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Test Drives: 2007
Jaguar XK Coupe
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Ford has had a tough time with Jaguar since acquiring the brand in 1989. Jaguar
continues to bleed money out its ears at a staggering rate and yet, Ford continues to
bail out the brand with promises of better days. Ford’s initial goal of selling 200,000
Jags a year worldwide were downgraded to a more realistic 125,000 after the [let’s put
it] failure of the S-Type and X-Type. Jaguar’s attempts to go downmarket have been met
with much criticism. Platform sharing with commonplace Ford products have raised
doubts about the prestige of the Jaguar brand. However, the top-of-the-line Jags
remain strong in brand identity. The XJ-Series redo with extensive aluminium use has
breathed new life into the higher end of the Jag lineup. With the XK-Series aging
miserably against its class, a redesign was desperately needed.
In walks designer Ian Callum just at the right time. The 2007 XK-Series has been
reborn with a new sleek body, aluminium-intensive applications, and an injection of
technology. Visually, the XK Coupe closely resembles an Aston Martin DB9. So close
that, if I were a DB9 owner, I would be a little miffed. Out comes the XK Jag at half the
price and all the same good proportions. Overall dimensions remain similar to the
outgoing XK8; however, the wheelbase has been extended nearly 6 inches, pushing the
wheels closer to the bumpers and creating a more aggressive and attractive stance. A
few exterior design cues are rather unfortunate though. Firstly, the upright stance of the
front bumper is an eventuality of new European pedestrian crash safety measures. [If
you cannot see how this law is affecting design, wait until you see the new Mercedes
CL Coupe in person]. A second design mistake is the vertical side grilles ahead of the
two doors. It may look like on a Range Rover but seems out of place on a sports
coupe/convertible. Moving towards the back of the car reveals the third unusual item.
The taillight design ends near the licence plate surround with VW-like circular
treatment. Photoshop can take care of that but only on your computer. Otherwise, the
coupe which was tested looked stunning from any angle. The optional 20-inch Senta
wheels definitely add to the sporty demeanour of this Jag. It makes you wonder how
the XKR will be differentiated.
Move inside and the Jag will continue to impress. Jaguars in general have never been
complimented for interior ergonomics. The new XK takes a step, no two steps, in the
right direction. The layout of the dashboard has been greatly improved with a new
touch-screen information display. Using a large touch-screen navigation system in a
Jaguar seems unusual. Finally Jaguar has caught up to the times and created a
competitive user-friendly interface with simple and logical controls. Push-button start
(another jaguar oddity) seems necessary in today’s competitive field. The sound of the
carried-over V8 engine has been enhanced to purr more and more like a cat. Taking
the engine up to redline is an absolute pleasure. The exhaust really gives the XK the
character it needs to complement the exterior’s good looks. Feel free to toy with the
paddle shifters of the 6-speed automatic transmission, hidden behind the wood-and-
leather steering wheel. Jaguar claims shifting in the new automatic to be comparable
to BMW or Audi’s automatics. I was thoroughly impressed with the quick-shifting
transmission. Extensive use of aluminium in the coupe allows for a rather sporty ride
in the XK Coupe. Without aluminium, this car would weight hundreds of pounds more
than its predecessor. Performance figures are worthy of mention: 0-60mph in less than
6 seconds, quarter mile in 14.4 from the carry-over engine. Just wait for the XKR if you
require sub 5.
As for marketing, the new Jaguar coupe, as good as it is, faces extremely stiff
competition. Mercedes-Benz and BMW have recently upgraded engines with their SL-
Class and 6-Series respectively. Lexus’s SC 430 continues to earn top marks in JD
Power quality surveys. Porsche’s 911 continues to pump out variant after variant,
resulting in more and more sales. Cadillac has entered the market with the XLR
convertible. It is a demanding market and small in relative size. Jaguar has introduced
a new marketing campaign called GORGEOUS which seems well suited to the XK-
Series but perhaps not the rest of the product lineup. The convertible version accounts
for roughly 90% of XK sales in North America; however, Jaguar has ignored the trend
towards hardtop convertibles, continuing with the conventional canvas rooftop. The
XKR coupe and convertible should be an entertaining mix into the equation when it
debuts.
Is the Jaguar coupe competitive in its field? Unfortunately not. True, it is miles above
its predecessor in every way but in this field, competition amongst Porsches, BMWs,
and Benzes is fierce. Fortunately for Jaguar, its demographic of 60-something soon-to-
be retirees is the fastest growing age group. If you are having difficulty locating an XK
coupe or convertible, and assuming Jaguar inventory control is in order, southern
Florida should be a safe bet.
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