Automotive

cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
17046

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Yes - from that site I see this

“Some thirteen and a half inches (345mm) shorter overall than the XKR, the XK180 was styled in the Jaguar Styling Department under the eye of the Company's Director of Styling Geoff Lawson. The lines of the car were the work of Keith Helfet, a Senior Designer at Jaguar and best known for his work on the XJ 220. Helfet's brief was to celebrate the  Fiftieth Anniversary of the introduction of the XK Series and he drew influences from a range of XK-powered machines, notably the D-Type. The result combines echoes of past racing Jaguars, in the shape of its rounded nose and the headrests behind the seats, and such unique Forms as the 'double-bubble' windscreen.
Whilst the XK180 may be reminiscent of the D-Type in shape, this heritage is combined with modern technologies. The sculptured rear end styling incorporates a unique rear light cluster specially developed by Valeo for XK180. Twenty four light emitting diodes (LEDs) provide the light source for the rear lamps, direction indicators and stop-lights. The roadster spirit is evident in the cockpit of the XK180. It uses high- performance components - in the shape of racing seats with full safety- harnesses -and then adds a touch of Jaguar luxury by trimming the seats in the finest Connolly leather. There is tradition too, with a dashboard in engine-turned aluminium carrying switches that echo the style of the great Jaguar Le Mans  Winners of the Fifties.
The aluminium body panels were all formed by hand and assembled at Abbey Panels of Coventry. Abbey Panels Limited. is an old-established Coventry company with long associations with Jaguar. Among many other projects, Abbey Panels have collaborated with Jaguar on the construction of the Le Mans-winning C and D-Types, the legendary XJ13 prototype and the XJ220. From Abbey Panels the aluminium body was shipped across Coventry to Jaguar's Special Vehicles Operations Department (SVO) at Browns Lane. Here. Mike Massey, Manager, SVO, Gary Albrighton, Principal Engineer and XK180 Project Manager and their team shortened the wheelbase of the XKR platform by five inches (125mm) to accept the new body style.”

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