Jaguar's C-X16 concept will get its U.S. debut at the L.A. Auto Show.
Jaguar will lift the covers on the most powerful convertible it has ever produced during the upcoming L.A. Auto Show – one of a number of debuts scheduled for the annual automotive event.
The maker’s news conference will be anchored by the preview of the Jaguar XKR-S, which will be paired in showrooms with the recently-launched XKR-S Coupe — introduced in Geneva earlier this year – both making a full 550 horsepower, more than any other product in the marque’s history.
The L.A. Show preview will also bring the North American debut of a number of other concepts and production vehicles from Jaguar, including the well-received C-X16 hybrid concept, and the Land Rover DC100.
The strong presence by both Jaguar and sibling Land Rover, “reflects the fact that the U.S. is an important market for our global growth plans, and Southern California is a key region from a business and a global trends perspective,” explained Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.
Jaguar is holding back details and, sadly, images of the 2012 XKR-S Convertible until its time in L.A. spotlight but it appears the basic specs will mirror those of the raging Coupe. That would mean a heavily tuned version of the 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found in somewhat more mundane editions of the low-slug sports car. That would also mean torque numbers of 502 lb-ft.
In coupe form, the XKR-S became the first series-production Jaguar to enter the envied 300 kph club, using the European metrics – and delivering a top speed of 186 mph. As is typical, the rougher aerodynamics of the XKR-S Convertible will almost certainly bring that down by a few miles an hour.
Visually, the Jaguar XKR-S Convertible will also get some exterior refinements. The only chrome accents are the Leaper badge and the four exhaust tips. Everything else goes black.
Most of the changes are driven to maximize its aerodynamics, and some as subtle as tweaks to the shape of the headlamps meant to reduce drag. We already know that the front splitter on the XKR-S Coupe is made of carbon fiber, as are the rear diffuser and wing.
Ride height, meanwhile, has been lowered by 0.4 inches. The suspension geometry has been revised, as well, and the XKR-S Convertible likely will share the wider, forged 20-inch wheels introduced on the Coupe.
As for the other offerings to be put on display in Los Angeles, look for the wildly popular C-X16 concept, the turbine-powered hybrid that has now been approved for limited-volume production. For street use, Jaguar will migrate to a more conventional “range-extender” engine, though inside sources tell TheDetroitBureau.com the maker hasn’t given up on finding a way to utilize the high-efficiency turbine concept to add to the plug-in hybrid super car’s range.
From the Land Rover side of the Indian-owned automaker U.S. showgoers will get their first look at the two versions of the DC100 concept, a hardtop and a convertible, first shown at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Expect them to strongly influence the next-generation Land Rover Defender.