1997 Jaguar XK8 | Retro Review

During the late 90's there were plenty of sleekly styled luxury performance coupe and convertibles to choose from...A few of them still turn heads. Is the Jaguar XK8 among them?
Show 1609 | Original Airdate 10-30-1996
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[@VideoAmericanStyle]

The XKR variant was truly one of the sleeper stars of the late 90s/early 2000s. And these still look quite sharp.

[@FenderUsa]

i think they're one of the most beautiful cars of the 90s

[@bubblelex5051]

Aston DB7 and Jaguar XKR 😍

[@Tuppoo94]

It's ridiculous to think that nowadays you can buy huge SUVs and pickups which will blow this Jag away at a stoplight drag race. Oh well, at least the Jag has them beat in the style department.

[@cjiekel668]

I perfer the xkr

[@hakeemsd70m]

The XK8 is one of the most beautiful British cars ever built, in my opinion.

[@05gtdriver]

Ahh, the trunk mounted CD changer. You were the top of the hill if your vehicle sported one of those! 🙂

[@ericervin4778]

Yes!!!! 😀

[@johnpearson492]

My 99 BMW e36 M3 has one, I have 6 discs loaded and use it all the time!

[@hakeemsd70m]

@@johnpearson492 That's awesome, I love hearing cars stories like this, what makes being a car enthusiast so much fun. Enjoy your e36!

[@johnpearson492]

@@hakeemsd70m Thanks! It's a brilliant daily driver and a half decent autocross weapon. Love driving it.

[@wrailfan]

My 2001 Ford ZX2 had one as well lol.

[@brianlee9233]

I remember playing as this car in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2 and High Stakes. (The XKR, not the XK8). I really miss the Ford-Jaguar parts sharing in the old models. (Ford also owned Mazda as well as Volvo). This XK8 was (and still is) beautiful to this day. Also, the background music sounds really beautiful!

[@Mac10Daddy]

This car aged so well. A cheaper alternative to the Aston at the time

[@BigWheel.]

I think it looks a lot better than an Aston personally.

[@Mac10Daddy]

@@BigWheel. I agree. And I don’t know what the guy below you is talking about. The Vanquish is the best looking modern Aston imo

[@MI-mx3rh]

How is the reliability? I got hooked to this model ever since the movie memento

[@Mac10Daddy]

@@MI-mx3rh being British, probably horrible

[@zachdebuhr6347]

​@Mac10Daddy not at all I have an XKR and daily drive it

[@gedaman]

This is one of the greatest designs ever. It just flows so well all over.

[@SARCASM_IS_MY_FIRST_NAME]

Nostalgic , 23 years ago , i drove this car in Need For Speed 4 High Stakes . Greetings from Brazil!

[@bobbob-lt9zh]

COME TO BRAZIL

[@SARCASM_IS_MY_FIRST_NAME]

@@bobbob-lt9zh what?

[@TheRealHungryJoe]

One of my favorite Jags. I was able to car detail one of these and it’s very nice. Engine sounds great

[@Yormsane]

Absolutely gorgeous car, and what a huge leap forward from the prehistoric XJS.

[@fastEdCanuck]

Still lots of the XJS mechanicals underneath though.

[@sj380wastaken]

what if we like prehistoric cars

[@richarddoaks3880]

Well the XJS WAS in production for 21 years ! So yeah, I should rather think it's a big change. I tend to drive my commuter cars for 15-16 years and on those occasions I get a new one, it's a BIG change.

[@slowblueoval1997]

My buddy just picked one up for $7500. Garage kept and 52000 miles and convertible. Cool cruiser and the styling still looks good today.

[@bikerman6907]

As a car enthusiast and collector I have asked myself what is the reason that many of yester years very ecpensive!! "super cars" SL 500/SL 55 AMG, XK8/XKR8, Aston Martin Vantage V8/V12 only goes for a fraction of new sticker price/ or almost impossible to get Rid of....when JDM cars, Ford RS's.... are the the opposite... cheers from me in Norway

[@cheddarfish225]

Lucky enough to have the coupe version of the xk8. Driving always puts a smile on your face. Big car but really tiny inside though.

[@jarrodmcmillian1747]

Im still looking for one, in Pewter and coupe

[@flyurway]

The Brits consider this a big car. Compared to our "yank tanks" of the early-mid 70's (before downsizing), this car would've almost fit in the trunk of those!

