Introducing the new Jaguar R-D06 concept car - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Stacy94PGT · 09-09-2003, 08:37

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Jaguar introduced a new concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show which is a follow-up to the succesful R-Coupe prototype.

Every day we make decisions. We choose the rational - following our head - or the emotional - following our heart. The real trick, though, is to balance the two and so get the best of both worlds. This is something that Jaguar understands in a way that few other car companies do.

"With R-D6 we set out to create a concept car which would build on the R-Coupe and further develop Jaguar's new design direction. We also wanted to showcase the latest technology in lightweight vehicle structures and our potent new bi-turbo, common-rail V6 diesel." Mike Wright Managing Director, Jaguar Cars

Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, and Chief Designer, Advanced Design, Julian Thomson, marshalled the efforts of a small team of groundbreaking designers who seized the opportunity to realise their ideas for the future of the Jaguar marque well before they appear in production form.

"R-D6 represents the pure, sensuous and sporting design that will feature in all new Jaguars, but more than this it is a vision of the future of premium motoring: beautiful, fast, agile, efficient and fun. The fact that it is the most compact four-seater Jaguar ever and defies categorisation makes it even more intriguing and desirable." Ian Callum Director of Design, Jaguar Cars

Observers will point to 'classic' Jaguar design cues - such as the grille - on R-D6, but it is important to realise that such features are there not because they commemorate Jaguar's past, but because they are intrinsically 'right' for a thoroughly modern Jaguar.

R-D6 also takes advantage of Jaguar's lightweight structure strategy, as pioneered in the new XJ saloon. Using aluminium and composite materials for the chassis and body, R-D6 weighs just 1500kg. This allows it to capitalise on the power - and, more importantly, the torque - delivered by its V6 engine.

And it's the engine that will surprise many people - although, when you think about it, a high-performance 2.7-litre diesel engine makes perfect sense. Confirming Jaguar as a potent new force in the world of large-capacity diesels, the bi-turbo V6 is a tuned version of the engine that will make its debut in the S-TYPE in 2004. With horsepower in excess of 230bhp and a massive 500Nm of torque, the V6 diesel engine endows R-D6 with the pace to satisfy its looks and R-Performance rating. Acceleration from standstill to the benchmark 60mph takes less than six seconds. Top speed is an electronically limited 155mph.

The body
Distinctive, confident and original, R-D6 has a beautiful, pure style that triggers a simple desire: I want one.

Its distinctive blend of attributes inherent in the Jaguar psyche - emotional engineering, stimulating performance, intelligent technology and downright sexy design - makes R-D6 instantly recognisable as a true Jaguar. But the styling of the car - its lines and shapes, its sheer presence - heralds a design direction that makes no apologies to past, present or future.

At 4,330mm long, R-D6 is 342mm shorter than Jaguar's smallest car, the X-TYPE saloon - and 760mm shorter than an XK8 coup�. The compact length of R-D6 is aided by short overhangs front and rear (800mm and 695mm respectively) and is achieved with a wheelbase of 2,840mm.

To ensure R-D6 is a true four-seater, the design team refused to compromise on width or height (2,150mm and 1,390mm) but succeeded nonetheless in crafting a beautifully compact coup� that has all the road presence - and more - that you expect of a Jaguar.

The aluminium chassis of R-D6 is similar to that of the new XJ and is constructed using many of the same advanced technologies - with all the accompanying advantages, including outstanding strength, robustness and durability in a true lightweight architecture.

Castings such as the front suspension turrets have also benefited from techniques used in the new XJ, while the body is of aluminium and composite materials.

R-D6 rides on 21-inch wheels, machined from solid aluminium specifically for this car. They are shod with unique, ultra-low-profile Pirelli tyres: 255/30 R21 on the front and a massive 275/30 R21 on the rear. Look through the spokes of the beautiful wheels and you'll see Jaguar R-Performance discs and calipers.

