Good find

My own car is an 08-plate XKR, first registered on 31 March 2008 with VIN ending B27872. That's not very far behind B27987, the first car of 2009, so I guess B27987 may well have sat in a dealer or something like that for some time before being sold and registered.

Edit to add - actually that looks a bit strange, if the first car of the year in 2008 was B20075 and the first of 2009 was B27987 then mine should have been registered much later in the year. I guess the registration dates and VINs are potentially quite out of sequence.

 

One other thing, according to parts catalogues it looks like the last 4.2 XK or XKR was B32752, B32753 on was the 5.0. B44940 was the first of the facelifted 5.0 cars, with the slimmer headlights and revised front end.

 

The year is actually model year and that starts in around September or October of the previous year.

The 2007 model year started with VIN B06784 and your production figures are quite different to those quoted in Nigel Thorley's book on the X150:

2005 - 413
2006 - 14,050
2007 - 11,258
2008 - 7,249
2009 - 4,530
2010 - 5,601
2011 - 4,604
2012 - 3,984
2013 - 2,860
2014 - Not available

If you don't have a copy of the book, it is definitely worth a read and also has the figures broken down by individual models. It even lists the 3.5L X150 of which 1,274 were made.

According to Jaguar documentation the 5.0L engine was supposedly introduced from the beginning of the 2010 MY which started with VIN B32753. I have seen at least two 5.0L engined cars that have earlier VIN's than that though and Nigel's books list 281 5.0L as having been manufactured in 2008 so who knows what is right?

My 07 XKR is VIN B18841, was 'despatched' on the 8th May 07 and sold in Japan on 30th August 07.

 

Thank you. I have now ordered the Thorley book. I was able to extrapolate his XK production figures from Amazon's listing of it and have built up my own table from that.

In addition, I found a photo of the very last XK at Gaydon. Fortunately for us it had a window fact sheet, which gave it's VIN and revealed B56794 as the final production sequence number.

Playing with those figures allowed me to calculate that in the final year of production, 2014, a total of 2630 cars were built, though we do not know the breakdown between XK and XKR variants.

So if we subtract the 378 pre production cars from the final sequence number, we get a grand total of 56,416 X150s made.

Its interesting to note the sharp downturn in sales after the 07/08 financial shenanigans.

I believe that the figures in my table above for the 'first car of the year' refer to model year and not calendar year. Tricky to pin down when a model year starts. US environmental regulations prohibit a car maker from selling a, for example, 2015 model before 1st Jan 2014. They seem to have moved away from the old traditional autumn launch, so we need to understand what Jaguar did ten years ago.

Tim

 

Update on the table above incorporating some of the findings noted in my previous post. By the way, if this is boring just let me know and I'll shut up!

It appears that Jaguar Cars Model Year starts in Q1 of the preceding year. Note the closeness of the sequential numbers of the new MY to the end of the previous calendar year.

Tim

Year / Month	VIN	Calendar Year Production	Note
2005 Oct			Coupe debut at Frankfurt Motor Show
2005	B00379		First customer production car
2005	B00413	34	End Dec figure
2006			Convertible debut at North American International Auto Show, Detroit
2006 9 Mar	B01466		Invoice date - owner reported
2006 May			Dealer launch in 2006 as 2007 MY. Introduction of New XK with V8 4.2L N/A Gasoline Engine
2006 17 May	B01466		First registered - owner reported
2006	B10527		First V8 4.2L SC Gasoline Engine - in dealers Mar 07?
2006	B14084	14050	End Dec figure
2007 8 May	B18841		Sold in Japan 30 Aug 07 - owner reported
2007	B20075		First car of 2008 MY
2007	B25336	11252	End Dec figure
2008 31 Mar	B27872		Owner reported
2008	B27987		First car of 2009 MY
2008	B28268		Last of the intro model, reported as 2009 MY
2008	B32585	7249	End Dec figure
2008	B32752		Last 4.2 XK/R, reported as 2009 MY
2009 Mar			Debut of revamped 5.0L at the Geneva motor show in March, with UK sales starting early summer
2009	B37115	4530	End Dec figure
2010	B38854		First car of 2011 MY
2010			Dealer launch of V8 5.0L N/A & SC Gasoline Engines
2010	B42716	5601	End Dec figure
2011	B44940		First car of 2012 MY, first of the facelifted 5.0 cars
2011	B47320	4604	End Dec figure
2012	B48620		First car of 2013 MY
2012	B51302	3984	End Dec figure. During the last three months of 2012, around 1000 units of XK were sold
2013	B54164	2860	End Dec figure. In the last three months of 2013 sales were down to only a handful of units
2014 24 Jul	B56794	2630	Final car, now at the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust

 

Did you mean Q4 not Q1 for the start of the MY?