[@N1120A]

An XKR with a manual would have been the ultimate. I'd absolutely own one.

[@Plombo_5]

This car had the absolute best looking useless rear seats of any car that had useless rear seats.

[@namerican8510]

Jaguar should of incorporated the traditional round glass headlamps into the design.

[@MarkMeadows90]

This is one of my wife's favorite cars. She likes the Antigua Blue color a lot.

[@777jones]

Buy her one.

[@MarkMeadows90]

@@777jones maybe someday

[@trr5291]

This is the Tim Allen movie For Richer or Poorer (1997) car. I used to think it was the coolest car ever when I was 10. It was a sharp looking car. In those days they concentrated more on looks and comfort than they did technology.

[@julianmendoja7697]

good movie too, love kirstie alley

[@palebeachbum]

Beautiful car. I love that long hood and sleek Coke bottle shape. The classy interior is my favorite part.

[@shaunrutherford7764]

I said back then and say now that the XK has the appropriate amount of wood to feel luxurious.

[@hakeemsd70m]

A truly gorgeous car. The XK8/XKR was a childhood favorite of mine growing up in the early 00's, and remains so today. Would absolutely love an XK from this era in British Racing Green. You gotta love Jaguar's infamous J-gate shifter and acres of wood. Oh, and I love the violin music of this segment.

[@mr.toobigformypants8145]

I bought my 97 XK8 in the year 2000 and still have it. I drive it often but it isn't my daily driver and aside from a sagging headliner, replaced twice, the only other problem is remembering to plug in the battery tender. It still looks fresh and almost new after 78,000 miles in British Racing Green with tan leather interior. I love my Jaaag.

[@lachlanbrown409]

Beautiful lines on your Jaaaag.

[@robertc5200]

Little known fact, the violin music playing was actually coming from the car. The only radio stations you could pull were classical stations. I put a Smashing Pumkins cassette in once , and it came out as Mozart.

[@hakeemsd70m]

Brilliant 🏆

[@HKPCRGF]

Always love the Motorweek review~

[@dohc1067]

Beautiful, distinctive, sexy, and a rare sight to behold for sure on the roads today. That being said, if you are a collector please have deep pockets.

[@ic1815]

I still want an XK8 coupe so badly. *Not* the convertible. Needs to be the coupe.

[@michaelsimko7694]

I remember seeing many of these Jags during the time. I'm a big fan of its sleek, elegant styling, which has the perfect touches of rounded areas, smoothness, and classic streamlined style.

[@1Rolinha]

Retro review ->instant like Keep them coming!

[@elektro3000]

I've always thought the pre-facelift (4.0L) XK8/XKR was one of the best styled coupes ever. I still want one, although the mandatory slushbox is very frustrating. It needs a Tremec T56. Also I would have to get used to leaning the seat back more than I normally do, because there isn't a whole lot of headroom.

[@MI-mx3rh]

This was my favourite of the jags models, how I wish the brits knew how to make engines and transmissions and electronics the list goes on

[@zachfolts]

Would love to get my hands on a convertible one and give it a ford 4.6 and a 6speed and see what it can do

[@paulm6481]

A car that aces the passage of time.

[@AL_SD]

Coupes are rare, they’re going for over 30k

[@marcosduarte1830]

Beautiful Car of Jaguar of the decade 90 .

[@wydopnthrtl]

Once the timing chain tensioners and guides have been replaced these are a bargain of a fun car to have.

[@gregoryjohnson9733]

That interior is a chefs kiss.

[@katecool2237]

My favorite design of all time...this car was in that thriller movie called the glass house as well as the need for speed PC game I used to play.

[@Starman998]

Can’t believe this design is already 25 years old.

[@jmin8400]

Your math sucks. It's 30 years old, but of course you wouldn't know that. 1996 is not only more than *26* years ago, but the design is a *1992* creation. Learn some Jaguar history for that matter.

[@hakeemsd70m]

@@jmin8400 Wow, that was very rude, harsh, and kind of immature. The Jaguar XK8 was introduced to the market in 1996 for the 1997 model year, thus making it a 25-year-old design based on the model year. Nobody outside of the Jaguar design team knew about this car in 1992. Use your thinking cap.

[@alexander1485]

The xkr looked great

[@edhcb9359]

“Top drawer” and “British engineering” should never be used together in the same sentence.

