Ken Garff - Your Used Utah Jaguar Dealer

Jaguar XK & Dodge Viper Comparison

Jaguar XK Overview

While there are certainly cues here and there to remind of its prestigious genealogy, the 2008 Jaguar XK is clearly a new kitten -- and a sexy one at that. However, there's more to this luxury coupe and convertible than sleek and muscular styling. This is a Jaguar that drives as well as it looks, and although it's not quite a canyon-carving sports car, the XK and the high-performance XKR are sporty enough to please those looking for something more than just a pretty automotive fashion accessory.

The XK was fully redesigned last year. One major change over the previous XK8 is the car's all-aluminum body structure and body panels. Sure enough, the XK is a bit lighter than before and significantly less portly than its main competition. Jaguar also claims that the aluminum structure's extra body stiffness has improved handling, ride quality and crashworthiness. The XKR's 420-hp supercharged V8 easily closes the performance gap, but when properly optioned, the coupe and convertible are suddenly six-figure cars and in direct competition with the likes of the BMW M6 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

In a recent comparison test with the BMW 6 Series, we ranked the XK coupe second due to its higher price and relative lack of performance and practicality. However, if you're one to place high value on style, heritage and prestige, the 2008 Jaguar XK and XKR won't disappoint. Enjoyable to drive and look at, the XK should be a very pleasurable vehicle to own.

Body

The 2008 Jaguar XK is a luxury sport coupe and convertible available in standard XK and performance-oriented XKR form. Standard equipment on the XK includes 18-inch wheels, adaptive suspension damping, xenon headlamps, rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, power heated front seats with driver memory, Bluetooth connectivity, a touchscreen navigation system and a six-speaker audio system with in-dash six-CD/MP3 changer. Besides its supercharged V8, the XKR adds 19-inch wheels, a firmer suspension with recalibrated adaptive settings, retuned steering, larger front brakes, adaptive headlamps, an aluminum mesh grille, quad exhaust outlets and more aggressively bolstered front seats.

Major options on all XKs include various wheel designs, adaptive lighting (standard on XKR), adaptive cruise control, upgraded front seats with higher-quality leather, satellite radio and a premium Alpine surround-sound system. The Enhanced Luxury Package includes 16-way power seats, leather-trimmed instrument and door inserts, a heated leather steering wheel and power-folding mirrors. The XKR's Portfolio Package adds unique 20-inch wheels, an Alpine sound system, performance brakes and specialized aluminum or walnut interior trim.
For more Style information, see our Compare Styles page.

Powertrains

The standard Jaguar XK is powered by a 4.2-liter V8 that generates 300 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. In testing, we hustled the coupe up from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, while the convertible did the sprint in 6.3 seconds. The XKR features a supercharged version of the same engine puffed up to produce 420 hp and 412 lb-ft of torque. Our test of an XKR Convertible revealed a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds, with the coupe being a few ticks quicker.

Safety

The Jaguar XK comes with front-seat side airbags (that provide both head and chest protection), whiplash-reducing front seats, traction control, antilock brakes and stability control. The standard XK's stability control system has two stages, one of which gives the driver more responsibility for the car's handling before the system activates. All XK convertibles have two aluminum hoops that auto-deploy in the case of a rollover accident.

Interior

The 2008 Jaguar XK's interior is a pretty dramatic departure from the traditional Jaguar look, with a modern dashboard design and the availability of aluminum trim in place of wood. Unfortunately, the Jaguar penchant for downmarket plastics continues, which contributes to an overall ambience that doesn't quite match its price tag. Also, the multipurpose touchscreen that controls audio, navigation and climate systems could use a little work.

The convertible's soft top does an excellent job of noise insulation when up, and it disappears underneath a hard tonneau cover in only 18 seconds with the push of a button. The XK coupe's trunk can hold about 11 cubic feet of cargo. With the top down, the XK convertible can still hold 8 cubic feet.
For more Interior Features information, see our Specifications page.

Driving

Accelerating hard through the gears, the standard 2008 Jaguar XK's V8 makes up for its relatively modest punch with an enjoyable intake and exhaust soundtrack. In both cars, the six-speed transmission is impressive, delivering quick, firm shifts that keep the engines in the thick of their power bands.
Sent through corners, both the standard XK and the XKR display the advantages of aluminum construction, as both versions of the car feel more agile and precise than their predecessors. They're certainly not sports cars, though, and competitors like the BMW 6 Series and Porsche 911 are more fun. But those looking for a more comfortable suspension will be quite pleased with this Jaguar, as even the XKR delivers more of a luxury ride than a sporty one.

Dodge Viper & Jaguar XK Comparison

Performance

With that kind of horsepower, both the Dodge Viper and the XK-Series are true speedsters.

Handling

The Dodge Viper has substantially wider tires than the Jaguar. Note that wider tires could improve handling, while smaller tires can improve gas mileage. With its tighter turning circle, the Jaguar is doubtless more agile than the Dodge Viper, something to consider if you do a lot of city driving; on the other hand, keep in mind that a vehicle with a tight turning circle may feel a bit twitchy on the highway.

Drivetrain

The Jaguar XK-Series's engine is tremendously smaller than the Dodge Viper's. Keep in mind that smaller engines can be stressed more; on the other hand, smaller engines typically get better gas mileage. The Jaguar XK-Series could learn a lesson or two from the Dodge Viper in terms of torque. The Dodge Viper packs quite a wallop compared to the Jaguar XK-Series in terms of torque, which is roughly equivalent to acceleration.

Utility

The Jaguar XK-Series will indubitably prove handier than the Dodge Viper for those of you with frequent child-cargo.

Comfort

Taller drivers will quite a bit enjoy the extra head room in the Jaguar's front cabin compared to the Dodge Viper.

Dimensions

The Jaguar XK-Series is a little more ponderous than the Dodge Viper. The Dodge Viper's tank is about the same size as the XK-Series's, though the XK-Series's is somewhat more capacious. The Dodge Viper rides lower than the Jaguar XK-Series, which is a good thing for its center of gravity and ease of access. The Dodge Viper and the Jaguar XK-Series compete for the same parking spaces. The Viper's shorter wheelbase will give a more maneuverable feel in daily traffic. On the other hand, the Jaguar is likely to have a smoother, more stable ride.

Cost

The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. The Jaguar XK-Series is quite a bit cheaper to get to the dealership than the Dodge. The Jaguar XK-Series isn't much less costly than the Dodge Viper when it comes to MSRP. The Dodge Viper will cost you a bundle in gasoline every year compared to the Jaguar XK-Series.

Overview

The basic after-sale protection that comes with the Dodge Viper isn't quite as generous as the Jaguar XK-Series's.

Ken Garff - Your Used Utah Jaguar Dealer

Thank you for visiting Ken Garff West Valley Chrysler Jeep Dodge Auto Review site - your used Utah Jaguar Dealer. This site has been designed to assist you in your automotive sales, service and parts experience, as well as provide easy, low-pressure, online buying. We will find your used Utah Jaguar since we are an Elite Five Star dealer!