Here are a few more for your collection. They are mainly a list of cars that have come up for sale in New Zealand since 2010 as I am able to convert registration plates to VIN's for those. I originally started collecting the info when I was looking to buy my XKR so they are mainly XKR's. I have kept the list going so that I can get a feel for the depreciation over time of my car. They are a mix of New Zealand new, UK and Japanese cars plus around 15 cars currently for sale in the US.

The list throws up a few interesting things e.g. there are a couple of 4.2L XKR's that have VIN's lower than the published starting VIN for the 2007.25 MY/XKR introduction. You may also spot one of the 5.0L XKR's I have come across that have a VIN before the official start of introduction of the 5.0L's.

The listed date is build date.

B03599	4.2 XK	15.05.2006
B03753	4.2 XK	17.05.2006
B04197	4.2 XK	02.05.2006
B05728	4.2 XK	09.06.2006
B05833	4.2 XK	08.06.2006
B06100	4.2 XK	14.06.2006
B06436	4.2 XK	20.06.2006
B07679	4.2 XK	14.07.2006
B08100	4.2 XK	18.08.2006
B08412	4.2 XKR	23.11.2006
B08881	4.2 XK	31.08.2006
B09781	4.2 XKR	29.11.2006
B11255	4.2 XKR	29.11.2006
B11298	4.2 XK	24.10.2006
B11814	4.2 XKR	17.11.2006
B12095	4.2 XK	10.11.2006
B12222	4.2 XK	13.11.2006
B12225	4.2 XK	13.11.2006
B12951	4.2 XK	14.12.2006
B13109	4.2 XKR	28.11.2006
B13113	XKR	28.11.2006
B13147	4.2 XK	29.11.2006
B14505	4.2 XKR	11.01.2007
B14553	4.2 XK	04.01.2007
B14681	4.2 XKR	09.01.2007
B15035	4.2 XKR	15.01.2007
B15037	4.2 XKR	15.01.2007
B15103	4.2 XKR	17.01.2007
B15345	4.2 XKR	28.01.2007
B15417	4.2 XKR	07.02.2007
B15531	4.2 XKR	03.02.2007
B16041	4.2 XKR	07.02.2007
B16205	4.2 XKR	08.02.2007
B16307	4.2 XKR	13.02.2007
B16398	4.2 XKR	14.02.2007
B16636	4.2 XKR	21.02.2007
B17322	4.2 XKR	28.03.2007
B17399	4.2 XKR	20.03.2007
B17639	4.2 XKR	23.03.2007
B17942	4.2 XKR	02.04.2007
B18050	4.2 XK	30.03.2007
B18307	4.2 XKR	13.04.2007
B18456	4.2 XKR	01.05.2007
B18844	4.2 XKR	30.04.2007
B18960	4.2 XKR	01.05.2007
B19097	4.2 XKR	03.05.2007
B19292	4.2 XKR	09.05.2007
B19397	4.2 XKR	11.05.2007
B20107	4.2 XK	25.06.2007
B20208	4.2 XKR	09.07.2007
B20211	4.2 XKR	25.06.2007
B20875	4.2 XKR	13.08.2007
B21413	4.2 XK8	20.07.2007
B22031	4.2 XKR	03.09.2007
B22037	4.2 XKR	13.09.2007
B22541	4.2 XKR	06.09.2007
B22606	4.2 XKR	07.09.2007
B22974	4.2 XKR	04.10.2007
B23382	4.2 XKR	09.10.2007
B24527	4.2 XKR	12.11.2007
B25790	4.2 XKR	10.02.2008
B26280	4.2 XKR	05.02.2008
B26567	4.2 XKR	25.02.2008
B26983	4.2 XKR	27.02.2008
B27937	4.2 XKR	31.03.2008
B28495	4.2 XKR	17.04.2008
B28554	4.2 XK	22.04.2008
B29191	4.2 XKR	07.06.2008
B29729	4.2 XKR	09.06.2008
B29818	4.2 XKR	05.06.2008
B30428	4.2 XKR	21.07.2008
B30879	4.2 XKR	24.07.2008
B30892	4.2 XKR	22.07.2008
B31046	4.2 XKR	26.08.2008
B31448	4.2 XKR	03.09.2008
B31936	5.0 XKR	23.10.2008
B32046	4.2 XKR	14.10.2008
B32093	4.2 XKR	23.10.2008
B32853	5.0 XKR	19.01.2009
B33334	5.0 XKR	30.03.2009
B33798	5.0 XKR	27.04.2009
B33953	5.0 XKR	11.05.2009
B35630	5.0 XK	04.09.2009
B35678	5.0 XKR	15.09.2009
B36728	5.0 XK	11.11.2009
B36818	5.0 XKR	17.11.2009
B36900	5.0 XKR	23.11.2009
B37163	5.0 XKR	03.12.2009
B37220	5.0 XKR	28.01.2010
B37632	5.0 XK	29.01.2010
B37653	5.0 XKR	29.01.2010
B38196	5.0 XKR	10.03.2010
B38840	5.0 XKR	08.04.2010

