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By
EWAN KENNEDY
27 June 2005
This is a big British sports car that's a real pleasure to
drive. Modestly priced for what it is, the Jaguar XK is long,
sleek and powerful. It’s more a two-door grand tourer than a
full-on sports machine. Handling is good, without being
outstanding in its road grip. Generally these cars are fine on
Australian roads, but aren't always happy on the really rough
stuff. Try it for yourself if you live in an outlying region.
(Or in an inlying region where your local council is a bit
slack!)
Two body types are offered, a closed coupe and
convertible, the latter using a soft-top as it predated the
current folding hardtop era.
The XK series was reintroduced to Australia in
October 1996 after an absence of many years. It has worked well
since then but is getting on in years. A new model is imminent
so there may be special deals on the last of the old ones.
The shape of the Jaguar XK, from the nose with
its big, oval opening, to the raised, rounded tail is borrowed
from the famous Jaguar E-Type and works exceptionally well. The
dashboard uses a traditionally styled, timber-faced design
that's flatter than is normal these days. Yet with its smallish,
round instruments and low-set face it looks just right in these
big British sports machines. Naturally these Jaguars come with
the usual leather-and-wood trimmed interiors, and a choice of
standard and sports variants.
Power comes from a V8 engine, interestingly,
the first engine of this configuration ever used in a Jaguar as
the company had made its name building gorgeous straight sixes.
Initially the V8 had a 4.0-litre capacity. That was raised to
4.2 litres when the engine was heavily revised in 2002. Though
the later engine is undoubtedly better, there's certainly
nothing wrong with the older unit.
Both of these Jaguar V8s have that certain
sound and feel that appeals to car enthusiasts the world over.
As if these big twin-cam V8s don't provide
enough performance, Jaguar also offers them with a supercharger.
Look for the letter ‘R’ in the name tag. These give a huge
blast of acceleration, providing not only extra driving
pleasure, but also very safe overtaking.
At the top of the performance tree sits the
‘Jaguar XKR with R features’. With semi-race suspension,
Brembo brakes and a big emphasis on very serious motoring it’s
a car to dream about from a Jaguar enthusiast’s point of view.
Considerably more expensive than even the standard XKR they
weren't a huge sales success in Australia, probably because of
our too-low speed limits.
Jaguar XK8s used a five-speed automatic
transmission until the 2002 revamp and a six-speed auto from
then onwards. The autos use Jaguar's clever J-gate mechanism to
allow a fair degree of 'manual' control over it. Good as that
system was in its day it feels a bit old fashioned when compared
to the latest generation of tiptronic-type automatics.
Some bemoan the lack of a manual option in a
sportscar, but Jaguar’s market research had shown fewer than
five percent of buyers would have opted for it.
Insurance isn't as expensive as you might
expect given the performance nature of the car. Provided, that
is, you have a good driving record and live in an area where
theft is seldom a problem. Ask about any extra charges for the
supercharged variants.
Better built and more reliable than older
Jaguars, the latest Jaguar XK models are complex cars and
servicing and repairs should be left to the professionals. The
dealer network in Australia is long established and operates
efficiently. Spare parts aren't cheap, but are in line with the
purchase price of the car.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A professional inspection should be regarded as essential.
You may wish to do some initial checks to save racking up too
many inspection bills.
A genuine Jaguar battery should be fitted as
other units may not provide enough power and the electrical
relays may not work.
Be sure the engine starts promptly, idles
smoothly and does not blow smoke from the exhaust when the big
Jag is accelerated hard.
Be sure the automatic transmission goes into
gear within about a second of the selector being moved into
Drive or Reverse. Check the ‘manual-gearbox’ functions work
correctly.
Look for rust in the lower areas of the body.
It is not normal but can be expensive to repair. At the same
time look for signs of previous crash repairs, such as
mismatched paint or ripples in the finish.
Look at the condition of the trim, carpets,
dash-top and other interior fittings, particularly in a
convertible. If you notice any water stains on the convertible’s
seats ask the seller to remove the carpets so you can check
under them.
CAR BUYING TIP
Upmarket cars sometimes fall into the hands of social climbers
who can’t afford to maintain them to full factory standards.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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