It's a great feeling being able to slide behind the wheel of the all-new 2007 Jaguar. It has been awhile because this is the first all-new Jaguar XK in ten years, but the wait has been worth it.

The big news is the all-new aluminum chassis and body. Using aluminum shaves 200lbs. off last year's convertible model, adding stiffness and more torsional rigidity, while increasing acceleration, performance and ride quality.

Also new is the interior design and leather trimmed, fully-adjustable front bucket seats that are more comfortable, supportive with 2in. more legroom.

This beautifully tailored cockpit is at your service. Instead of a regular key there is a red 'Start' button on the center console. The old 'J-gate' console shift lever has been replaced with a simple straight-line design with Drive and Sport slots at the bottom where the leather and chrome shifter easily guides into. You can also change gears in a flash with the paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel.

The thick, 3-spoke leather and wood steering wheel feels perfect in your hands. The instrument cluster now features just two dials, an analog speedometer and tachometer with digital displays for fuel and other vehicle information as needed. The center stack features easy to use controls for the standard navigation system, dual-zone electronic climate controls, and the AM-FM stereo radio with 6-CD player. The interior is trimmed in the finest leathers, woods, and metals giving your surroundings a very custom and luxurious look and feel.

The new Jaguar XK was designed to be a 2+2 with seats behind the front buckets but the space is too short for adults to sit comfortably, and should be used only for storage

Get comfortable behind the wheel, buckle up and push the Start button to fire up the revised 4.2 liter DOHC V8 engine. Revisions include new intake, exhaust, and engine software that boosts output to 300hp and 310lb.ft. of torque.

Jaguar engineers wanted to give more sounds of the melodious engine so they piped in intake sounds through the firewall via a small tube and diaphragm, adding an active variable exhaust that helps both deliver a quiet cruise, and under full throttle, a throaty growl.

The engine mates to the same smooth-shifting ZF six-speed automatic rear-wheel-drive transmission as the Aston Martin DB9.

The fully independent unequal-length wishbone suspension has been retuned to give a smooth ride over poorly paved road surfaces and a firm ride when traveling at high-speeds.

Big 4-wheel disc brakes quickly and confidently slow the all-new Jaguar down from speed and they are enhanced with ABS and EBD (electronic brake force distribution).

Keeping you on your intended path at all times are the standard traction control and dynamic stability control programs. The convertible has a special roll-over protection system. If a roll-over is detected, two roll-bars instantly come up through the rear glass to protect your head in case you do roll over.

The new Jaguar XK rides on stunning 18X8in. aluminum alloy wheels wrapped with Dunlop performance tires. You can also option for 19 or 20in. aluminum alloy wheels.

Jaguar claims that the convertible can reach 60mph from a standstill in just 6sec. That number is conservative since the power is up and the weight is down.

The other big news is the gorgeous new style of the Jaguar XK convertible. It's more substantial with beautiful curves and shapes. The front fascia is highlighted with new 'cat's-eye' HID headlamps, a wider grille opening with stainless steel wire mesh, and a chrome bar with the Jaguar badge in the middle. The lower air-intake is more sculpted with round fog lamps cut into the sides. The hood features a pronounced center hump with scalloped sides. The flared front fenders now contain vertical vents to help extract the hot gases generated from the high-performing engine. The rear fascia features new tail lamp clusters that wrap-around the sides, a chrome bar connecting the two lamps, and two, 3in. wide chrome exhaust tips sticking out under the rear bumper.

At the touch of a console-mounted button, the soft-top, lined in Thinsulate for added noise suppression, lowers behind a solid boot in about 20sec.

Standard features not mentioned above includes keyless entry, Bluetooth capability, cruise-control, rear park assist, electronic parking brake, rain-sensing wipers, one-touch power up/down windows, power tilt/telescopic leather/wood wrapped steering wheel with remote buttons, central door locks, variable-speed, intermittent wipers/washers, self-dimming rearview mirror, glass rear window with defogger, real dark wood veneer, 3-position memory, speed-sensitive, dynamic stability control, power-assisted rack & pinion steering, thick-cut pile carpeting, map lamps, and power-remote, heated side mirrors.

Options include adaptive cruise-control, full soft-leather upholstery, and a 520-watt Alpine Surround-Sound Audio System with 8-speakers.

Standard safety features include front/rear crumple zones, side impact beams in each door, front and side airbags, and 3-point safety belts with load limiters and pretensioners.

The all-new 2007 Jaguar XK convertible has been eagerly anticipated and was well worth the wait. It is a perfect combination of traditional Jaguar styling, British luxury car amenities, with the addition of more power, performance and safety.

After driving the Jaguar for several days, I'd say that the car is more of a luxury GT, not a sports car because of the rear seats and longer wheelbase, but there is nothing wrong about a owning and driving a luxury performance Grand Touring roadster.

Prices start at $81,500.00.

ALL NEW 2007 JAGUAR XK CONVERTIBLE
"THERE'S A NEW CAT IN TOWN"

COPYRIGHT:2006:HARVEY SCHWARTZ - EDITOR, AUTOMOTIVE ADDICTS

Other Specifications:

Type: Midsize Convertible
Where Built: England

Dimensions
Exterior
Length: 188.6 in.	Width: 74.5 in.
Height: 52.3 in.	Wheel Base: 108.3 in.
Ground Clearance: 4 in.	Curb Weight: 3759 lbs.
Interior
Front Head Room: 38.3 in.	Front Shoulder Room: 56.5 in.
Rear Head Room: 33.2 in.	Rear Shoulder Room: 42.3 in.
Front Leg Room: 45.1 in.	Rear Leg Room: 23.1 in.
Luggage Capacity: 10 cu. ft.	Maximum Seating: 4
Performance Data
Performance
Base Number of Cylinders: 8	Base Engine Size: 4.2 liters
Base Engine Type: V8	Horsepower: 300 hp
Max Horsepower: 6000 rpm	Torque: 310 ft-lbs.
Max Torque: 4100 rpm	Drive Type: RWD
Turning Circle: 33.4 ft.

Fuel Data