Introducing a new model can cause all manner of headaches for a car manufacturer, with timing being everything. That applies as much to design, engineering and development as it does to announcing the new model and running out its predecessor.
 
So, when Jaguar announced the new all-alloy XKR at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2005, it had a job on its hands, not only to introduce the newcomer but to also keep the existing XK8 ‘X100’ on life support until the new XK went on sale.
 
Eight weeks after the Detroit reveal, Jaguar was back in the spotlight, this time at the Geneva Motor Show, where it pulled the wraps of the new ‘S’ derivatives of the XK8 4.2S and XKR – the official ‘Final Edition’ runout models that came with every optional extra imaginable.

Available as either coupe or convertible layouts, the 4.2S was offered in four new limited-edition exterior colours – Copper Black Metallic, Frost Blue Metallic, Bay Blue Metallic and Satin Silver Metallic – in addition to the wide palette already in existence.

With three interior colours and two distinct veneer options for the instrument panel, XK8 models offered a new luxurious Elmwood veneer as standard for the interior trim, while XKR cabins were finished with a sporty Carbon Fibre veneer, with the more traditional Elmwood offered as a no-cost option. A new interior carpet colour, Dove, was also offered for the first time on a Jaguar.

In recognition of Jaguar's racing heritage, special ‘accents adorned the new models. Polished door treadplates feature chequered flag emblems and leather-edged embossed floor mats lined the footwells.

The revised Jaguar ‘White Badge’ Growler on the bonnet also featured new chequered flag accents on the sides of the emblem. New darkened rear light clusters further enhanced the sporting credentials of the very last of Jaguar X100 range. Its role was to provide enough interest and sufficient stock levels to keep Jaguar sports cars on sale until the new XK arrived in showrooms for the 2006 model year, in October 2005.
 
Central to the special edition’s appeal were the many hitherto optional extras it came with as standard. These included electrically operated power-folding side mirrors, heated and electrically operated front seats, Xenon headlights, a 320W eight-speaker sound system and Bluetooth connectivity, the latter still a rarity in the mid-2000s, and an integrated factory Philips sat nav system. Together with red brake callipers, cross-drilled discs, CATS suspension and a choice of 20-inch ‘Montreal’, ‘Sepang’ or ‘Perseus’ alloy wheels, it made the XKR-S the best specified of any X100 in its nine-year history.
 
The last 500 ‘Final Edition’ cars are identifiable by their white ‘Growler’ bonnet badge, 300 of whch were the standard S and 200 the XKR.

This is one of the latter – owned by the vendor for over a decade, it’s a very special car indeed and is in lovely, original condition.

 

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