The Federal Fuel Economy Guide for 2000 provides some insights into Jaguar models. As background, while testing automotive emissions the EPA collects fuel economy data that it publishes, with the Dept. of Energy, for consumer information. You can see the data on the internet at www.fueleconomy.gov.

For comparison the cars are grouped by size which is determined by measuring the interior and boot. Since the XK8 purports to have a rear seat it obviously measures as a very small four seater. According to your government the convertible is a minicompact and the coupe is a subcompact. Most of the minicompacts are also specialty models with unusable rear seats. Published XK8 economy is 16-18 miles per gallon city and 23-28 mpg highway. The XKR supercharged models are only 1 mpg less than the regular V8 models but both are surcharged with a gas-guzzler tax.

More importantly, the XJ8 sedans are rated as compacts size-wise, right in there with Ford's small Focus and Contour. The long wheelbase models XJ8's are midsize cars, in the same group as the new S-TYPE and Lincoln LS, Honda's Accord, Toyota's Camry and VW's Passat. 

How does this happen? Designers can make a car seem like a larger model by maximizing measurements that count in the SAE procedure, putting storage pockets in areas where the tape measure will be stretched for example. Improved packaging was to be an objective of the new 1988 Jaguar but apparently Jaguar hasn't learned to play the game very well.

Jim Morton

Posted 7/2000