Jaguar XK (2006-) Review

Overview

• Next: Reliability and Quality

Ten years after the launch of Jaguar's modern-era XK comes the next generation.

This new XK is lighter, faster and roomier than the car it replaces. And its body is so much stiffer that the new convertible is actually stiffer than the coupe version of the outgoing model.

One thing that we've got to flag up straight away is that the XK is one of those cars that looks so much better in the flesh and on the road than it does in static images. We'd been underwhelmed when we got our sneak preview of the XK last year, but after spending days on the road with the thing, we can happily conclude that you won't get a better-looking coupe in this class and at this money.

Jaguar's design chief Ian Callum says that he was after a look that suggests a skin drawn tightly and economically around the mechanical structure of the car. It works - there isn't the flabby overhang that unbalanced the look of the previous XK - and the marvellously powerful rear shoulders of the car, particularly noticeable on the convertible, give it a masculinity and strength that the old car lacked.

The engine is the well proven 4.2-litre 300bhp V8 mated to the quite sensationally good six-speed auto with the option of manual sequential shifting.

Unlike its predecessor, the coupe boasts a neat little hatchback; and, because the convertible was engineered from the ground up - as opposed to beginning life as a coupe and then having its roof cut off later on - it just works better as an all-rounder in that configuration.

The XK is nominally a 2+2, but compared to something like BMW's 6-Series, the rear seats aren't appropriate for more than a bit of extra oddment and luggage storage.