[@SMITPGG1997]

Cool Review Of 1997 Jaguar XK8.

[@kanob6440]

Man I miss my 02 xkr. I now have a V8s ftype, but I think a xk8 or xj would be a good daily

[@lyleg.9192]

So you had an XK but now you have the F-type so you're like me except that I haven't bought an F-Type yet I still have my XK Coupe with 55,000 miles. you make it sound like you still have a soft spot for the XK and might even want to get another one. is there something wrong with an F-Type or does it feel soulless?

[@2amSpeedMerchant]

"Jagwar" 😁😂

[@matthewbowen5841]

Still just as eye catching when I see one out and about. Seems like 95% were convertibles.

[@hakeemsd70m]

Seems like you're right. My neighbor has a '98 XK8 in a golden sandy color, and it too is a convertible. The owner is an older gentleman and he keeps the Jag looking showroom new. However, I haven't seen an XK8 coupe in many years.

[@dallasstang2818]

Since having my 8.4L V10 Viper, every motor sounds puny. I’m like dude 4.0L is like less than half my engine

[@Hosshoggbossdogg]

It’s a stretch to even say the dodge v10 is a good sounding engine

[@dallasstang2818]

@@Hosshoggbossdogg nope. Sounds like a UPS truck. Even with a full aftermarket exhaust and headers, it’s just sounds like an angry UPS truck. But under acceleration, the exhaust doesn’t sound too bad lol

[@hakeemsd70m]

@@dallasstang2818 Based on your description, a 2015-17 Viper you have? What's been your experience owning a Viper?

[@BEENIECRIS]

In Louisiana I rarely see this car

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Definitely one gorgeous looking car! Timeless design!👌🥰👍

[@pontiacGXPfan]

The best looking British car in history

[@livingroomguitarist7]

I had a blue 97 coupe and now a 2000 xkr coupe. The XK8 series cars look tiny compared to most cars of today.

[@jasonz7788]

Get looking ride!! Thanks motorweek

[@The101Point1]

Used to be one of my favorite cars then I met my hero they're terribly slow and I'm not a tall guy but when I sit in a convertible my head is over the windshield

[@blackprobegt2000]

I had the 2007 convertible version. So beautiful to look at and fun to drive but such a piece of crap. Right after 60k miles nothing but problems had to get rid of it such a shame cause it was my favorite car ever for a time

[@razvandobos9759]

The British Mustang.

[@hernandocortez6351]

Anyone know the top speed of these cars? I know the XKR is computer limited to 155 mph.

[@erinfreize4717]

These are a good buy at 10 grand these days.

[@alexander1485]

I was hoping after he said "itll send you to nirvana.... nevermind"

[@chuckselvage3157]

Beautiful car

[@joshthemediocre7824]

I mean it's a DB7 in spirit, it should be good. It's faster than i thought it would be.

[@lyleg.9192]

Obviously The Supercharged version is faster and there are things you could do to this stock version to make it quicker as well. PS the reason why it looks a lot like an Aston Martin is because this is one of the Aston Martin designs

[@PhillyDee215]

The Jaguar😎

[@Magaariel]

It looks Aston Marin

[@austinhazlett2k17]

Austin Powers had one too as a convertible with the British flag all over it.

[@austinhazlett2k17]

Correction Tom cruise parody from austinpussy which is in Austin Powers trilogy.

[@stevemcgowen]

The biggest problem is that it looks like it should have a Dodge badge...

[@Xayuap]

that was a good design, it looks big, but also the lemans prototypes. and Jaguars are the biggest cats from the whole american continent. and the strongest of all world, ¿you know why? 'cause they are ayahuascaś friends.

[@alexsolhi6364]

Still a very sexy looking car! 👍🏼

[@pmafterdark]

It was a beautiful car.... for an endless money pit.

[@brianlee9233]

I know right? It's a beautiful car.

