British car-maker Jaguar has launched its new XF compact sports saloon in spectacular fashion with the world's first dramatic 'high-wire drive' over water on cables just an inch thick. In a stunt worthy of the latest Bond movie SPECTRE – for which the firm is supplying many of the cars – the new Jaguar XF was revealed during a dramatic 'high-wire' water crossing in the heart of London's business district. The feat took place high over the Royal Dock in London's Canary Wharf today. Scroll down for video . The new Jaguar XF compact sports saloon traverses the high-wire during its incredible unveiling in London today . The vehicle was driven across the wires by British stuntman Jim Dowdell, a veteran of action stunts in the Bond and Indiana Jones films . Dowdell drove the Jaguar XF 240m across a high-wire (pictured) to demonstrate its lightweight aluminium construction . Jaguar teamed up with expert stuntman Jim Dowdell – a veteran of dramatic action stunts in movies including the Bond and Bourne series, as well as Indiana Jones, to perform 'a world first high-wire water crossing' in the all-new aluminium-intensive Jaguar XF using wires just over an inch thick. Dowdell drove the all-new Jaguar XF 240metres across a high-wire to demonstrate the new XF's lightweight aluminium-intensive construction and agility. A Jaguar spokesman said: 'The dramatic drive across two 34mm-diameter wires suspended high above water, highlights the lightweight and agile credentials of the new XF.' The high-wire feat is also a fitting symbol for the sort of high-wire act Britain's Jaguar is performing for real to take on far bigger German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The company's new XF sport saloon promises 'business class' levels of comfort and refinement with a new generation of frugal engines. It is being built at Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich factory in Birmingham. Following its high-wire reveal, it makes its official global debut at the New York motor show on April 1 before going on-sale from Autumn 2015. Jaguar says the new XF is 80kgs lighter than its closest competitor thanks to its aluminium-intensive construction. This has helped create fuel efficiency of more than 70mpg with CO2 emissions of 104g/km: 'This is the lowest CO2 emissions of any non-hybrid model in the segment.' Engines include a frugal new 2.0litre 163 horse-power Ingenium diesel to a 380 horse-power V6 supercharged petrol. Crew members help position the car on the wires during the lead-up to the stunt filmed in Canary Wharf today . A Jaguar weight was dangled beneath the vehicle to help keep its balance as it is driven over the River Thames . Jaguar says the new XF will deliver 'an unrivalled blend of refinement, fuel economy, dynamics and design' to the business car segment. The firm said: 'The next generation XF is completely new from the ground up and will be the second Jaguar model to use the brand's advanced aluminium-intensive architecture. The all-new XF will set new business segment benchmarks for weight and efficiency, resulting in class leading fuel economy figures of over 70mpg.' They added: 'The all-new XF retains its predecessor's core attributes but uses Jaguar's advanced aluminium-intensive architecture to elevate them to a completely new level'. Some 75 per cent of the new car's superstructure is made of aluminium, saving up to 190kg weight. This wide shot shows the vehicle driven across the river in the daring stunt performed today to launch the new vehicle . An assistant dangling by a harness is belayed over to the vehicle to remove its covers for the start of the stunt . Nearby traffic came to a standstill in the area this morning as workers stopped to gaze at the remarkable stunt . The proportions have also been tweaked. So although the new car is 7mm shorter and 3mm lower than the car it replaces, the new XF has a 51mm longer wheelbase – the gap between the wheels - which means more rear seat space with more legroom, knee-room and headroom. Powering the new cat, engines include 163 horse-power and 180 horse-power 2.0litre Ingenium diesel engines linked to six-speed manual-and eight-speed automatic gear-box transmissions. The manual four cylinder 163 horse-power diesel delivers C02 emissions of just 104g/km and is 'the lightest, most efficient non-hybrid diesel model in the segment' weighing 80kg less than its closest competitor. There is also a powerful 3.0litre 300 horse-power V6 twin-turbo diesel engine and a 3.0litre 380 horse-power V6 supercharged petrol engine. Jaguar says the lightweight body structure, electric power assisted steering, and specially tuned driving dynamics on the rear-wheel drive car help deliver 'the ideal balance between agility, comfort and refinement'. The Jaguar XF boasts a 3.0 litre, 300 horsepower engine diesel engine. Here is pictured as it is lifted onto the high-wire today .
Jaguar tonight launched its new XF compact sports saloon in a dramatic high-wire crossing in Canary Wharf . Pictures show the vehicle balancing precariously over the River Thames as it is driven by stuntman Jim Dowdell . He is a veteran of dozens of films including James Bond and Indiana Jones, as well as the Jason Bourne series .