Jaguar announces it is to end production of the XK sports car to focus on a new wave of models

Production of the Jaguar XK is to end in the summer, the company has announced.

Sales of the coupé and cabriolet models have dropped to less than 4000 units per year, following the launch of the F-type models.

Jaguar says that it wants to focus on other upcoming models, including the new Jaguar XE saloon and F-type coupé that will steal even more sales from the XK range, as it enters a busy 18-24 months.

Sales of the Jaguar XK stood at around 1000 units in the last three months of 2012, but in the last three months of 2013 – following the launch of the F-type – sales were down to only a handful of units, the Jaguar F-Type effectively killing off the XK model on which it is loosely based, despite the two models’ substantially different price point and positioning.

Jaguar insiders have not ruled out a replacement for the XK in the future, but it’s likely to be a vastly different model to the 2+2 GT it will replace.

At the end of 2012, design director Ian Callum said Jaguar was “going through a lot of discussion” about how the XK should evolve in the future.

No final decision has yet been taken, but Callum said there was an opportunity to “allow the car to become a bit more special than a GT”.

“It could grow into the luxury market, and grow in size,” he said. “Whether it stays the same as a two-plus-two or becomes a two-plus-more-than-two has not been committed to yet.”

The F-type’s launch removes the need for the XK to act as out-and-out sports coupé and luxury GT. With the F-type becoming Jaguar’s dedicated sports car, there’s scope for the XK to focus on its luxury GT credentials.

Back in January, Jaguar announced a reduced XK line-up with a substantial price-cut, which will now act as a run-out range.

Dubbed Signature and Dynamic R, the new models are priced from £54,950 and £69,950 respectively. As part of the 2014 model changes Portfolio specification had been axed, with the range taking a price cut of around £10,000.

The XK Signature model is focused on luxury, while the more sporting Dynamic R model is based on the XKR.

XKR, XKR-S and XKR-S GT versions of the XK are also offered.

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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TheSaintmobile 18 May 2014

It very Sad

I got Jaguar Xk in Remote & couple of diecast cars. It was great car. Sadly it going. My one more comment Jag not planning to revive V12.
JOHN T SHEA 13 March 2014

XK BETTERS F-TYPE.

Pity. All the trumpeting of the cramped, overpriced and overweight F-Type has done for me is remind me just how good a car the XK, and particularly the XKR, has been all along.
WarrenL 8 March 2014

I wish I was in the money...

I personally think the XK is gorgeous, and looking great for its age. It's unmistakeably a Jaguar, even within the current lineup, and back in '06 it paved the way for the XF and XJ. Hell, only yesterday I saw a first-gen XK and thought what a fabulous looking car THAT is, even at nearly 20 years old.

I wish I had the sort of money that could buy one of these cars. Instead I'm stuck with trying to decide between a Lotto ticket and a sawn-off shotgun.