Headlights slope off with a feline's squint, and the oval grille opening is downright scary. Of course, if you're from a state that requires front-end license plates, you might want to consider relocating before purchasing the XK8. Frontal plates will only blotch the Jag's perfect smile. The hood's subtle contours form two long, graceful indentations that, from inside, nicely conform to the driver and passenger positions. Unfortunately, big black windshield wipers obstruct that view of the hood.
All angles provide good visibility, but there is plenty to keep the attention inside.
Black and white analog gauges spell heritage. The analog clock may be going a bit far, because while it stresses simplicity, it looks like a miniature Grandfather clock, set in the midst of so much wood trim. The wood, standard equipment on all Jags, gives the cabin a warm feel, but it isn't installed with the care you'd expect. Fiber lining pokes out around the edges in various places, and the same was true in the entire test fleet of five cars. Yes, we're nit-picking, but if you just paid seventy grand for a car, you deserve attention to detail.