XK8 VERDICT IS IN:
IT'S A JAGUAR AFTER ALL

The air was thick with anticipation at the 1996 Geneva Auto Show as Jaguar designers, program engineers and executives anxiously awaited the crowd's response to Jaguar's first new sports car in 21 years, the XK8. Strong enthusiasm for the XK8's styling was immediately apparent from the press and show spectators. The design team's dramatic departure from the XJS, predecessor of the XK8 and Jaguar's best-selling sports car ever, seemed likely to be rewarded by the public. Still, questions remained: Would Jaguar loyalists embrace any vehicle that retired their XJS? More importantly, would enthusiasts accept this new-generation sports car, the first full vehicle program completed under Ford Motor Company ownership, as a purebred Jaguar? Customers indeed responded warmly to the XK8's distinctive style and new 4.0-liter AJ-V8 engine: The new model immeidately set records for sales and showroom traffic, and XK8 sales in the first half of 1998 nearly doubled those of its predecessor.

STYLE - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

The car's stance and proportions evoke Jaguar's powerful styling heritage. Fine wood veneers and premium Connolly leather reflect traditional Jaguar elegance throughout the XK8's interior. Round analog gauges and Jaguar's J-gate transmission shifter further link the XK8 to its predecessors. Accolades poured in from reviewers during the XK8's first year on sale. Motor Week called the XK8 Best Dream Machine, CAR magazine lauded it for Best New Engine, and the Robb Report named it Car of the Year.

XK8 CHANGES FOR 1998 - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Jaguar engineers specified enhancements to the sports car program for the 1998 model year, improving customer convenience in a number of areas. Automatic on/off headlamps are added to the extensive list of XK8 standard features, as is a sophisticated engine immobilizer for the anti-theft system. Designers revised the audio system to accommodate an integrated telephone keypad and modified the steering-wheel-mounted audio controls for the optional, dealer-installed cellular telephone.

COLORS - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Two new exterior colors are offered: Meteorite (silver) and Amaranth (purple/gold). The range of interior hues now includes Ivory and Cashmere.

FINE TUNING - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Fine tuning of the XK8's engine specification includes new exhaust cam profiles to improve refinement and a new torque converter for the ZF five-speed automatic transmission to improve response and fuel economy.

REINFORCING REPUTATION - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Jaguar's introduction of the XK8 in late 1996 harkened to the company's historic reputation for technology innovation. The XK8's sophistication is readily apparent in the standard five-speed automatic transmission and the automatic stability control for traction on slippery roads. Less obvious are engineering feats such as an advanced multiplex electrical system, which simplifies electronic controls and makes them more reliable. The convertible XK8 features a one-button, auto-latching top mechanism that can raise and lower the top while the car travels at up to 10 miles per hour. The XK8's lean development cycle-just 30 months from program approval to the start of production-further demonstrated Jaguar's world-class efficiency in bringing new cars to market.

PERFORMANCE - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Jaguar's long-standing tradition of introducing its new engines first in its sports car range continues with the XK8, which is powered by the first V8 engine Jaguar has ever designed. Engineered to provide refined power, the advanced 4.0-liter, 32-valve AJ-V8 engine features a robust aluminum cylinder block with a structural bedplate for durability and smoothness, Nikasil (nickel/silicon carbide) bore surfaces for better weight and friction than iron linings would provide, variable cam phasing for responsiveness across a wide range of speeds an electronic, "drive-by-wire" throttle for smooth and accurate power delivery. At the time of the XK8 launch, this engine led its class in weight, stiffness, friction, specific power output (horsepower per liter) and package efficiency (power output for its external dimensions). The naturally aspirated AJ-V8 requires no maintenance for 100,000 miles other than oil and filter changes under normal driving conditions.

COOLING SYSTEM - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

The patented cooling system brings the engine to operating temperature very quickly. This assures a comfortable cabin temperature, helps lower emissions and contributes to fuel-economy numbers that allow the XK8 to be sold without a gas guzzler tax. Development efforts centered on providing taut response and precise handling without any sacrifice of ride comfort or refinement. The XK8 returns Jaguar to its sports-car roots with a sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission, new designs for both front and rear suspension systems and world-class variable-assist/variable-ratio power steering.

SAFETY - Buy The Jaguar XK8 Here

Extensive safety considerations are engineered into the XK8. Air bags are provided for the driver and front passenger, along with pyrotechnic seat belt pretensioners to take up safety-belt slack during frontal impacts. Strategic use of special high-strength steel members throughout the car assures a rigid body, while crumple zones at the front and rear absorb forces in a crash. The convertible is equipped with cross-bracing under the engine bay, added stiffening members in the door sills and a reinforced windshield frame. Active safety features on the XK8 help drivers to avoid collisions. These include powerful four-wheel disc brakes with an advanced anti-lock system, two levels of traction control, an independent suspension and precision rack-and-pinion steering. For calendar year 1998, Jaguar projects sales of the XK8 will reach nearly 7,000 in North America. The convertible is expected to account for almost 90 percent of sales.

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