the XK’s svelte shape is the severely limited rear view. Jaguar has a solution. Put the car in reverse and the passenger wing mirror flips down for a view of the curb. The computer shows an outline of the car, almost as if saying “You are here.” Together with an on-screen visual of the car, a radar based rear parking sensor lets you know the distance to an object behind. Nevertheless, you look behind because it’s an unconscious habit not to take anything you cannot see on trust. When someone places a chair under your butt it is almost impossible to resist checking it is there before committing yourself! And looking behind you, you will notice the rear jumps seats are for children or luggage. An adult of any size will find it cramped on any journey. And I would have thought folding rear seats well worth installing in a hatch-back GT. As a chronic back pain sufferer the most luxurious aspect to me are the multi-adjustable electric seats. It’s easy to get a comfortable setting for any size and weight of driver. The steering wheel tilts and moves in or out. (I was taught to judge arm stretch from seat to wheel by ensuring the wrists touched the top of the steering wheel.) There’s five buttons to log automatic settings for five drivers and the same for passengers. The retractable antenna is an anachronism. It will be hidden in the 2008 models, in the rear spoiler. Wheels are satisfyingly big and wide for maximum grip - 19 inches, 20 inches an option.
The navigation system continues to beat other manufacturers with its logical layout, speed and multi-purpose uses. I’d recommend the Bluetooth telephone option before anything else. As an incomer to California I am appalled at the number of drivers using hand-held cell phones, concentrating on their phone conversation, sometimes while eating a take-away, reading a paper, applying make-up. It cannot be long before California bans use of hand-held cell phones. The standard 160 watt, multi-CD on the dash, six speaker system is fine; so, think carefully if you want to pay more for an upgrade. Personally, I’d rather keep the windows down and listen to the engine. Which reminds me, the exhaust note is acceptable, more of a burble than a rumble; if you like a constant roar battering your eardrums talk to your Jaguar dealer about a wide bore exhaust. As I said, the XK is a refined sport GT, not a hopped-up racer.
I have one other recommendation to buy this car over its competitors: I showed it to a relative on the point of changing his Lexus saloon for something new. He was so impressed he went out and bought an XK the next day, a fully loaded coupe in black with tinted windows. In all my years reviewing cars, their designers, and industry developments, I have never had that happen to me, not with such alacrity.
The XK comes with a comprehensive four year-fifty thousand mile warranty, complimentary servicing for the first year or twelve thousand miles, and the dividend of driving a car from a great marque, thanks to the generosity of Ford. Against an Aston Martin, a Porsche 911, a Mercedes SL, a Bentley, a Ferrari, or a Maserati, it is fantastic value for money. What is there to complain about?
SIDEBAR: TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Car tested: 2007 Jaguar XK Coupe
Engine; 4.2 liter, 90 degree, 32 valve, V8.
300 horsepower @ 6000 rpm.
0-60: 5.9 seconds.
Braking: 60-0 in 121 feet
Turns to lock: 2.8.
MPG: 18-28.
4-year warranty/50,000 miles.
Price starts from $75,000.
