What Happened to the Jaguar XK?
After almost 20 years, both drivers and Jaguar, lost interest in the Jaguar XK.
Written by Alexandra Maloney
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The Jaguar XK delivered Incredible performance, a sleek design, and a comfortable interior. What more could drivers want? Beginning production in 1996, the stylish two-door coupe saw great sales through four generations of models—until it was suddenly discontinued after the 2015 model year.
Drivers loved the Jaguar XK, and many feel it even has
potential to become a classic car
. So, what happened to the Jaguar XK? We have a bit of car history
about this luxury ride’s
rise and fall, right here. What is the Jaguar XK?
According to
Auto Evolution
, after a successful 21-year run with the Jaguar XJS, the car brand was itching to create a new model—thus, the Jaguar XK was born. For close to 20 years, and four generations, the Jaguar XK largely saw success.The most recent model year before the car’s discontinuation was 2015 and that model, for the most part, was pretty well received by car critics. The 2015 Jaguar XK had a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produced 385 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque.
Kelley Blue Book
described the car as, “looking good, and having the horsepower to back up the promise of performance.”Inside the 2015 Jaguar XK,
Consumer Reports
states the cabin is furnished with plenty of wood and automatic leather, has a decent amount of cargo space, good noise insulation, and an array of luxury features, although the infotainment system was quite slow. Besides some slow features, and the fact that the car had been through many redesigns, at the time of its release, the last Jaguar XK didn’t have many complaints. In fact, when
Car and Driver
found out it would be discontinued, they urged readers to “get one while you still can.” Originally, the car was around $80,000. Today, drivers can purchase a 2015 Jaguar XK for between $40,000 and $60,000.
Why was it discontinued?
If the car didn’t have any major complaints or issues, why was it discontinued? The answer is simple: the Jaguar XK unfortunately was discontinued because it had run its course over the years and eventually lost the interest of drivers.
By 2015, the Jaguar XK had been around close to 20 years, and drivers were ready for the next big thing. According to
Motor Authority
, when Jaguar released the F-Type
, XK sales plummeted; Jaguar sold less than 4,000 XKs during the F-Type’s release year in 2013.Not to mention, Jaguar itself was ready to take on a new challenge. The luxury sports car brand was ready to diversify its lineup, upgrade its cars, and increase its prices. Perhaps Jaguar just didn’t feel like it was worth it to put more time, money, and effort into redesigning the same vehicle yet again.
Will it ever make a comeback?
Jaguar hasn’t announced any official plans to bring back the XK, but many car reviewers speculate it might happen in the future, and feel Jaguar has taken inspiration from the XK to produce cars since.
Top Speed
speculates that if the Jaguar XK did ever make a comeback, it would be based on the F-Type. Drivers might expect a redesigned XK to be a longer version of the F-Type, with similar headlamps and a front bumper. Whether it would be a sedan or a coupe is up for debate.Reporting from
Motor1
agrees a redesigned Jaguar XK would have a low-slung nose, thin headlights, and a sleek profile. But, since no plans to bring this car back have even been announced, for now it’s all speculation on when and if this fan favorite car will ever return to the roads. Are you overpaying for car insurance?
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