XK goes head-to-head with Porsche 911

Jaguar has revealed the price tags for its new XK coupé and convertible to coincide with the drop-top's public debut at the Detroit motor show.

The coupé takes a massive £7660 hike over the outgoing XK8 to weigh in at £58,855, while the convertible takes a similarly heady leap from £57,995 to £64,955.

That's a significant premium over BMW's 650i Sport (coupé £53,965, convertible £57,515) and the £56,650 Maserati 4200GT, pitching the new Jaguar directly at Porsche's £58,380 911.

But the XK looks promising, and its aluminium construction gives it the rare distinction of weighing less than its predecessor, dropping the V8 coupé's 0-60mph time down to within half a second of the old XKR's.

The new convertible's 50 per cent increase in torsional rigidity over the old car's promises much for the open XK's talents. It'll need to be good, because the competition in this sector is accomplished.