[@Anderson-ky6ps]

Caraca imagina paixão desse carro é uma maravilha que lindo 😍😍

[@Anderson-ky6ps]

Thank you is for

[@Anderson-ky6ps]

Thank you yescar you for you Sporting warfare KZbin

[@davidbaron6647]

NICE

[@vetteluvnh]

Jaguars are beautiful junk. I owned a very well-maintained, 2 owner, 98 XJR sedan with the supercharged 4.0. It seems like every time I started that car something would break. The supercharger stopped providing full boost and the transmission refused to downshift when exiting the freeway sometimes. This caused the car to stall on off ramps. It was often difficult to restart which presented it's own hazards on a highway off ramp. Wire looms would cumble in my hands when I attempted to move them, just like most of the interior plastics. Began to feel like the car was built from compressed dust! I now own a 99 Camaro SS with the same amount of miles. My Camaro has been nothing but 100% trouble free, reliable, & solid. I'll never own another piece of fragile British/European junk again.

[@charliegoodwin8949]

You bought the wrong year xjr, 1995-97 are good and 01-03 were good

[@vetteluvnh]

@@charliegoodwin8949 did they only use fragile compressed plastic dust to build the 98-00 XJRs? -As for the transmission, I know 95-97 got the GM TH400. Although pretty sturdy and reliable, it's still an old sloppy GM auto slush box.

[@charliegoodwin8949]

@@vetteluvnh yes after I believe it was August of 00 or 01 they switched over. My 03 XJ8 has been doing great

[@ronallen81]

I’ll have the squid ravioli

[@sebdupree1]

2:02

[@lennyvalentinoSchiaretti_lvs]

I read a lot of positive comments about the design. I agree totally but then I ask myself...why is everybody buying SUVs today???? Let's stop with those awful SUVs!!!Lets go back to nice design like the Jaguar XK8!!!

[@justgoofingoff]

Aways thought that car needed a set of real knock-off wire wheels..

[@michaelawford7325]

Why can’t Americans pronounce Jaguar? It’s a “u”, not a “double u” 😂. I’ve got a 2002 supercharged XKR, nice the way complete strangers tell me what a beautiful car it is, in Italy it’s a “Bella Machina”. Cruises like a Bentley until you put your foot down hard, then it just takes off!

[@0jiHxx]

😷🏁

[@mr.butterworth]

It’s funny how people say the XK looks beautiful and modern “even today”, which suggests that new cars are beautiful and modern. Well, they might be modern, but everything new looks like sh!t, so it’s not hard for an older Jaguar to hold its appeal.

[@derekcrymble9085]

Worst engine ever ! Nakasil block . Plastic cam tensioners , and chain slippers . NO timing marks on cam gears . Self destructing grenade junk .I will never buy another one . Pretty front yard art though .

[@Kgonros77]

90´s Jaguar dependable? 🤣🤣🤣

[@02ujtb00626]

While beautiful, there is nothing about this car that screams "pay over 60K for one" lol. It didn't even have a CD player in dash.

[@N1120A]

In those days, the cassette in dash and CD changer in the trunk combo was the premium standard.

[@02ujtb00626]

@@N1120A usually yes...but I was talking more just a single in dash CD changer, which were being seen on camry's and accord's higher trims (XLE and EX respectively) so to not have one in a 65,000 dollar vehicle seems odd to me.

[@runner3033]

@@02ujtb00626 Not in the 90's. Those didn't really hit the mainstream until the early 00's. They were, almost universally, jammy disasters so I'm glad for a car to NOT have an in-dash changer. Way easier to retrieve eaten CDs out of a trunk changer than rip your dash apart.

[@02ujtb00626]

@@runner3033 sorry I meant in dash cd PLAYER. not changer lol.

[@N1120A]

@@02ujtb00626 in those days, the single in dash CD was seen as a bit of a downgrade from the cassette/changer combo. People still had stuff on cassette, home CD burning wasn't super common for mixes, cassette adapters were also common for personal CD players and not long after for early XM receivers, etc. I know it is hard to think of this as even a thing now, but it definitely was then.

[@RushLimpball]

Don't get so excited. This was just a plain ol' Ford in disguise.

[@jmin8400]

Says the clown, with no insight to anything clearly. Utter tripe, which is par for the course on KZbin.

[@jimbendtsen8841]

That piece of crap looks like a Taurus.

[@pjcornell9691]

What a beautiful modern looking car even in 2022.. I saw one of these in British racing green here in Scottsdale Arizona last week. Still looks fantastic!

[@Lzrdman91]

Did you see the car near indian bead

[@Dagreatdudeman]

The editor sure had fun with those transitions.

[@haveyoueverwondered23]

one of the most beautiful cars ever made!

