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.