Jaguar XK To Be Discontinued: Report

I wonder what it means to existing xk/xkr cars. I suppose that once the inventory of existing cars runs out, prices will rise. Or, I could be wrong.

 

That is sad but it has been 17 years since it was introduced. Even the E-Type was only produced for 14 years. I have to say this was not entirely unexpected. I teach a class a couple timed a year for young engineers and they have commented on my XKR but they have all said that the prefer the F-Type and consider the XK/XKR to me an old man's car.

Mark

 

I'm not surprised. The XK series is a bit long in the tooth, especially for a niche company such as Jaguar. Tata probably wants to distance itself from the Ford ownership days and now that the F-Type is the face of Jaguar's "sports car", dropping the XK series provides Tata with an opportunity to do just that. Scarcity may eventually cause XK values to rise, but I believe we're still years away from that potential occurence....

 

I liked the comments left in the replies after the article. Some interesting thoughts on future Jags.

The XE may fill the "BMW 3 series fighter" niche, but the higher end is somewhat murkier for Jag other than the luxury label.

In any event, the XK has had a great run. Best part is, mine still does!

 

I guess I am surprised but not surprised. At the time the XK8 was introduced Jaguar was in sore need of something new and exciting versus the stodgy sedans that were being offered. Hence the XK8 which was really sort of a compromise--oversized "sports" car with a useless rear seat.

Once the XF was introduced I started seeing the writing on the wall. That platform would make a fine replacement for the XK platform. The nails in the coffin were the introduction of the F-type and the soon-to-be coming XE model. Basically massaging the XF (maybe even offering a convertible) and introducing the XE greatly broadens the Jaguar line to more potential buyers. The XK would be sort of redundant if XF had a sportier variant at the top of the line.

I suppose discontinuing the XK might hasten our cars into "classic" status as time goes by.

Doug

 

It was a bit saddening to read the article.. end of an era, but like others have mentioned it has been 17 years. That's a solid run for an amazing automobile. And Jaguar has never been one to keep nameplates forever (unlike, for example, the Mustang) so we shouldn't really be surprised. I see two things happening. One, prices in the short term may be driven down as interest is diverted towards the newer models, making these cars more accessible to everyone who could never afford one before. Secondly, in the long run, we may see prices begin to appreciate on pristine examples as the chapter is closed on the XK, allowing it to move towards collector status. Just my 2 cents...

 

I'd like to think the this would eventually push the collectors status on our cars but unfortunately I just don't see it happening. At least not like the xkE. That car was in a perfect storm situation, the revolutionary design, one of the first available to the public racing car, the right car at the right time, and the price. And one of only three cars in the museum of modern art, MOMA.
If you look at the XJS, it still isn't considered a valuable classic, something I feel isn't fair. It was radical for its time, and one of the best selling Jaguar cars in history.

 

I took my XKR coupe to the garage for inspection last week. It took twice as long as normal beacuse everyone in the shop had to stop what they were doing and look under it and talk about it. When cars have this effect on people, it's pretty likely that they will become collector cars.

 

And I suspect it will be the "older" first gen models rather than the post-2006 models.

Doug

 

Agreed. Look what basket case, barn find, rust bucket XKE's go for today - about the same as a nice running XK8 today. Just give ours about 30 more years...

 

Don't believe it! While the 3 series competitor may be the volume leader that Jaguar is looking for, the big profits come from the big priced cars. And the 2 seater F-type with no possibility of putting another being, human or dog, in the back seat is a niche car that, as good as it is, will always be a very limited volume sales item. My guess is that Jaguar will put together a new design, that will grow the back seat slightly, have a hardtop convertible like the Mercedes SL, and jump up in price $30-50,000 dollars, to put some distance between it and the F-type, and to go after Bentley, Aston Martin, and even Porsche Panamera sales. It's just natural. Much of the chassis/suspension could be carried over to limit development costs, the 5.0L engine is already spectacular, and Jaguar has always had a penchant for luxurious confines, only this time, they'll make it more opulent than anything they've done before. It may carry a different name, but will be the "spiritual" successor, as they say.

 

I don't think the price is going much lower considering it is a jag but at the same time I doubt they will go up any more than comparable cars from that era.

The reason is while the XK looks fabulous it does not have any racing history. It will always turn heads but without a bonafide performance pedigree I think it is doubtful it will ever be anyone's must have.

Comparisons to the E-type are not really valid. The E-type was a first of a kind while the XK is a throwback to the E-type. The E-type also came as a true sports car, was used in racing and had a suspension that was revolutionary for its time.

 

All good things come to an end.

 

Looks like there will be an F-Type based replacement for the XK in 2017...

Jaguar XK Production Ends This Summer - Motor Trend WOT

 

That makes some sense. They can fill the void either with a 2+2 F-series or a sports-oriented XF series.

Doug

 

I was at the local car show last week, the jaguar VIP HOST explained Jaguar is cash strapped,it has to discontinue some things, as well as downsize its corporation. They have a lot of competition as well as a bad economy.

 

That's what I thought too, when I bought the one I have right now at an auction. But I have received almost zero interest in the car (02 XKR in excellent condition). Maybe it is the OMC (Old Man's Car) syndrome.

Brett

 

Well, if its a convertible, I could be the time of year. I've sold several miata's andntheyndont sell in fall and winter. Finally getting some interest with the weather getting better. Just a thought.

 

This is LA, dude! It's always summer here.

Brett

 

I don't believe it is the Old Man's Car syndrome as much as it is a combination of the economy, a very limited base of potential customers, the aging process that admittedly takes its toll on various parts of these cars, and Jaguar's decades-old, fair-or-unfair reputation of unreliability and high cost of ownership....

Granted, these cars will always be gorgeous and can indeed be a GT bargain for those who make the effort to educate themselves on the pros and cons of the breed and can handle the vast majority of issues by DIY. But most car shoppers seem to retain the philosophy of "It's a Jaguar so I'll have to hire a tow truck to follow me around"....