Jaguars are for old men, apparently. Well, I’m 30 and I love Jags. For me, the best Jaguars are the ones which truly embody those famous characteristics of ‘grace, space and pace’. They ooze sleek curvaceousness, high quality and a dynamic performance which speaks of fastidious attention to detail.
Most of the truly legendary Jaguars - the XK120, Mk2, E-Type etc - appeared and disappeared long before my time, yet I still find them and their histories hugely appealing. One Jaguar of the modern classic era which truly captivated me, meanwhile, was the ‘X100’ XK8 of 1996.
At the age of 4, I was wowed by this stunning reinterpretation of the classic E-Type. Whether watching it on the small screen on the motoring programmes (remember them?) or cheekily commandeering the driver’s seat at a local motor show, the XK8 undoubtedly supercharged (literally so in the case of the XKR) my obsession with cars in my early years.
The wide stance, graceful curves, lavishly appointed interior and, of course, that famous badge wound their way into my heart and, today, the XK8 has lost none of its ability to wow, even with the latest cars now being over 17 years old. And when the XKR was launched in 1998, utilising a supercharged version of the ‘AJ-V8’ engine, it managed to add a dash of visual menace without losing that original, carefully honed elegance.
It’s true that, in either guise, the XK is more grand tourer than sports car. As a committed fan of the more nimble Porsche 911, that might make the softer Jaguar an unusual receiver of my affection. But there’s much to be said for sinking into a soft leather-lined seat, tuning in to Radio 4 and watching the miles flow effortlessly through the windscreen of a long-legged and de-stressing XK8. Besides, it’s not as though the model becomes all at sea when the corners arrive; despite its weight it more than acquits itself through bends.
If you are interested in giving a 911 a run for its money, you’ll be better served by the all-aluminium ‘X150’ XK which replaced the original car from 2005. With its Ian Callum-penned exterior, the second-generation XK is arguably even more striking, and inside you’ll discover a cockpit which shuns the wood and old-school ambience for metallic-finish modernity. Throw into the mix the fact that, thanks to extensive weight-saving, the X150 is a sharper steer yet loses little in terms of comfort, and I’m starting to wonder whether I’ve picked the wrong XK…
As much as I love the X150, however, it’s the earlier car that holds the fondest memories for me. Its significance in helping to forge my love of cars means it will always have a place in my heart. And it wasn’t just me who fell for it - the XK8 regularly scored highly in the contemporary car and customer satisfaction surveys. Clarkson struggled to contain his lust for it when he road tested it on Top Gear back in 1996. There are many ‘Jaaaag folk’ out there, and you can count me as one.
Comments