If you haven't discovered it, you can use this site to find the build date for 06-10 cars if you have the full VIN:

http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do

 

Thanks, all good stuff!

Re MY start dates I did indeed mean Q1. Seems that, a bit like magazines, the car industry - or at least Jaguar - run a year ahead of themselves.

Tim

 

That was certainly true in the final year, as the XK Signature and XK Dynamic R were "2015 model year" but went on sale on 1 January 2014.

It may have ended up like this because in the old days, a lot of cars probably hung around as stock and didn't get registered until the following year. They're probably much better at minimising that nowadays. But I think a lot of the production of XKs in 2014 would have been intended for stock so that dealers could go on selling them for a while after production ended.

 

Looking at the list of cars and the known build dates, we can extrapolate the months in which Jaguar began their MYs:

MY 2007 introduced January 2006 - TBC
MY 2008 " May 2007
MY 2009 " April 2008
MY 2010 " March 2009
MY 2011 " April 2010
MY 2012 " December 2011
MY 2013 " March or April 2012 - judged by total cars produced in 2012
MY 2014 " NYK
MY 2015 " January 2014

If anyone is able to confirm the missing info, I'd be grateful.

Tim

 

Unless things changed with the X150 the Jaguar model years start with the new year in September. My car is one of the first production XKRs from 1998.75 made in June 1998
In most cases upgrades are carried out as the parts run out so it may be that changes may not correspond to the actual year definition

 

I have a XKR Coupe B51437 registered 21/9/2013 so probably made sometime in 2013.

 

Didn't see this posted, but:

I finally received build date info for my B00031; 2006-01-13. Kinda odd that it's after the build date of B00379 (2005-12-20), despite its super-early serial number.

This is where it gets really weird though...

B00001 being the first production convertible? Even though the text mentions it being a coupé which was used by Jaguar's technical department? And the sentence stating the build date is exactly the same as for B00379. Something's not right here.

 

I've said this before on the subject but I don't believe Jaguar used chassis' sequentially. A forum member local to me has a 4.2 X150 convertible, I helped him one evening using SDD on my laptop with his car. My car at the time was by 4.2 MY2008 car, his had an earlier VIN than mine but SDD identified it as a MY2009 car. Certainly his had the slightly later head unit with the optional blue colour scheme on it too.

The gearbox changed from the 6HP26 on the 4.2 to the 6HP28 on the 5.0 cars. We do sometimes hear folk say that some 5.0 cars still had the 6HP26 but I think what's happening is that there are some 4.2s with the earlier box with VINs above the "cut-off" between the 4.2 and 5.0 cars.

 

It is all a bit woolly. Mine is a MY2011 car apparently built in Dec 2011, long after the first facelift 5.0 MY2012 cars were delivered. It does have a MY2011 VIN though.

