The launch of the New XJ Long Wheelbase marks not just the return of the seminal luxury British saloon but also an opportunity for Jaguar Cars' Advanced Design Studio to use the most spacious vehicle the company has ever built as the base for an intriguing design programme – the Jaguar Concept Eight. This sumptuous luxury saloon blends the best in contemporary British creativity with the ultimate in automotive engineering to offer a compelling glimpse of future Jaguars. The Concept Eight has been designed to reflect the unique position that Jaguar holds in the luxury car market. Developed from the New XJ Long Wheelbase saloon, it has been extensively reworked beneath its broad, single-piece, glass roof to produce a luxury concept car that is understated and tasteful, yet powerful, exciting and undeniably glamorous. Making the most of Jaguar's New XJ Long Wheelbase structure – with the longest wheelbase in its class - the Concept Eight introduces new luxury elements, new in-car entertainment technology, and new performance styling cues. British design is acknowledged to be world-leading in creative areas as diverse as fashion and architecture, interiors and furniture making. The Concept Eight reflects Britain's standing in design by using the most contemporary materials and trim to create an environment that is unlike any other luxury saloon. You won't find lap-top computers, satellite uplinks and plasma screens inside the Concept Eight, instead you will enter a world of inch-deep handmade carpets, chilled champagne, Waterford Crystal and even essential oils to allow you to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. 'The Concept Eight is not about cramming in half an hour's work on the way to and from the airport,' says Julian Thomson, Chief of Advanced Design, Jaguar Cars. 'It is a car that exudes British good taste and calmness. It has a very relaxed but contemporary feel about it. Jaguar is not an ‘all work and no play' company and the Concept Eight reflects that. When you ride in it you should get the same feeling of well-being that you would enjoy if you stayed in the latest trendsetting hotel. 'The biggest luxuries in life are increasingly just having your own time and space – this is what the Concept Eight is meant to provide. This car is all about travelling in style to a movie premiere or a party. It's about having fun.'
CONCEPT EIGHT DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
'We now have a car with more space in it than any Jaguar ever built, so we thought we'd have a bit of fun and conceptualise something that was about space and luxury and pampering.' Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars
'The materials we are using, the way we have reshaped the interior, the atmosphere we are trying to create – these are all pointers to how Jaguars should look and feel.'
Ian Callum's design department went through a long period of discussion and debate before work began on the Concept Eight. A great many ideas were discussed and discarded before the creative team settled on two key themes – comfort and indulgence. The large, cossetting, individual rear seats are perhaps the best example of that indulgence, for they represent a move away from a conventional bench-type seat. Ian Callum explains the significance: 'You could describe the Concept Eight as quite a selfish car. Just look at those rear seats. They've been split so that you can only carry two people… but they will be looked after very well.' The Concept Eight's exterior appearance has also been given considerable thought – and nowhere is that more apparent than its roof. The lightweight aluminium skin that stretches across the car's upper surface has been replaced with a single, full-length piece of darkened glass to provide an even greater feeling of spaciousness within. Around the edges of the glass panel a strip of LED lighting provides an ambient red glow that equates with the mood lighting that you might find in a fashionable bar. 'That warm red glow will be visible from the roof as well as from the centre console and under the front seats,' explains Ian Callum. 'This sort of effect is something I would love to use on production cars in the future. The way people have employed these lighting techniques in other modern venues – uplighting, diffused lighting and so on – that is something I would like to have in our cars. And why red? Because it is a bit cheeky…' Other exterior developments on the Concept Eight include brand new 21-inch five-spoke alloy wheels created especially for the project. Behind the front wheels sit chrome gills which aid engine cooling and also improve aerodynamic flow to the rear of the car. New chrome exhaust pipe finishers give the Concept Eight a purposeful appearance from the rear while a one-off metallic paint colour, Purple Haze – a blend of lush cherry and deep black – will show hints of both colours under changing light conditions. THE CONCEPT EIGHT'S INTERIOR
'The Concept Eight reflects a modern attitude towards glamour. No dress code is required to enjoy the back of this car, just an appreciation of contemporary design, a need for atmosphere and a love of the unexpected.' Mark Phillips, Principal Designer, Jaguar Concept Eight
Seen from any angle, the Concept Eight's interior is as tasteful and welcoming as it is possible to be. Únder the creative vision of Principal Designer Mark Phillips and Colour and Materials Designer Siobhán Hughes, the cabin of this long wheelbase concept limousine has become a place of contemporary luxury and warmth.
Jaguar's Concept Eight Show Car is a Very Special Place to Spend Time
NEW YORK -- Known for its beautiful concept cars, Jaguar sprung a surprise at the 2004 New York International Automobile Show with the unveiling of the special Concept Eight show car.Designed to showcase the spacious rear passenger compartment of the new long wheelbase XJ production models, the Concept Eight features a special set of individual rear seats and a host of unique features for discerning rear seat passengers.
Features that set the Concept Eight apart include a long wheelbase aluminum body, Conker nubuck and aniline leather interior, Purple Haze paint finish, a full-length glass roof, 21-inch alloy wheels, and individual rear lounge seating.
The Concept Eight also has machined aluminum body side vents, aluminum tailpipes, seat-back mounted video screens with DVD system, 860-watt Alpine® 8.2 audio system, a cooler box to chill a bottle of Mumm® champagne for the Waterford®-designed Jaguar champagne flutes, and aluminum trim including shift gate and sill plates. It also includes Dunhill® writing pens, address books, and Leica® D-LuxTM digital cameras secured in the front seat head restraints behind the folding video screens.
'The Concept Eight is not about cramming in half an hour's work on the way to and from the airport,' said Julian Thomson, Head of Jaguar Advanced Design. 'It is a car that exudes British good taste and calmness. It has a very relaxed but contemporary feel about it. Jaguar is not an 'all work and no play' company and the Concept Eight reflects that. When you ride in it you should get the same feeling of well being that you would enjoy if you stayed in a boutique hotel.'Source - Ford Communications Network
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