Jaguar takes a singular approach

Jaguar will unveil what is being hailed as its most advanced sports car ever at next week’s Frankfurt motor show.

The XK Coupé has a rigid, lightweight aluminium monocoque structure developed using techniques based on aerospace engineering. This makes its bodyshell 31 per cent stiffer than previous XK models and also offers a 10 per cent improvement in power-to-weight ratio.

It features aluminium castings and extrusions, plus pressed aluminium panels, and is formed using new jointing techniques developed by Jaguar and its suppliers.

Coupled with a powerful 300bhp V8 engine, the weight savings from the design allow the XK Coupé to reach 60mph from standstill in 5.9 seconds. It can also complete a quarter-mile sprint in 14.4 seconds, which is less than half a second off the pace of the outgoing 400bhp supercharged model.

As well as including keyless entry and push-button start, the model features an advanced high-resolution colour cockpit display based on thin film transistor technology.