Jaguar unveils powerful two-seater

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 52

Jaguar unveils powerful two-seater

Jaguar’s new XJ-S Vl2 Convertible will not go on sale in Britain until May and more than half of this year’s production of 4CIOO to 5000 is destined' for the United States, but the model whs [publicly unveiled this week at the Geneva Motor Show. 1 [Jaguar is .hailing its open: two-seater as one of the fastest and most refined :! fully opentopped cars in the world tcjday. In fact, Jit has only three’ or four rivals. -J I It ■ is Jaguar’s first siich car since the Etyjpe ■' roadster, production of which ceased in 1974. Order are already pburing in for the 260km/h Convertible. | Jaguar will not declare the price until shortly before the British launch. However, it iq confidently expected to be less than the equivalent of $120,000 and, therefore, comparatively inexpensive for a car in this class. 1 . | Only limited technical details have been an-; pounced' officially,: but the Convertible features the Teves anti-lock brak-’ ing system now being fitted to the complete XJ-S range of VI2 and

3.6- cars, j ; Also the | Convertible will come with air con- 1 , ditioning, [ [top-quality [ hide upholstery and trim and yralnut-veneer doon cappings, [instrument panel' and centre console.;! HI ' p Karmann, [the' West German coachbuilder, was responsible for trie engineering [work ar d design of 1 the hoed mechanism.: I H [ The hood [ design , is said to be [sample, txyo catches securing the hood; to the; Windscreen tbp. After the catchps are ; released a dashboard switch [causes the hood to fold; back into a recess behind the seats in a matter [of The only [other European sports'bar [ with a power-operated top is the Porsche! 911’.; !A novel feature of the Jaguar’s roof [is the tinted glass; and; heated rear! window.; Most convertibles feature a flexible rear window. ; Although [Jaguar New Zealand, Ltd,; has yet to confirm the [local launch date! there is|every liklihood that the XJ-S Con- , vertible, either in Vl2 or 3.6- form! will reach this 1 country [before . the end of this year. [j ■