1997 Jaguar XK8 Test Drive

After a model runoff 21 years, Jaguar finally replaced its aged XJS sports car for 1997 with the all new XK8 coupe and convertible. In addition to is curvaceous styling, the new XK8 became the first Jaguar in history to be powered by a V8 engine. Coupled with an all new 5-speed automatic transmission, this was one of the rare instances where a new model debuted with a totally new powertrain. Thanks to engineering assistance by Ford, which purchased Jaguar in 1989, the XK8 proved to be far more reliable than some of its predecessors.