Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Design
Page 3: Technology
Page 4: Powertrain
Page 5: Chassis/Dynamics
Page 6: Interior
Page 7: Safety
Page 8: Heritage/Specifications
SAFETY
• Pyrotechnic pedestrian deployable bonnet (Jaguar Pedestrian Contact Sensing) is a world first
• Bonnet raised in around 30 milliseconds using forces up to 50 times the force of gravity
• Passive bumper system helps prevent leg injuries with crushable foam
The all-new XK is engineered to meet all worldwide impact requirements with only one design, and its effectiveness was proved using many computer-simulated and real world crash tests. Enhanced safety features play a major role, both for passenger and pedestrian protection, and the latter includes the introduction of one completely new, industry-leading feature – the pedestrian deployable bonnet.
Jaguar is one of the first manufacturers to meet Phase One of new European safety legislation using an active deployable bonnet system. The new standards are designed to help mitigate the severity of injuries to pedestrians in the event of a collision with a car. Legislation in the European market requires manufacturers to commit to a two-phase introduction of a range of active and passive safety improvements on all new cars to improve the protection of pedestrians in case of accident.
In the unfortunate event of a pedestrian impact, the deployable bonnet on the new XK automatically ‘pops’ up a few inches, to increase space between the engine and the bonnet. This helps to isolate the pedestrian from hard points in the engine compartment - and takes place in less than a tenth of the time it takes to blink an eye. An advanced sensing system is mounted in the front bumper to help discriminate between a pedestrian collision and any other possible front-end collisions.
“The Jaguar design team embraced the idea of using a deployable bonnet when it was first considered during early concept discussions on the new XK. This clever feature saves up to 65mm in height off the bonnet surface and a similar amount off the roofline, allowing the design team to maintain a very low, sleek Jaguar sports car profile on the new XK,â€Â' said Ian Callum, Jaguar Cars Design Director.
The active system fitted to the all-new XK is complemented by a passive bumper system, the design of which helps to mitigate leg injury through the use of crushable foam and plastic covering.
PASSENGER SAFETY
The all-new XK has comprehensive protection for driver and passengers, starting with the inherent strength of its all-aluminium body construction and effective energy absorbing deformation zones. It offers an ‘intelligent’ driver airbag which senses seating position, whether the driver is wearing a seatbelt and the severity of any impact, and deploys the airbag accordingly. It has a passenger front airbag that minimises injury even if the passenger is sitting awkwardly or too close to the airbag, and there are two combined front-seat head and thorax side airbags developed to protect occupants in the event of impacts with larger vehicles and stationary objects such as poles. The all-new XK is fitted with Jaguar’s Protec dynamic headrest system, which is designed to minimise whiplash injuries in the event of an impact from behind, by automatically pushing the headrest forwards to support the head and reduce the risk of injuries to the neck. It also has ISOfix child-seat fixings in both rear seats, plus a top tether that gives additional security in fixing ISOfix child seats.
Although they are not a legal requirement, the Convertible features a Roll-over Protection Device consisting of two aluminium hoops that are automatically deployed if the car’s sensors detect the onset of a roll-over accident. That creates a protected area between the hoops and the reinforced windscreen structure around the restrained occupants. The system is deployed by an advanced solid-state gyro sensor system. It also has a patented design to allow it to deploy through the rear window area if the roof is up, so the lines of the car have not been compromised by the inclusion of this safety system.
DYNAMIC DRIVING AIDS
The new XK offers the most up-to-date electronic dynamic safety systems, including Traction Control System (TCS) and Trac DSC function.
TCS assists traction from rest or on slippery surfaces by applying the appropriate brake to a driven wheel if slip is detected, transferring drive torque to the other driven wheel where that has more grip. DSC uses selective braking and controls engine torque output to prevent excessive oversteer or understeer, excessive or fast transient roll, and unwanted wheel lock under hard engine braking. Trac DSC is a feature aimed at the sportier and more experienced driver. It is a driver-selectable second stage of the DSC stability control that retains the full TCS traction control function (and ABS and EBD functions) but raises some of the sideways slip thresholds by delaying the intervention of the DSC functions. That allows the skilled driver to take more responsibility for controlling the car’s cornering attitude. It is not possible to select the function unintentionally – the driver has to hold the switch for three seconds or more to select this level of DSC.
