Jaguar XK (X100)
Encyclopedia
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
car that was launched by Jaguar Cars in 1996, and was the first generation of a new XK
Jaguar XK
The Jaguar XK series is a series of grand tourer cars produced by British car maker Jaguar since 1996. The series was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show on 5 March 1996. The first generation of the series, the XK8, replaced the XJS, and was available as a coupé and convertible...
series. The XK8 was available in coupé or convertible body styles and with the new 4.0 litre Jaguar AJ-V8 engine
Jaguar AJ-V8 engine
The Jaguar AJ-V8 is a compact DOHC V8 piston engine used in many Jaguar vehicles. It was the fourth new engine type in the history of the company. In 1997 it replaced both designs previously available on Jaguar cars: the straight-6 Jaguar AJ6 engine , and the Jaguar V12 engine...
. In 1998 the XKR was introduced with a supercharged version of the engine. From 2003 the engines were replaced by the 4.2 litre AJ34 engines in both the normally aspirated and supercharged versions. The first-generation XK series shares its platform with the Aston Martin DB7
Aston Martin DB7
The Aston Martin DB7 is a grand tourer which was produced by Aston Martin from September 1994 to December 2004. The grand tourer was available either as a coupé or a convertible. The prototype was complete by November 1992, and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1993, the car was styled by...
. Both cars are derived from the Jaguar XJS
Jaguar XJS
The Jaguar XJ-S is a luxury grand tourer produced by the British manufacturer Jaguar from 1975 to 1996. The XJ-S replaced the E-Type in September 1975, and was based on the XJ saloon. It had been developed as the XK-F, though it was very different in character from its predecessor...
, though the platform has been extensively changed. One of the revisions is the use of the second generation of Jaguar's IRS unit, taken from the XJ40.
The car's aerodynamic design gives it a drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
of 0.35 for the XK8 coupe and 0.36 for the XK8 convertible.
Power and performance
Both the XK8 and XKR are electronically limited to a maximum of 155 miles per hour (249.4 km/h). The top speed of its predecessor, the XJS V12Jaguar XJS
The Jaguar XJ-S is a luxury grand tourer produced by the British manufacturer Jaguar from 1975 to 1996. The XJ-S replaced the E-Type in September 1975, and was based on the XJ saloon. It had been developed as the XK-F, though it was very different in character from its predecessor...
, was approximately 158 mi/h. The XK8 heralded a change in direction for the company, resulting in the S-Type
Jaguar S-Type
The Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
and X-Type
Jaguar X-Type
The X-Type is a compact executive car manufactured and marketed for model years 2001-2009 by Jaguar Cars. The smallest of the Jaguar model range, the X-type was marketed in saloon and wagon variants and was the only estate ever manufactured in series production by the company...
.
The XK8 come standard with 17" alloy wheels, while 18" (Standard on the XKR), 19", and 20" wheels are available for additional cost. A navigation system and self-leveling xenon headlamps come standard with the XKR and as options for the XK8. Jaguar's Adaptive Cruise Control is an optional feature available on both models. Both come with all-leather interior, burl walnut trim, and side airbags. Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, during a Top Gear (a UK motoring magazine/TV show) test-drive, likened the interior of the original XK8 to sitting inside Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
. In 2004 the grille design of the XKR was refreshed.
XKR Silverstone
Only 107 Silverstone models were made in Phase I (MY2000), and 456 in Phase II (MY2001) in celebration of Jaguar's return to F1 racingFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
in 2001. It featured a Platinum paint finish, specific badges and tread plates,a high-performance package (with the same engine as the standard XKR, but improved transmission, steering, suspension and brakes), 20 inch Silver BBS "Detroit" wheels and a custom interior (red-stitched black leather and birds-eye maple wood) . All possible factory options were included, to the exception of the telephone and the navigation system, which had to be ordered separately. Phase I cars were only for UK, so they all were RHD; Phase two cars were all for export, all LHD except 40 RHD cars for the Japanese market.
XKR 100
Built to celebrate the centenary of Jaguar's founder, 500 'XKR 100' coupes and convertibles combined total were made in 2002. The XKR 100 featured an Anthracite paint finish, RecaroRecaro
RECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
seats, 20 inch BBS alloy wheels, Brembo
Brembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
brakes, and custom interior. This model may be referred to as the XKR-R as well.
XKR Portfolio
The convertible-only Portfolio models were produced in 2004 exclusively for the US market. Of the Portfolio models, 100 featured unique Red paint with matching Recaro sports seats and interior, whilst the remaining 100 had Blue paintwork and interiors. Portfolio models were also sold in France.XKR 4.2-S
In Europe the 4.2-S was unveiled at Geneva on 1 March 2005. This was the last XK to be rolled out that was based upon the original 1996 design. Features for the 4.2-S included new exterior and interior colours and two distinct veneer options for the instrument panel, polished door treadplates with chequered-flag emblems and embossed, leather-edged floor mats. The revised white Jaguar badge on the bonnet also feature chequered accents. New 19" Atlas wheels plus cross-drilled Brembo brake discs, red wheel badges and red brake callipers were also fitted.XKR-R
Jaguar S-Type
The Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
special edition. Unlike the S-Type R, it will never be realised on a Mk.1 XK chassis although a model of the same name could appear on the Mk.2 XK later this year.