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Jaguar's Director of Design Ian Callum set out to design an impression of
Jaguars of the future by balancing the emotional and the rational –the result
was the R-D6. The R-D6 is the centrepiece of Jaguar's display at the Australian
International Motor Show in Sydney from October 7-17.
Callum was in Sydney to unveil the R-D6 to the Australian media and said he
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
new S-TYPE.. With horsepower in excess of 170kW 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 100kph takes
less than six seconds. Top speed is an electronically limited 250kph.
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 that are 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.
“Respect for a glorious heritage doesn't stop us putting in place the
foundations for future generations of thrilling, dynamic Jaguars that aren't
afraid to challenge perceptions. That's what R-D6 is all about.”
Julian Thomson Chief Designer, Advanced Design,
Jaguar
Cars
At 4,330mm long, R-D6 is 342mm shorter than Jaguar's smallest car, the X-TYPE
saloon – and 760mm shorter than an XK8 coupé. 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 coupé that has all the road presence – and more – that you
expect of a Jaguar.
Whether it is the grille that draws your eye, or the vents integrated into
the bonnet and flanks of the car, or the aluminium finisher swooping over the
entire side glass area, there is some instant attraction for everyone in the
design of R-D6.
The headlights reveal a fresh interpretation of the twin-lamp style featured
by Jaguars so successfully – and naturally – for many years. Both front and rear
lights use LED technology to deliver the best possible function while
maintaining beautiful form.
For many, though, it will be the details that make R-D6 so irresistibly
attractive. Details such as the flush-mounted door handles, which pivot on the
front edge to activate an electrical actuator that opens the door; the centrally
mounted twin-pipe exhausts; the aluminium boot finisher engraved with the Jaguar
script; or even the Leaper on the back of the car.
The structure
“We've already proved with the new XJ what advantages there are in using
aluminium within a lightweight vehicle structure. It's natural that this
technology will feature in Jaguar's future – and what better place to start than
R-D6.”
Phil Hodgkinson Programmes Director, Jaguar Cars
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. The 2.7-litre
V6, at the heart of Jaguar's new S-TYPE Diesel, 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.
For R-D6, the 24-valve engine is tuned beyond road-going levels, but central
to its design is the need to deliver all the power, refinement and spirited
performance that Jaguar drivers demand.
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.
Probably the best way to visualise the interior of R-D6 is to imagine
yourself sitting in the luxurious, moulded composite driver's seat, your back
supported by a 'spine' of tensioned leather that weaves through the structure of
the seat and then loops forward at the top to provide an integral head
restraint. The seat is constructed with internal ducts to allow heating or
cooling according to driver preference.
“To my mind, what you're looking at is the ultimate luxury sports interior.
Don't just note the fact that there is leather and wood; really study how we've
used it. Trust me, this is beyond contemporary.”
Ian Callum Director of Design, Jaguar Cars
To one side of you is a door featuring aluminium and two types of leather,
and in the centre a section of the American Walnut wood veneer that runs from
the front to the rear of the cabin. Controls for motorised movement of the seat
are integrated into the recessed armrest. Open the door and a formed aluminium
surround is visible, integrating a Jaguar-embossed leather kick-plate.
Your feet rest on wood, which again runs from front to rear. In the area
immediately below the seats and extending partially into the footwell, the wood
is obscured by a 'floating floor' of tensioned thick saddle leather that 'flows'
over the transmission tunnel and is also visible at the outer edges of the cabin
floor. The 25mm gap between the leather and the wood, aided by apertures in the
latter, forms part of the climate-control system.
“When we started work on the interior, we wanted to only use the materials in
an 'honest' way, so the wood is mostly flat and the leather 'drapes' in a
natural fashion.”
Julian Thomson Chief Designer, Advanced Design,
Jaguar
Cars
Where it tops the transmission tunnel, the leather is inset with an aluminium
gearshift surround. The milled aluminium lever itself – which operates a
six-speed manual transmission – is located in an aluminium, domed hemisphere in
place of a traditional soft gaiter.
If all of this is detail, it is the view straight ahead from the driver's
seat that shows exactly what sort of car R-D6 is. Pride of place goes to the
dial pack, encased in aluminium and inherently sports-focused. The tachometer is
positioned centrally, with the speedometer smaller and to the right. To the
other side, in an adjoining 'pod', are the usual fuel and temperature gauges and
other warning lights. All the dial faces have a white ceramic appearance and
R-Performance branding, and a milled aluminium rear-view mirror looks perfectly
at home. This blend of racetrack and luxury road styles is typical of R-D6 and
emphasises its seductive nature.
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 coupé, 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.
The side-hinged tailgate, the style of which will be familiar to anyone who
has owned a Jaguar E-type coupé, is as practical as it is stylish, allowing rear
headroom to be optimised.
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.
But the 'hidden' feature you will touch every time you get in the car is
secreted in the top of the gearshift, below a swivelling top piece. Much like
the safety-catch on a gun – or the top of a fighter aircraft joystick – this
covers a silver button with a very important duty. Press it and the V6 engine –
and the R-D6 – springs into life. Just the kind of dramatic touch you'd expect
of a Jaguar.
The R-D6 is on display at the Australian International Motor Show from
October 7-17 at the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre.
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