I would like to learn all I can about my new car. Want to know how many were made this year, how many in my color, etc, etc. Limited info on the web. Anyone gone through this ?

 

The 'Final Edition' XK8 was announced as the 4.2-S for Europe at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005 and as the Victory Edition for the US at the Los Angeles Motor Show in June 2005.

Victory Edition was to commemorate the four Trans-Am championship wins by the Rocketsports XKR's and limited to 1050 cars in both Coupe and Convertible form. The 4.2-S was also limited but in this case to the number of orders placed!

Both models were mechanically standard and included at no cost almost all options previously offered at extra cost. Standard wheel was 19 inch Atlas for the XK8 and 20 inch split rim Perseus for the XKR. 20 inch split rim Sepang was almost the only additional available charged option at £2000.

Four body colours were Copper Black, Fost Blue, Bay Blue and Satin Silver. Special front and rear badges together with tread plates completed the exterior.

Interior trim included carbon fibre or elm veneer dash and the best leather ever offered in a Jaguar.

The last XKR with VIN A48684 rolled off the production line at Browns Lane on Friday 27th May 2005 (all the 4.2-S and VE cars are to 2006 Model Year specification) with 1148 being sold in the US in 2006.

I cannot find a figure for the Coupe / Convertible split of the 1050 VE cars nor the sub total for each of the four body colours. JDHT (Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust) may be able to provide this information.

Jaguar issued a superb hard back book to commemorate the Final Edition which has inevitably become collectible. Apart from the usual purple prose and expert photography, this has an exhaustive listing of all external and interior options.

Graham

 

Good stuff, Graham. According to my 2005/06 4.2-S brochure, the four existing Jaguar colours (silver, black, Jag RG & quartz) were also offered. Options were:

Recaro seats, £1700 (look nice, but never worth the extra, IMHO)
Carbon fibre dash, £1000 (silly money)
Adaptive cruise control, £1400 (not that good)
Satnav, £2235 (prehistoric, swapped mine for the elegant - if useless - 3 gauges and a £150 TomTom )
Sepangs, £2000 (look lovely, but £2000 extra?!)
Brembo brakes, £1850 (dreading have to replace these!)
Handling pack, £1600 (necessary?)

My car has all of the above except the CF dash (thank goodness). Total nearly £11K. The 1st owner must have had deep pockets!

@OP: If you want more of the above with pictures, this book is the best one I've tried.

 

+1

I oversimplified things a bit!

I've got a couple of aftermarket Brembo disc suppliers bookmarked for the dreaded day. Fortunately the soft brake pedal problem I had was eliminated by a fluid change.

Have you tested the Adaptive Cruise Control? There's a 20 mile section on the A1(M) through Yorkshire which has had a 50 mph limit enforced by average speed cameras for over two years whilst the road is being widened. I usually use Cruise Control through it but have also tried the Adaptive Cruise Control there. Gets way too near the car in front before activating for my liking.

Graham

 

In one more month and you will be able to make the 3-gauges useful. The first production run of the gauge upgrade module is now being built !

 

I'm not sure I would want gauges that work, TBH. It would only be a matter of time before they detected yet another massively expensive glitch somewhere in the car

Ignorance is bliss, as they say

 

In that case I've got just the gauge for you:

 

Lol, is that your car, Graham?

 

Yes. Mine came with the three centre gauges instead of the Nav unit. The ugly Brodit bracket on the right is for the Indago SatNav / Radar Detector.

Graham

 

Graham, can you share your sources for brake replacement should and when i need ?

 

Btw...thank you very much for the intel.

 

Check your forum PM's.

Graham