With the Jaguar XJS being around for no less than 21 full years, it was time for Jaguar to set things right and come with a new model.
Thus, in 1996, Jaguar introduced the XK-Series.

The new series had the same foundation as the XJ-S, however, the chassis had been stiffened and revised beyond recognition. The XK was available as a convertible or a coupe, with most sales generated by the convertible.

For the first time, a V8 unit was mounted on the Jaguar’s new series. The 4.0-liter DOHC unit produced no less than 290 hp and 290 pound-feet of torque. No manual transmission was available with the then-new Jaguar XK8, instead an all-new 5-speed automatic transmission was offered, featuring normal and sport modes. The sporty XK8 was limited to 250 km/h, which was lower than the car it replaced, the XJ-S.

Inside, the coupe offered seating for 4. While the front occupants enjoyed a roomy cabin, the back seats were good for luggages or small children. The classy cabin was fitted with a walnut instrument panel, a leather steering wheel and aromatic leather upholstery. The comfortable seats offered great lateral support as in any other sport-luxury vehicle.

Besides the car’s gorgeous design and its powerful engine, the XK came with lots of luxurious features at the time: adaptive cruise control, alloys wheels, self-levelling xenon headlamps and others.

The XK series, while new, it remained faithful to its roots with inspiration taken from the famous E-Type. With effortless acceleration, nimble and precise steering and a luxurious design, while expensive, the XK had great success.