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Manufacturer Technical Specifications
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General
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Country Of Origin
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N.A
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Year Of Introduction
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N.A
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Base Price When New
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N.A
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Miles Per Gallon
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N.A
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Body Type
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N.A
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Curb Weight
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N.A
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Powertrain Layout
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Front-Engine / RWD
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Transmission
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6-Speed Automatic
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Engine
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Configuration
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Supercharged V8
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Displacement
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4196 cc
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Power
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390 bhp @ 6000 rpm
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Torque
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399 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
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BHP / Liter
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N.A
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BHP / Weight
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N.A
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Redline
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N.A
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Performance
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Top Speed
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155 mph (limited)
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0 - 62 mph
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5.0 seconds
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0 - 100 mph
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N.A
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0 - ¢®E¡Ëc¡Ë¢ç¢®¢¯u mile
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N.A
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Skidpad
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N.A
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Braking, 62-0 mph
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N.A
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Slalom Speed
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N.A
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Sponsors
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Wallpaper Gallery: 1600x1200
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Manufacturer Press Release
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The launch of the
new 2005 Long Wheelbase Jaguar XJ sedans marked not just the return of
the seminal luxury British car but also an opportunity for Jaguar's
Advanced Design Studio to use the most spacious vehicle the company had
ever built as the base for an intriguing design program - the Jaguar
Concept Eight. This sumptuous luxury sedan blends the best in
contemporary British creativity with the ultimate in automotive
engineering to offer a compelling glimpse of future Jaguars.
The Concept Eight was designed to reflect the unique position that
Jaguar holds in the luxury car market. Developed from the new 2005 Long
Wheelbase XJ sedan, it was extensively reworked beneath its broad,
single-piece, glass roof to produce a luxury concept car that is
understated and tasteful, yet powerful, exciting and undeniably
glamorous. Making the most of Jaguar's new XJ Long Wheelbase structure -
with the longest wheelbase in its class - the Concept Eight introduced
new luxury elements, new in-car entertainment technology, and new
interior and exterior styling cues.
British design is acknowledged to be world-leading in areas as diverse
as fashion and architecture, interiors and furniture making. The Jaguar
Concept Eight reflects Britain's standing in world design by using the
most contemporary materials and trim to create an environment that is
unlike any other luxury sedan. You won't find lap-top computers,
satellite uplinks and plasma screens inside the Concept Eight, but what
you will enter is a world of inch-deep handmade carpets, chilled
champagne, Waterford crystal and even essential oils to allow you to sit
back, relax and enjoy the ride.
"The Concept
Eight is not about cramming in half an hour's work on the way to and
from the airport," says Julian Thomson, Chief of Advanced Design,
Jaguar Cars. "It is a car that exudes British good taste and
calmness. It has a very relaxed but contemporary feel about it. Jaguar
is not an 'all work and no play' company and the Concept Eight reflects
that. When you ride in it you should get the same feeling of well-being
that you would enjoy if you stayed in a boutique hotel.
"One of the biggest luxuries of 21st century living is to preserve
one's own time and space - this is what the Concept Eight is meant to
provide. This car is all about travelling in style to a movie premiere
or a party. It is about having quality time¡Ë¢çE¢®Ec| and fun."
Jaguar Concept Eight Design Philosophy
"We now have a car with more space in it than any Jaguar ever
built, so we thought we'd have a bit of fun and conceptualize something
that was about space and luxury and pampering," said Ian Callum,
Director of Design, Jaguar Cars.
"The materials we are using, the way we have reshaped the interior,
the atmosphere we are trying to create - these are all pointers to how
Jaguars should look and feel," said Julian Thomson, Chief of
Advanced Design, Jaguar Cars.
Ian Callum's design department went through a long period of discussion
and debate before work began on the Concept Eight. A great many ideas
were discussed and discarded before the creative team settled on two key
themes - comfort and indulgence. The large, sculptured individual rear
seats are perhaps the best example of that indulgence, for they
represent a move away from a conventional bench-type seat. Ian Callum
explains the significance:
"You could describe the Concept Eight as quite a selfish car. Just
look at those rear seats. They've been split so that you can only carry
two people¡Ë¢çE¢®Ec| but they will be looked after very well."
The Jaguar Concept Eight's exterior appearance was also given
considerable thought - and nowhere is that more apparent than its roof.
The lightweight aluminum skin that stretches across the car's upper
surface has been replaced with a single, full-length piece of darkened
glass to provide an even greater feeling of spaciousness within. Around
the edges of the glass panel a strip of LED lighting provides an ambient
red glow that equates with the mood lighting that you might find in a
modern apartment, lounge bar or night club.
"That warm red glow will be visible from the roof as well as from
the center console and under the front seats," explains Ian Callum.
"This sort of effect is something I would love to use on production
cars in the future. The way people have employed these lighting
techniques in other modern venues - uplighting, diffused lighting and so
on - that is something we will have in our cars. And why red? Because it
is a bit cheeky¡Ë¢çE¢®Ec|"
Other exterior developments on the Concept Eight include brand new
21-inch five-spoke alloy wheels created especially for the project.
Behind the front wheels sit new chrome gills which improve aerodynamic
flow to the rear of the car and also act as efficient heat extractors to
ensure ultimate engine performance. New chrome tailpipe finishers give
the Concept Eight a purposeful appearance from the rear, while a one-off
metallic paint color, Purple Haze - a blend of lush cherry and deep
black - will show hints of both colors under changing light conditions.
The Jaguar Concept Eight's Interior
"The Concept Eight reflects a modern attitude towards glamour. no
dress code is required to enjoy the back of this car, just an
appreciation of contemporary design, a need for atmosphere and a love of
the unexpected," said Mark Phillips, Principal Designer, Jaguar
Concept Eight.
