Jaguar XK8 coupe and convertible frolic with V8 inspiration
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- At a new Homestead racetrack stretched across soupy marshes south of Miami, the wiggly infield route consists of a series of long and flat stretches connected by frighteningly tight turns.
A powerful engine may propel a quick car down those Homestead straights to triple-digit speeds, but to keep all wheels on pavement while navigating subsequent hairpins takes more than horsepower and a nervy driver.
It requires superior mechanical means, such as strong brakes working in harmony with an inspired suspension and acute steering system.
During a recent Homestead workout, this driver's wheels de jour carried all of these assets, plus a traction control device to keep you out of trouble. It tackled every turn with such sure-footed confidence that you quickly realized all components amounted to so much more than the sum of the parts -- it was world-class action, without question.
One more thing: This one's drop-dead gorgeous.
Britain's Jaguar, it seems, has crafted an impeccable car with the new XK8.
Pitched as a curvy coupe or slinky convertible, this mid-size 2-door personal luxury car resurrects styling cues from the fabled 1960s 2-seat icon, XK-E, thanks to that extended hoodline and aerodynamic prow, yet it also writes a new page in Jaguar lore due to the multi-national melange of components and a new powertrain primed with Jag's first V8.
Before XK8, all Jaguar cars toted engines equipped with six or twelve cylinders. The new 4.0-liter aluminum plant, designed by Jaguar and built at a Ford factory in Wales, packs four overhead cams plus four valves for each of eight cylinders with variable timing on intake.
This engine, result of a $230 million investment by Ford after acquiring Jaguar in 1989, will eventually power other Jaguars and for XK8 symbolizes the beginning of a new era.
Ford's infusion of capital, production expertise, parts resourcing and quality control has already produced dramatic changes at Jaguar, with the labor required to assemble existing products significantly reduced as warranty repair costs, meaning things that go wrong, dropped by half.
So no longer do you need three of the once-cantankerous Jags in your stable -- one to work on, the second to borrow parts from and a third to actually drive.
And XK8 represents the first all-new car developed since Ford began collaborating with Jaguar.
The new coupe and convertible replace dated XJS labels, which first appeared in 1975.
By returning to the XK designation, Jaguar evokes a heritage which traces to the XK 120 2-seater of 1948. Subsequent XK issues in the 1950s became the epitome of serious British sports cars, while the E-type models which emerged in 1961 as descendants of LeMans racers signaled super-car performance at common-car prices.
Despite the glamorous styling of XK-E, it begged for a mechanic sequestered in side seat to keep it running.
That won't be the case with new XK8 because every aspect represents world-class design and quality.
Consider, for instance, the international coterie of suppliers for XK8 components.
The renowned German supplier ZF created XK8's 5-speed automatic transmission, with computer circuits managing the torque-converter lockup in all but first gear. It out-thinks a driver's accelerator action, minimizing shifts during aggressive moves and backing off on engine output during the actual shifting maneuvers.
Other German enterprises show off handiwork in XK8, such as Karmann to craft the ragtop's forged aluminum frame and Bilstein for superior shocks.
America's ITT Automotive produced the anti-lock brake system for XK8, as it does for Mercedes-Benz SL500. And with XK8's lighting system flowing from France, the air conditioner coming from Japan and Italy's Pirelli molding P Zero ZR-rated tires like those rolling on Ferrari F40, the worldly blend becomes obvious.
Still, the best of Jaguar's reputation for luxurious accommodations remains infused as integral part of this new car.
Inside, fittings fit for royalty appear in profusion.
Seats, covered in rich Connolly leather, feel firm and infinitely comfortable, and they adjust with power controls featuring memory settings.
Glossy walnut lines dash and doors and console, while classic analog instruments with white-on-black display dot the instrument panel.
All mechanical gear comes with power movements, of course, such as windows and mirrors and locks, and the climate system, along with virtually everything else when desired, operates automatically.
Only variation between coupe and convertible occurs with the latter's retractable lid, fully lined and fixed with glass rear window. At the touch of a single button, the top unlatches, drops the four side windows and stows in a slot positioned behind the rear seatback in one continuous and hassle-free movement.
Jaguar's fully independent double wishbone suspension, borrowed from the XJ6 sedan, uses a new isolated aluminum front cross-beam, with unequal-length control arms arranged to provide anti-dive effect under braking. In back, the independent wishbone system incorporates the driveshaft acting as upper links and provides anti-lift when braking and anti-squat when accelerating.
Ride quality feels living-room smooth -- and library quiet, preserving hallmarks of past Jaguars to isolate road noise and roughness, then tune out the outside world.
Yet the structural concepts for this cat's suspension stem directly from Jaguar's experience in constructing agile racing machines. Like racers, XK8 can cut a quick corner and hold a hard line through complicated movements, while still dampening bumps and silencing any pavement chatter.
Speed-sensitive variable-assist power rack and pinion steering and 4-wheel disc brakes with the computerized ITT anti-lock controls enhance XK8's sporty feel.
Test its 290-hp throttle response, and this new Jag leaps ahead, racing to 60 mph in less than seven seconds.
Such a world-class car totals to heady figures, as you might expect, but its prices -- beginning at $65,000 -- chip $20,000 or so off tags of import competitors.
1997 JAGUAR XK8 SERIES
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| 1997 JAGUAR XK8 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size 2-door luxury sports coupe, convertible |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size 2-door luxury sports coupe, convertible |
| Wheelbase: |
101.9 inches |
| Overall Length: |
187.4 inches
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| Engine Size: |
QOHC 4.0-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/5 |
| Drive: |
Rear |
| Braking: |
Power disc/ABS/ASC |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
Coupe: 16/25 mpg
Convertible: 15/24 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 65,000 to $ 74,000 |
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