[@Itheman123456789]

Usually came in convertibles. Hard tops are very rare to find

[@kirbyswarp]

I was looking for one and could only find convertibles. Completely ruins the beautiful styling of the coupe.

[@alexander1485]

Opposite for me, i only saw them as hard tops

[@raydevito6523]

@@alexander1485 North America sales are 6 Conv sold for 1 coupe.

[@h7pubg]

@@kirbyswarp disagree, see a convertible in real life and it’s beautiful, especially with the roof down, simplistic beauty

[@mr.butterworth]

There are at least a couple XK hardtops local to me down here in little Key West Florida. One black one looks like it could use a little TLC.

[@tkewrestler2662]

More than once I have t thought about picking up an XK8 with low miles as a fun no rain and no salt car. You can get low mile one for a fairly reasonable price.

[@2amSpeedMerchant]

You're right about that, one of the cheapest way to get into V8 power.

[@gavinvalentino6002]

This car with a simple stock LS-1 + T56 transmission = *the PERFECT reliable & sexy touring car*

[@dammyo6010]

I love my 2003 XK8 convertible. It still gets a ton of compliments.

[@clarkbrown3248]

My favorite car. I love this car so much.

[@totalyep]

Bless you if you can keep one of these running.

[@davidaubin3902]

4:40 John: BUT ONLY IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, WILL THE FIXED REAR SEAT BE OF ANY USE. LOL

[@ExonTwins]

lol

[@runner3033]

You sure won't be making any children back there...

[@patrickmichael3384]

It was this XK8 that got me into Jaguar cars.

[@Superta7]

This car is absolutely stunning even today.

[@mr.butterworth]

Why wouldn’t it be stunning today? Current cars look like garbage, so the XK is probably better looking now than it was when new.

[@Porsche996driver]

I worked for a British-owned software company in SoCal in the late ‘90s. The lot was full of the convertibles lol. The Brits love to drive top down on a sunny January day lol. 😎🇬🇧

[@musicmoviesandgames2004]

Because it rains very frequently, that’s why they always try to get some top down fun in while it lasts 😉

[@ericervin4778]

It was the summer of 1996. I was fresh out of high school and landed a job as a car porter at Joe Bullard Luxury Car Center (Jaguar, Infiniti, Volvo) in Mobile, Ala., thanks to my big brother. I remember when these came in on delivery trucks brand spanking new, along with the redesigned XJs. I was in heaven driving these babies, picking up customers' cars, delivering them back to customers' homes, etc., etc., etc. I also remember that unlike the XJs, these didn't give customers constant problems. I'd love to find an "R" version. Couldn't be worth no more than $8K today.

[@jayda1k_]

These and the then new C5 Corvette are still lookers

[@ericervin4778]

@@jayda1k_ Yes!!!!!

[@jayda1k_]

@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 said “lookers”😂

[@lyleg.9192]

Yeah you might want to pick one up prices of some of these Jags are going up especially the r models and once they start going up they just keep going they don't go back down as any classic or vintage car worth it salt has shown

[@ericervin4778]

@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 Oh, stop it. 😀

[@jeepthing98]

A very nicely styled car ahead of it's time. A shame that Jaguar had and still has a dubious reliability record.

[@ramoncarter6585]

I love the looks of these cars had some convertible matchbox ones do I miss those days playing with those cars.

[@mikeclancy478]

As soon as he pronounced it "Jag-wah" i had to stop watching...

[@wydopnthrtl]

I don't understand why we Americans can't take the SIMPLE effort to understand how to pronounce JagUar

[@성태김-c1w]

Almost Purrr…Fect

[@PremierAutoMan86]

This still looks great today and better than the "refreshed" F-Type that's on its way to being discontinued. Sad there will be no more Jaguar coupes thanks to the market.

[@hakeemsd70m]

One of the sad things about capitalism, give the people what they want, but only if it's popular. I'll miss the big Jaguar coupes.

[@glanzera]

I'm having flashback to Need for Speed: High Stakes.

[@mediocreman2]

Maybe unpopular to say, but that car is not good looking. Neither was the E type. But I do appreciate them for being different. However, in a few years Jaguar finally made a good looking car again in the XJ8. I think it was 2003 or so?

[@maureencora1]

My One of My 1990s Lottery Cars.

[@Tigerfire75]

The Jaguar Mk II I hear had a v8 for a short time as a option.