Jaguar C-XF with Bowers & Wilkins audio system.
In a partnership similar to the one between Audi and Bang & Olufsen, speaker specialist Bowers & Wilkins has teamed up with Jaguar to develop a premium in-car audio system.
Bowers & Wilkins first foray into automotive audio was shown off in Jaguar's C-XF concept car at the Detroit Motor Show, but the company will also be behind the audio system included in Jaguar's XKR Portfolio. Bowers & Wilkins engineers have developed a range of components designed to address the restricted space and different materials that impact sound in an in-car environment.
Speaker panels are made from an aluminium honeycomb-like Micro-Matrix material for better stiffness and damping properties. Bass beam low-frequency drive units are located along the bottom edge of each of the front doors to help move a large volume of air, which yields a better "up-front" bass from the subwoofers, according to the company. Diamond Dome tweeters and Nautilus spiral damping elements have been lifted from B&W's 800 Diamond Series loudspeakers, as has the use of Kevlar construction to reduce sound colouration from the cone drivers.
UPDATE: Jaguar Australia has confirmed that it will be importing only ten of the limited edition XKR Portfolio models into the country for sale in September/October 2007. In 2008, a Portfolio option that includes the Bowers & Wilkins speaker system will be available on all XK series Jaguars. The XF series, pictured above, will be also be in production by mid 2008.
For more information on Bower & Wilkins loudspeakers in Australia and the partnership with Jaguar, contact Convoy International.
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