Introduction

It takes more than a brilliant new car to restore the fortunes of a company in decline, but if any one car can do that, then Jaguar's XK8 is such a car. Jaguar's brilliant revival dates back to 1989 when Ford acquired this beleaguered British company. Before tackling any new projects, Ford first set about restoring Jaguar's respectability. Contemporary quality control standards were put in place and Ford helped make improvements to Jaguar's factory in Coventry, England. When the XK8 program came it was the first new car under Ford's stewardship. Jaguar's heritage is built on sports car legends, and the XK8 is the kind of machine that is capable of acquiring a stature out of proportion to its actual capabilities. It's not quite an all-out sports car, not in the sense of the sainted XK-E or Jaguar's mid-'50s Le Mans winners. But it has the personality, style, and performance to become a legend in its own right. Jaguar's XK8 coupe is one of the most sublime pieces of automotive sculpture on the road today. But we chose the convertible for our test because we were in Santa Barbara and wanted to put the top down and have some fun. Just one year old, the XK8 rolls into 1998 unchanged, save for the addition of an auto-on/off headlight feature and some welcome new colors. Even the base prices are the same: $65,480 for the coupe, $70,480 for the roadster.

Walkaround

The XK8 arrived none too soon for Jaguar because the legend was getting moldy. The 1974 XK-E roadster was Jaguar's last real sports car--not counting the ill-starred XJ220 supercar. The subsequent XJ-S packed the prestige of a V12 engine, but left a lot to be desired in terms of agility and balance, comfort and convenience. The XK8 is not an XK-E. It lacks a manual transmission, for one thing. Though the XK8's five-speed automatic is one of the best, manual shifting is a key element in the sports car experience. For another, the XK8 is thoroughly civilized and elegant, inside and out. As beautiful as it was, the XK-E was primitive compared to its sumptuous descendant. Jaguar used the XJ-S to lay the foundation for the XK8, but the chassis has been stiffened and tweaked almost beyond recognition. The V8 engine is all-new and drives the rear wheels through the five-speed automatic.

Interior Features

Coupe or convertible, the interior of the new XK8 is just this side of opulent with its walnut instrument panel, leather-trimmed wood rim steering wheel, and aromatic leather upholstery. It's roomy up front, though there's a little less headroom in the convertible than the coupe. The seats combine comfort and lateral support that's on par with anything offered in the sport-luxury realm. The rear seats are fabricated from the same excellent materials, but don't expect to have a lot of friends ride back there. Like most cars that characterize themselves as two-plus-two, the XK8's rear seat area is essentially a nicely upholstered parcel shelf. The XK8 has rear seating because Jaguar product planners believe the demand for two-seaters is exactly equal to the market for 8-track cassettes. But whenever we hear that plus-two designation, it invariably makes us wonder: Plus-two what? Jack Russell terriers? Ducks? Never mind. The XK8 isn't about passenger capacity. It's about fast, elegant motoring, something it delivers with exceptional competence and zeal.