To confirm the all-new XK’s driving character, steering feel was a key issue. The all-new XK features Jaguar’s Servotronic 2 steering, as used on the XJ but re-engineered to suit a high-performance sports car with a faster ratio steering rack. It is a mechanically assisted system (hydraulically powered by an engine-driven pump) with electronic control. The control module uses data about vehicle speed and steering input to regulate the degree of steering assistance. It provides higher assistance at low speeds for easy manoeuvring, and less assistance at higher speeds for increased feedback to the driver – resulting in class leading steering characteristics.
OTHER DRIVER AIDS
Jaguar believes in the intelligent use of technology - to enhance the driving experience, while avoiding over-use of technology that only adds complexity rather than user-benefit. But Jaguar also believes in making its cars safer and more relaxing to drive. The new XK offers a range of driver aids that support that philosophy, including Cruise Control or Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Alert, parking sensors, and automatic lights and wipers.
Cruise Control is standard on the new XK and allows the driver to set a fixed speed via steering wheel mounted controls, with the usual accelerate, coast and resume functions. Adaptive Cruise Control is an option, and in addition to the normal cruise control functions it uses microwave radar technology to monitor the road ahead and automatically reduce speed if traffic conditions make it necessary. It normally reduces speed simply by reducing power, but if necessary (for instance if another car pulls sharply into your path on a motorway) it will also use the ABS braking system to slow more quickly, as appropriate. The gap to the vehicle in front is based on time, so as speeds increase, so does the gap. It is also possible to adjust the gap to three levels by a simple steering wheel switch, to a space that the driver feels most comfortable with.
Contained within the ACC is Forward Alert, which uses the XK’s forward-facing sensors to help warn the driver of a potential collision. When approaching another vehicle or other obstacle it continuously estimates the braking effort required to avoid it. If the distance available falls below the safe threshold, Forward Alert sounds an audible warning to prompt the driver to take appropriate action. It is still the driver’s responsibility, though, to stop in an emergency.
Rear parking aids are standard on all-new XK, with four ultrasonic sensors in the rear bumper which can detect objects up to 1.8 metres away to the rear and corners of the car and give an audible warning. The warning comes through the car’s audio system and changes tone with the proximity of the car to the object. The car’s touch-screen gives a visual indication of which part of the car is near the object. A front parking aid system is optional.
The all-new XK’s wiper system is rain sensitive and its headlights are light sensitive, so when either function is switched to automatic mode it will respond to rain or darkness respectively – although it is also possible, of course, to control wipers, washers and lights manually.
The standard bi-xenon headlamps incorporate power-wash and self-levelling systems. A separate beam comes on at low speeds and when the direction indicator is used, to light up an area to the sides of the car for low speed manoeuvring. The optional Active Front Lighting system provides enhanced night-time visibility by automatically swivelling the dipped beam lenses depending on road speed and steering angle.
At the rear, the lamps are split between the body and the rear liftback or bootlid. The liftback segments incorporate a single reversing light on one side and a high intensity fog light on the other. Both use high-power LED lights, and the new XK’s white LED reversing light is an industry first.
SECURITY
The all-new XK has a Thatcham category 1 alarm system with microwave intrusion sensing, door protection and tilt-sensing to detect the vehicle being opened, jacked up or moved. It features two-stage unlocking, which unlocks the driver’s door with one push of the unlock button and the passenger door with a second push. The steering lock is electrically engaged when the car is locked.
Amongst the user-friendly advanced technologies in the all-new XK is the Jaguar Smart Key System, which provides Keyless Start with a push-button starter, and also optional keyless entry simply by carrying the Jaguar Smart Key in your pocket or bag.
Related entries:
2007 Jaguar XK
