2009 Jaguar XK Series

Impeccable sense of style
Coupe or Convertible, inside or out, there's something special about the XK's appearance that transcends mere automotive design and endows each of them with a captivating presence.

Aluminum-intensive construction
Extensive use of lightweight aluminum throughout the XK – from its exceptionally stiff bonded unit construction to its striking bodywork to its primary suspension bits – helps trim performance-robbing mass and optimize handling responsiveness and precision.

Contemporary with classic overtones, the XK interior has a bounty of high-tech elements framed by polished hardwoods and supple hand-stitched leather. Its driver-oriented layout incorporates white-on-black analog main gauges split by a supplemental information display complemented by a logically arrayed center stack with audio and climate controls and topped by a seven-inch touch-screen for the standard navigation system. Although the cabin's somewhat intimate proportions will easily accommodate six-foot-plus occupants up front, its rear seats are suitable mainly for small children, briefcases or duffel bags. A liftback eases access to the Coupe's 10.6 cubic feet of cargo space, while the Convertible's trunk can stow a maximum of 10.0 cubic feet with the top up, less with it tucked away.

Few cars of any kind can match the exotic visual character of the 2009 Jaguar XK's sleekly contoured aluminum bodywork. Classic long-nose/short-deck proportions impart a sporting flair to both the Coupe and Convertible that hearkens back to the marque's legendary E-Type. A large grille with bright mesh insert, prominently flared fenders and 19-inch cast-alloy wheels wrapped in Z-rated tires sized 245/40 in front and 275/35 in the rear serve as primary accent ingredients in this styling recipe that's guaranteed to turn heads, whether it's the sleek Coupe, or the Convertible with the power-activated soft top that raises and lowers in 20 seconds at the press of a button.

The 2009 Jaguar XK variants share an identical 4.2-liter all-aluminum V8. Jaguar's sophisticated 32-valve double-overhead-cam engine makes 300 horsepower, 310 pound-feet of torque and uses variable intake-valve timing to spread that output over a broad rev range. The responsive ZF six-speed sequential automatic transmission includes a Sport mode that delivers lightning-quick upshifts and downshifts through a pair of levers mounted on the steering wheel, and incorporates a throttle-blipping feature to smooth transitions on the downshifts. While both XKs share 16/25 mpg city/highway EPA marks and a top speed of 155 mph, the 3,671-pound Coupe can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, while the 3,759-pound Convertible needs 6.0 seconds to hit that mark.

4.2-liter V8
300 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
310 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/25