Jaguar's long-awaited new sports car came at the end of an expensive and accelerated development programme. A replacement for the old XJS, which remained in production until the XK8 appeared, the new car forced Jaguar to devise new build and production techniques. And, a few carry-overs from the XJS floorpan aside, everything was new, from the 4-litre, 295bhp all-alloy 32-valve AJ V8 engine that provided silken, effortless performance all the way to the 155pmh electronically limited top speed to the optional CATS adaptive suspension. All used the five-speed ZF automatic gearbox, a superbly responsive device controlled by the J-gate, or 'Randle handle' that allowed the driver to leave the transmission to its own devices or, using the longer side of the gate, operate it as a fast-shifting sequential manual. The XK8 carved a reputation as a dependable ground-coverer, and subtle updates kept it fresh throughout its life. In 2005, the last of 91,406 original XK8s rolled off the production line at Brown's Lane, later to be superseded by a new aluminium-bodied car that in many eyes was not as elegant.
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