Seen from any angle the Concept Eight's interior is as tasteful and
welcoming as it is possible to be. Under the creative vision of
Principal Designer Mark Phillips and Colour and Materials Designer Siobhan
Hughes, the cabin of this long wheelbase concept car has become a place
of contemporary luxury and warmth.
"The biggest change is the rear seats," explains Chief of
Advanced Design, Julian Thomson. "They are very simple forms, very
confident, like pieces of furniture. By splitting them we have tried to
generate an ever greater appreciation of the space and comfort you get
in the back of a long wheelbase XJ."
Between the rear seats runs a center console that extends all the way to
the front of the cabin - an evolution of a similar design first seen in
the Jaguar R Coupe concept car. This clean, sweeping section is covered
with a well-recognized wood veneer - American walnut. But unlike
existing Jaguar interiors, the Concept Eight's walnut trim has a matt
finish. Warm and smooth to the touch, it is a 21st century spin that Ian
Callum says indicates how future Jaguars could both look and feel.
"People expect wood and leather to be part of the Jaguar
culture," says Callum, "and that is what we are using - but
not in the way that people might expect. The wood capping that runs
right throughout the Concept Eight has a very contemporary matt finish.
It's very pure and almost blatant in its use, but not overly
stylized."
The power-adjustable, reclining rear lounge seats are wrapped in aniline
leather - as is the upper instrument panel - demonstrating all the
natural markings inherent in a raw material. The lower instrument panel,
console, and lower door casings are all trimmed in nubuck, a soft
leather that has been gently buffed on the grain side to give a velvety
surface. Conker, the dominant rich, brown color takes its name from the
seed of the Horse Chestnut tree that is indigenous to the British Isles.
Jonathan Connolly is the sole provider of the Conker leather, providing
a rich textural mix with accents provided by chrome gloss and aluminium.
The combined effect is one of warmth, comfort and sophistication. To
further create a feeling of space and light, an ivory-colored leather
covers the roof pillars and head-lining.
The final new material used in the Concept Eight is the remarkable pile
carpet. Handmade by craftsmen in Chelsea Harbour, London, its inch-deep
Ivory Grey wool is designed to be as soft and inviting under foot as a
favorite rug or throw.
It's not just materials that give its interior such a sense of modernity
and luxury - the Jaguar Concept Eight also contains hidden extras
designed to surprise and delight. Built into the center console is a
refrigerated compartment that holds a chilled bottle of Mumm champagne
and two specially designed Waterford Crystal glasses in an aluminum
holder. To cater for the unique design of the glasses - they are
champagne flutes without bases - a tailor-made drawer is built in ahead
of the refrigerator in which to stand them without spilling a drop. The
pampering continues inside two cabinets hidden in the rear of the front
seats, which contain luxury items such as essential oils and perfumes, a
digital camera for recording the highlights of your evening and even a
writing set.
The ambience of the Concept Eight would not be complete without a
peerless sound system. This has been provided in the shape of a dramatic
new Alpine system created exclusively for the car. The spectacular 860W
concept system employs 14 speakers to recreate sound precisely as the
artist intended. The latest speaker and amplifier technologies have also
been incorporated to create this no-expense-spared installation that
takes sound reproduction to new heights.
The two-way front speaker set-up is complemented by a center fill
speaker located in the middle of the dash. The rear compartment has also
been extensively remodelled to incorporate additional mid speakers in
the rear shelf while increased diameter subwoofers provide a stirring
deep bass sensation. The Jaguar's rear doors also feature the latest
Alpine DDLinear drivers and soft dome tweeters. As featured on current
Alpine Jaguar Premium Sound Systems, time alignment means all occupants
receive the sounds at precisely the right moment, wherever they are
seated.
Speaking about the system, Alpine's Business Development Manager Nick
Bailey said: "Collaborating on the Concept Eight has been a great
privilege and has allowed us to showcase some of our latest
technologies. Our team of designers and engineers is extremely proud to
have been approached by Jaguar to create a system to complement such an
incredible car."
Engineering
The Jaguar Concept Eight shares the same 3159mm (124.4in) wheelbase as
the New XJ Long Wheelbase - 125mm (5in) longer than the standard
wheelbase XJ models. But despite that extra length the driver and
passengers will sacrifice nothing in terms of the class-leading dynamics
and technologies found across the XJ range. Its ground-breaking aluminum
chassis and bodyshell means that its straight line performance and
handling are not compromised, while the Concept Eight's use of the
390bhp (SAE) 4.2-liter supercharged AJ V8 engine guarantees that
renowned blend of crushing acceleration and effortless cruising.
The supercharged V8 achieves maximum horsepower of 390bhp (SAE) at
6100rpm, a 33 percent increase over the normally aspirated variant. At
least 86 percent of peak torque is available from 2000rpm to a peak of
399lb ft (SAE) at 3500rpm.
Internally, this engine features forged, oil-cooled pistons, high
fin-density intercoolers, and a tailor-made twin fuel pump system, all
of which are fitted to cope with the increased output of the forced
induction version of the 4.2-liter V8. The mechanically driven Eaton
supercharger has excellent boost characteristics and, combined with twin
intercoolers, produces outstanding performance under all driving
conditions.
Despite its extra length over the standard wheelbase XJ, the Concept
Eight weighs hardly any more than the shorter Jaguar sedan and also
benefits from re-engineered and lowered suspension to give it added
visual and dynamic impact. And don't forget that in standard form the
new XJ is nearly 200lbs lighter than its nearest rival and as much as
610lbs lighter than the equivalent model from one German manufacturer.
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