First look: Jaguar lops new XK’s top

NOT content with unveilling its all-new XK coupe in the metal at the Frankfurt motor show last week, Jaguar has now revealed its soft-topped convertible sibling.

While the new XK coupe will go on sale in Australia late next year, it’s un likely the production XK convertible – and supercharged XKR versions of both bodystyles – will reach local shores before 2007.

Jaguar says the XK convertible was developed in tandem with the brand’s first all-new coupe in about 10 years and, as such, features the same aluminium body structure that’s said to make it the company’s most technically advanced model.

Where that leaves the alloy space-framed XJ sedan flagship we’re unsure.

Either way, Jaguar says the result is "excellent body rigidity and torsional stiffness" and a kerb weight of 1705kg, which makes the new XK convertible one of the lightest vehicles in its class.

Like the XK coupe, the new Jaguar convertible will be built at Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant in the UK and features active headlights, keyless operation and a bonnet that pops up in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.

Similarly, it’s also powered by 224kW 4.2-litre V8 which, controlled via Jaguar Sequential Shift steering-wheel gearshift buttons, is capable of accelerating the open-top XK to 100km/h in a claimed 6.3 seconds.

In a departure from the current trend towards folding steel roofs, Jaguar says the XK’s powered triple-lined fabric lid opens and closes in less than 18 seconds and stows fully out of sight under an aluminium tonneau cover.

A roll-over protection system comprising two concealed aluminum hoops that deploy in the event of an incident will be standard on all XK convertibles.

The current XK convertible’s $25,000 premium over the outgoing XK 4.2S coupe ($220,000) is likely to continue.

"The all-new XK was designed from the outset to be a beautiful convertible. It is a statement of confident Jaguar design, elegant as well as powerful and with the performance and driving dynamics to match its looks," said Jaguar design director Ian Callum.