The heart
The all-new diesel engine that powers R-D6 encapsulates the spirit of Jaguar today and at the same time reinforces the promise of its future. Due to make its debut in a production Jaguar - the S-TYPE - in mid-2004, the 2.7-litre V6 features twin turbochargers and the latest, high-pressure, common-rail direct injection, making it among the most advanced high-performance diesel engines in the world.

Innovations such as a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) cylinder block - which provides outstanding strength and durability as well as weighing less than a traditional cast iron unit - allied to state-of-the-art electronic engine control systems have given Jaguar the engine that the marque, and many thousands of potential customers, have been waiting for.

Inside
To appreciate fully the interior of R-D6 takes a while, partly because you spend as much time touching as you do looking. The materials in the cabin are a blend of classic with a contemporary twist and modern bordering on the futuristic. And as you would expect from Jaguar, there are a couple of refreshingly idiosyncratic touches...

Aluminium features extensively in both milled and formed guise. Two types of leather - lightly grained, carbon-black aniline and 8mm thick black saddle leather - are used throughout the interior. Satin-finish Black American Walnut veneer complements the Piano Black gloss veneer that was introduced on the new XJ.

A broad, solid aluminium 'switch beam', topped by an aniline leather-trimmed lower instrument panel, runs across the facia. It is broken in the centre by a cover for the navigation and 'infotainment' display screen, revealed when the cover swivels backwards into the instrument panel. The touch-sensitive screen, developed by Alpine Electronics, features unique 'Shutter LCD' technology that allows passengers to watch a moving image - for example, a DVD - while the driver sees only the essential driving functions: navigation, climate-control etc.

The facia hood - which stretches back to a veneered wood surround at the base of the windscreen - is of black saddle leather, which is again designed to give the appearance of being a 'floating' structure.

Surrounded by such contemporary opulence and yet aware of the fact that this is actually a compact sports coup�, it is no surprise for a driver to find a three-spoke, tri-material (aluminium, leather and Piano Black wood) steering wheel and drilled aluminium foot pedals. Both are a natural choice.

The rear cabin of R-D6 is equal in style and comfort to the front. Two individual seats are accessed via rear-hinged doors, and passengers are treated not only to comfortable, moulded seats, but also to a surprising amount of room.

When the rear seats are unoccupied, the entire assembly can slide forward to almost interlock with the front seats. This doubles boot capacity, but here's the really clever bit: the boot floor is a two-layer design, with the upper layer - and, of course, any luggage placed on it - moving forward with the seats to save you having to reorganise the boot.

And what of those idiosyncratic Jaguar touches?
Interior lighting is usually provided by clear glass courtesy lights, but R-D6 is altogether more passionate, with ambient floor lighting activated when the door opens to provide a welcoming, deep red glow.

Stacy94PGT · 09-10-2003, 07:54

Frankfurt 2003: XJ-based R-D6 concept coupe hints at Jag's future direction

AutoWeek
By GREG KABLE

Call it radical if you must, just realize this snug four-door concept with rear-hinging doors and an E-type-inspired side-hinging tailgate may indicate much of Jaguar�s future design and engineering direction.

Jag would like to put the entire body style on its wish list, but executives say there are higher priorities in the queue. The XK replacement and new S-Type will, however, incorporate significant design cues from the R-D6�the rear lights for the XK and
nose treatment for the S-Type.

The R-D6 oozes drama, with the appearance of �whiskers��combined air intake/fog lamp details under the headlights�add- ing a welcome tone of aggression to the familiar Jag face. The tight overhangs, metalwork pulled tautly around the wheels and ground-hugging stance all point to an aggressive new look for future production sedans.

The R-D6 also tells the world that Jaguar can be clever with its new, riveted-alloy body structure. Engineers have sliced nearly eight inches from the XJ�s wheelbase
to make this concept, and a similar trick will create the structure for the next XK.

The concept�s powerplant actually lends the R-Type concept its D6 designation. D6 refers to the V6 turbodiesel that will power the S-Type next autumn. It makes 250 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque in the concept, but will be closer to 200 hp in production. That might not read sexy on a spec sheet, but a 155-mph limited top speed and sub-six-second 0-to-60 mph�with 30 mpg�are numbers to talk about.