The Jaguar XK will be axed before the end of 2014, but Jag isn’t letting this fast and luxurious four-seater leave showrooms without some recognition.
Announced at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the 2015 Jaguar XK Final Fifty edition isn’t exactly the bang custom says it’s best to go out on, but it is an appropriate way to end the production run of a fine automobile.
As the name implies, Jaguar will build just 50 Final Fifty cars; 25 coupes, and 25 convertibles. They’ll actually be based on the sportier XKR, and will be the last of the XK line sold in the U.S.
While it was the only sports car in Jaguar’s lineup for years, the XK has been rendered somewhat irrelevant by the more overtly sporty F-Type, while its aging design has lost ground to fresher external rivals like the BMW 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.
Even fairly regular refreshes and the limited-edition XKR-S GT model weren’t able to arrest the XK’s sales slide.
The commemorative model takes inspiration from Jaguar’s own past. The company launch a run of 50 special-edition cars when the E-Type went out of production. The majority of those cars were painted black with cinnamon trim, but one wore British Racing Green.
All XK Final Fifty editions will also be painted black, and will get the louvered hood from the XKR-S GT hot rod. The only other clues to the cars’ provenance will be special badging on the center console and door kick plates.
The XKR’s supercharged 5.0-liter V8 remains unchanged, producing the same 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque as other models. In addition to the mandatory six-speed automatic, the Final Fifty also gets the Dynamic Pack and Performance Pack that are normally optional on the XKR.
The Dynamic Pack adds 20-inch “Vortex” wheels, model-specific side sills, a rear diffuser, and larger rear spoiler. These aerodynamic enhancements help the XKR Final Fifty reach a top speed of 174 mph, compared to 155 mph for non-Dynamic Pack models. The 0 to 60 mph sprint happens in 4.6 seconds.
The 2015 Jaguar XK Final Fifty will arrive in U.S. showrooms this fall. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.
