The Jaguar XK8 first came out in 1996 as a 1997 model. It had a 4.0 liter V-8 engine.
The 2003 XK8 was revised with around 900 changes/new parts including a 4.2 liter V-8, 6 speed ZF automatic transmission, and a lot of other stuff.
The 2005 XK8 was revised with a different exterior, larger exhaust pipes, and some other stuff.
The next XK8 will drop a lot of weight while having a more rigid chassis thanks to using the new XJ's aluminum chassis. It will have a longer wheelbase.
It will need a more blunt front bumper to comply with new European pedestrian safety regulations.
In short, politicians and others think that auto makers should compensate for poor drivers and pedestrians. Europe has a lot of pedestrian deaths in car crashes relative to the U.S.
check these links
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2005 XK8s shown below
