2007 Jaguar XK Convertible

Fast, powerful animals have been prowling South Africa for eons, but the most awesome of these creatures is a new breed of cat - 2007 Jaguar XK.

It has unleashed on roadways near Cape Town in coupe and convertible forms, with slinkier bodies, more muscular engines and enhanced agility. Base priced at $75,500 for the coupe and $81,500 for the convertible, the Jaguar XK takes a giant leap forward in design and engineering.

Two cars in one - both a sports car and Grand Tourer - is the Jaguar's description of the XK. It does not take long behind the wheel to validate this dual-identity claim. Wide roads, sweeping form mountainous regions to seacoasts, were well-suited for both XK's performance and cruising characters. Weather, too, ranging from the mid-60's to 80 degree Fahrenheit, was a natural for open-air driving - made convenient with the convertible's soft top that powered down in 18 seconds.

The design of the Jaguar XK is just right with a combination of "lips and hips". Vintage Jaguars from the 1950's and 1960's were strategically placed around the new XKs in the test-drive staging area to punctuate Cullum's view that it's fitting to group the XK's styling with great "inspirational" cars of Jaguar's past, such as the XK120, and C-, D-, E-types.

Each of these cars represent and express the essence of Jaguar, and the new XK's design runs with this pack because of its timeless looks - tautly wrapped skin, long hood and ground-hugging proportions. The design process for both models started with the convertible vs. creating a coupe and slicing off the top. It was a must that the body have "no fat." The lean form chosen worked well with the coupe's swept roofline.