5 WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER

1 MAKE IT FASTER

It’s easy enough, if expensive, to extract more power from the V8s. An ECU re-map at £400-500 coupled with a cold-air induction kit for slightly less money will release useful extra horsepower.

2 LOWER THE CAR

If a more aggressive stance and tighter handling are on your wish list then a lowering kit is £300-350. Prefer something smoother? Then retain the standard set-up and invest in new bushes all round.

3 MAKE IT ROAR

Some owners find the engine note a bit muted, so if you want something more exuberant then opt for a sports exhaust system. There’s a lot of choice, but you can expect to pay close to £1000 for a quality system.

4 BRAKE UPGRADE

Uprated pads and discs will cost you from around £350, or you could go further still and look for a set of the Brembo items from the XKR.

5 TWEAK THE LOOKS

There’s plenty of opportunity to make your XK8 stand out, so consider the meatier-looking bumpers and bigger wheels from the supercharged ‘R’. Avoid the temptation of large wheels, though, as they’ll harm the ride.