Earlier today I was driving through town in my XK8. I saw a Lotus Elise coming towards me. I think I've seen two others in the last two years, so they are very unusual to see around here. It was a 4 lane divided highway, and the speed limit is only 35mph in town so I had plenty of time to admire it as it approached. As it went by I turned my head to look at it. The driver of the Lotus was doing the exact same thing! He was looking at my car as we passed each other. I was admiring his car and I have to think that he was probably admiring mine, too.

 

And to reply to my own post, when I first got my XK8 I had a tendency to look at other drivers and pedestrians. I noticed that many of them were "rubbernecking" to look at my car. I've gotten used to it, so I don't pay attention anymore, but I'm sure they still do it.

 

Yes they do. Last Sunday I entered a local car show to benifit children cancer patients. Over 300 cars, I put my Jag in the 1986-2004 stock class with 15 others in class. Most were Vettes. But my coupe took Best of Show in Class. My car is not a show car, it's a daily driver but I won because the body style is universally loved and admired. People will keep-up the rubber-necking as long as we can keep them on the road.

 

Another coup for the coupe! No doubt about it the XK8/R coupes test well with just about everyone young or old. Like everyone else here on the Forum I also receive regular compliments on my 2005 XKR coupe. And, like most XK8/R owners I find myself turning back for just one more look after parking the car.

Cheers fellow owners!

 

I'm a new XK8 owner and I'm seeing the same thing! Lots of rubber-neckers on the highway! Right now I'm new and I notice them.

A nice thing that happened to us this weekend: we were about to board a ferry to take us across the Neuse River on Sunday. A whole bunch of cars and a bus waiting in line. Our turn to board finally came up and the ferry operator directed us on a separate part of the ferry where we were the only car. As we passed him, he said: "your car is too nice to have it mix with the others." We smiled, waved and thanked him.
Wow! We never got that kind of treatment in any other of our cars. I'm going to like owning this Jag! :-)

 

Hey! I know right where you were. You were on the Cherry Branch to Minnesott Beach ferry. I live just down the road from you in Clayton. My wife and I took the ferry from Fort Fisher to Southport earlier this summer, but I can't say that we got the same treatment. Of course, it was on a weekend in the middle of summer, so the ferry was packed.

I keep meaning to go to the "Cars and Coffee" event that they have up at the Brier Creek shopping center on the first Saturday of every month. It goes from 9:00am to Noon. The next one is on Saturday, November 6th. Maybe I'll see you there. I've never been, but it's my understanding that there are usually a few Ferraris, a Lamborghini or two, some Lotuses, and lots of Vettes and Porsches. It might be kinda fun to give my Jag a good waxing and see what people have to say about it.

 

Hmm... Never heard of the Cars and Coffee event. Thanks for the pointer. I'll drop by when I'm in town one weekend!

And... you nailed the ferry perfectly! :-)
I don't expect the white glove treatment will happen again, but it was nice once in a lifetime! :-0

 

Do people look at the new type as much as the older XK8? Just wondering what people think because IMO the old version has a lot more class.

 

I think that in the future they will be held in high regard as the 63-67 Stingrays are now. I always wanted one, but I guess that I have aged out.

 

I had a '67 Vette for 14 years, and I loved it dearly,............but it couldn't touch my Jag! It looked great, but unfortunately, it was disappointing in every other respect.
Brian