If you want to design a real British sports car, you need a British designer.
That’s what Jaguar said when it employed Ian Callum to draw the new XK series lines. And they weren’t wrong.

Pininfarina, Bertone, or Giugiaro indeed designed for various brands, from the U.S. to the European and Korean brands. Pininfarina designed several Aston Martins. Giugiaro made a stunning concept for Jaguar (the Kensington). But the most beautiful British sports car, the E-Type, was designed by Malcolm Sayer, born and raised in the U.K. Ian Callum took its inspiration from the E-Type, and the result was a great looking vehicle. As for the R-version, that was the spiced-up version of the XK8.

The long hood (or bonnet to keep up with the Brits) featured two vents, which helped cool the engine. It is impossible for a Jaguar fan not to notice the oval-shaped grille, which resembled the one installed on the E-Type. Just like its famous ancestor, the XK featured a front-hinged hood, unlike most of the other cars on the market, which was fitted with rear-hinged ones. The soft-top version featured a power-roof, which was folded down behind the rear seats.

Inside, apart from some Ford Fiesta buttons, Jaguar installed mostly premium materials, from the Connely leather to the wood-trims on the dash. Other than that, the XKR cabin was a luxurious and cozy place to be, at least on the front seats. The rear seats offered enough room for a small dog and an umbrella.

Under the hood, Jaguar installed its latest V8 supercharged engine. It was paired as standard to a 5-speed automatic, and it proved to be the quickest production vehicle made by the famous British brand.