JAGUAR has had many ground-breaking moments: The XK120 was a groundbreaker and the E-type and XJ6 saloon in the 1960s helped to change the face of motoring.

These were events in automotive design history that have stood the test of time, and soon fans will no doubt be able to look on Jaguar's latest generation of sports cars and saloons with equal enthusiasm.

Coming their way is the advanced lightweight coup, a two-plus-two car with purposeful and seductive exteriors that take Jaguar design firmly into this new century.

The coup, at present still in the early stages of production, went on show recently and features similar lightweight aluminium architecture technology used on the new XJ, but promising much more in the way of dynamism and agility.

"The Advanced Lightweight Coup represents the very essence of Jaguar, its heart and soul. If you want to know what lies ahead for us, what direction we will take - this is Jaguar's answer," says Joe Greenwell, chairman and chief executive officer of Jaguar Cars.

The engineering excellence is reflected in the car's impressive technical specification. An aluminium chassis similar to that used in the new XJ saloon is not just lightweight but also incredibly strong and stiff, which is of immense benefit to a car's handling and ride as well as fuel economy and exhaust emissions. The lighter body also means responsiveness is improved.

Jaguar's V8 engines are admired as much for their impressive low-down torque as their peak power outputs and with a lighter aluminium body to propel, that torque should be even more noticeable.

A computer active suspension works in conjunction with safety systems such as adaptive cruise control and the active restraint technology system - features that Jaguar already has on its production cars.

And like Jaguar's XJ and S-TYPE saloons, this car has an adjustable pedal box to ensure that drivers are seated in the most comfortable position.

The car's body lines are described as beautiful yet powerful - a blend of curves highlighted by muscular detail.

Echoing the lessons learnt from the XJ6, the car's distinctive stance and bold profile give it genuine visual dynamism - an effect that designer Ian Callum describes as the car appearing to change shape in front of you.

The coup's distinctive tapering shape at both the front and rear means there appears to be no overhang beyond the wheels, giving the car a real sense of power and potency.

The car rides on unique 21-inch alloy wheels with custom-made Pirelli tyres, which sit below wide, flowing haunches. The rear haunch is of particular note, its prominent shoulder helping to exaggerate the size of the wheels relative to the body.

The grille on the car is also of prime importance as an indicator for the look of future Jaguars. As a pure geometrical form it draws its inspiration from classic Jaguars of the past like the E-type. Other features include the polished aluminium gills present in all Jaguars.

Rising from the radiator grille, a prominent bulge in the hood runs to the base of the windscreen. From there the cabin seems to flow back in a clean, spontaneous line to the car's rear end, which tapers sharply to a focal point of two, centrally mounted tailpipes.

The headlights are a departure from the simple elliptical lenses on current Jaguars. Instead, a more contemporary, angular design helps to draw the eye around the corner of the car to the new chrome gills that sit behind the front wheels. These are meant to help keep the engine cool and also improve aerodynamic flow to the rear.

Laid out in a classic two-plus-two sports car format, the car's cabin is more spacious and better packaged than previous Jaguar coupes, with impressive headroom and multi-directional sports front seats and individual bucket seats in the rear.

The interior is trimmed throughout in tan leather, which has visible stitching on the hides that line the doors and the dashboard. Aluminium inserts are spread throughout the car and the focal point is the central dashboard console that houses an advanced Alpine telematics screen which provides user-feedback in the form of a "pulse" when the driver touches the on-screen buttons.

The instrument binnacle has been designed to relate to the shape of the steering wheel and houses a high-resolution screen between its dials that provides the driver with a secondary source of information and entertainment and satellite-navigation information.

Behind the steering wheel sit the gearshift levers that operate an automatic paddle shift transmission - the first time this technology has appeared on a Jaguar.

The car's body is 40 per cent lighter and 60 per cent stiffer than a standard steel body - and with its V8 engine is capable of reaching 60mph from standstill in less than five seconds.

Dealer: Minster Jaguar, Jaguar House, Cliftonmoorgate, Clifton Moor, York (01904 691144).

Updated: 11:45 Friday, February 11, 2005