The Jaguar XK is the second and final generation of the Jaguar XK 2+2 grand tourer manufactured and marketed by British automobile manufacturer Jaguar Cars under the X150 internal designation. The three-door fastback coupé debuted at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show with the 4.2-litre V8 engine of its predecessor, and the two-door convertible debuted in 2006 at the North American International Auto Show.
The X150 is noted for its all-aluminium construction and its styling by Ian Callum, with details evoking prominent earlier Jaguar models, e.g., the Sayer nose recalling the XP/11 sports racing prototype of 1953 and adopted for the D-type – and the grill located badge recalling the E-type.
A facelifted XK was launched in 2009 with a new 5.0-litre V8. The production of the XK ended in July 2014 without a replacement model, with a total production just under 54,000 units.
Overview
The X150's design was completed in 2002 and was previewed by Advanced Lightweight Coupé (ALC) which was first seen at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The designer, Ian Callum, was also responsible for the Aston Martin DB7 and Vanquish grand tourers. The X150's grille is inspired by that of the 1961 E-Type. Introduced in the market in 2006, the X150 has a bonded and riveted aluminium monocoque chassis shared with the XJ and uses an all-aluminium construction. The X150 was the second Jaguar automobile assembled at the newly acquired Castle Bromwich plant alongside the XJ saloon. The X150, as compared to the X100 is wider and is longer. It is also lighter than the X100 due to its aluminium construction resulting in performance and fuel consumption improvements. The 4.2-litre V8 engine was carried over from its predecessor and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission manufactured by ZF Friedrichshafen. Like the X100, the X150 has wood trim on the interior offered as standard equipment, however it is much subdued from the X100 wood trim. A notable feature on the interior was steering column mounted shift paddles for easier gear changes. A more powerful XKR version having a supercharged variant of the engine was introduced in 2007. Aesthetic differences as compared to the XK include four-way dual exhausts, redesigned front bumper and hood louvres for improved engine airflow, and distinctive Jaguar “R” logos and badges in the interior and exterior.
The X150 convertible shares the same engine options as the coupé and features a conventional cloth top that requires 18 seconds for operation.
The XK received a facelift in 2009, with minor alterations to front and rear lights and bumper designs, together with the introduction of a new 5.0-litre V8 for both the naturally aspirated XK and the supercharged XKR. The interior also received some changes, in particular the introduction of the XF style rotary gear selector mated to the new ZF automatic transmission. In 2010, Jaguar added the Speed Pack option, with aerodynamic bodykit and speed limiter increased to , and the Black Pack, with black wheels and trim. The XK received a second and more minor facelift in 2011 with new front bumper and light design, which was presented at the New York Auto Show.
The range was extended in 2011, with the introduction of the new and powerful XKR-S at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring an upgraded XKR engine generating a maximum power output of , and of torque. The XKR-S badge was first used on the 2008 special edition XK. having a top speed of and accelerating from 0- in 4.2 seconds (0- in 4.4 seconds).
Specifications
Engines
Note: All AJ-V8 Gen III V8 engines, and the Jaguar XKR-S engine, are SAE rated.
Transmission
All 4.2-litre models were fitted with a six-speed ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission with Jaguar Sequential Shift and J-gate gear selector. All 5.0-litre models were fitted with a six-speed ZF 6HP28 and the JaguarDrive rotary gear selector.
2011 facelift
In March 2011, on the launch of the XKR-S at the Geneva Motor Show, Jaguar revealed the details of a facelift for the 2012 XK MY. The new specification included front and rear styling changes and internal trim changes with navigation system and a backup camera included as standard equipment.
In addition to standard XK and XKR, the revised body shape formed the basis for the following models.