Jaguar unveiled its Advanced Light Coupé concept – the precursor to the XK sports car due later this year – at the Detroit Motor Show, only to have the real (but heavily disguised) two-door caught on film.
Jaguar has been treading on shaky ground this past year, and this car signals design director Ian Callum’s intention of creating cars to fit into the company’s future plans.
Company chairman and chief executive Joe Greenwall was at the concept’s unveiling, and provided more clues to its significance.
“If you want to know what lies ahead for us, what direction we will take – this is Jaguar’s answer,” Greenwall promised.
The conservatively stylish 2+2 concept uses an all-aluminium structure (first used on the XJ saloon),and is powered by an eager V8 engine.
In production form, this powerplant could propel the new XK from zero to 100 km/h in about five seconds, before reaching a top speed nudging 290 km/h.
With these figures, the XK will be launched into Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari territory, something its predecessor was incapable of.
While not displaying any state-of-the-art styling cues, the ALC is menacingly squat with fierce, ready-to-pounce haunches. A long, probing nose with the characteristic E-Type grille, and gently sloping rear, make the almost spartan ALC pleasing, if only for its classic styling.
Interior styling is sumptuous with generous use of leather throughout the cabin. Contemporary aluminium encompasses the centre console, with metallic inserts splashed across the facia.
It is largely accepted that the production version of the XK will greatly resemble the show car. Spy shots of heavily disguised prototypes show a similar profile, though with the side vents and rounded headlights taped over.