 

Turns out I have a very early XK.... VIN no. B00087 and first registered in November 2005, so I'm guessing it was one of the pre-production cars released for the press maybe?

 

This is all very good, but I do fear you're attempting to put a little too much logic into the situation.......

I'm pretty sure that the first 378 cars aren't all prototypes - here's what really happens.....

Before VIN 1 (all hand-built)

* Initial design prototypes, which may or may not be running cars. Never registered, usually crushed
* Simulators - cars using X150 running gear and/or bodywork made from existing vehicles (will have VIN and be registered, but as something else (not X150)). Always crushed
* Show cars, again not usually carrying a VIN and never registered. very occasionally allowed into public hands, usually crushed

Around about VIN 1 (all hand-built)

* First running prototypes, which may be simulators or X150 bodied cars. Always crushed
* Type approval cars. Always crushed

After VIN 1 (all hand-built)

* Initial dealer demonstrator fleet. Sometimes these get out, or more likely used as Jaguar management cars
* Press cars. Likewise
* long-term test cars - never let out of Jaguar and crushed

Some time after VIN 1 (built on a pseudo production line)

* dealer demonstrators - allowed to be sold eventually
* "proof-of-production" cars - around 300 usually - built to prove out the production method

At first recorded VIN - in this case 379

* First cars built on the production line.

I should maybe add that a VIN isn't a be-all and end-all for the manufacturer. its just another project requirement that happens at some point in the process of the design and manufacture. As it happens, the start of being able to apply a VIN to a car almost never happens at the same time as the making of the first road-ready vehicle. The manufacture really only needs to have the VIN sorted when its starting to apply for the type-approval documentation, which could be up to two years after the first running prototype

 

Interesting reading through all this.

I knew my XK was an early one as the original reg was VX55***, but according to the VIN (B00087) it was first registered in November 2005, which was before the X150 was even officially introduced?

Could this be a pre-production / press car / maybe even a test vehicle?

thanks
Rich

 

Yes. I’ve a list elsewhere at the mo of most of the press cars. They all tended to start with the same/similar first four digits, unsurprisingly I suppose.

I’ll look the list out and see if I have further details on your car.

 

Rich, I have sent you a PM.

VX55 (I know of two with VX54 regs) were cars with numbers below B00379 (I know one VX55 with a 004## series no.) were known as Field Evaluation Units (FEU) to verify the production process, then used for engineering assessment, press and publicity. Apparently many of these cars were crushed. Production numbers probably started from the first actual cars built which will have been the full prototypes. This would then be followed by a short pre-production run to find out any issues in both production and completed cars with the official production starting after this. Some of these cars would have been destroyed in crash tests and other tests to destruction.

B00005 was the first production evaluation car, built on 27 Sep 05. The UK reveal of the new XK had been ten days before at the Goodwood Revival. In Germany the car was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Oct 05.

On 12 Jan 06 Jaguar set up the South African press launch, many journalists going there during late January through end February. VX55 were on all the XKs used in South Africa and many road tests in magazines too.

Tim

 

In a sort-of-related-but-kind-of-unrelated way, I have this to add to the discussion. I walked out to my car the other day to find that some production-related sticker thingie had lost its stickiness after 8-ish years and drifted gently down to the floorboards. It would appear to list my 2012 XK's production date, but what I find interesting is that the start of production date, 23 Jun 2011, is one day after the planned delivery date of 22 Jun 2011. Can I assume that the factory was just that far behind in getting orders for new cars built, or am I misinterpreting?

 

I would assume that is just in time parts delivery. The part was delivered to the factory on the 22nd and used on the 23rd.

 

My XKR-S VIN is B53558 and was registered on the 26th November 2014.

I don't know if it was the last one, but it must be close.

 

A bit of topic perhaps, but I found Thorley's XK/XKR book a bit of a scam. It's in fact an XK8/XK/XKR book, where the first 128 pages are X100, the X150 only has 78 pages. The X100 part has an excellent chapter on "Owning, running and caring for" at 23 pages, super information for the new owner of a used XK8, with XK8 specific problems. The similar X150 chapter is 3 pages and worthless. Clearly Nigel wrote a good X100 book, and wanted to cash in with 200+ page book when the X150 arrived. But he only had the energy to add 78 pages, and then make a misleading title, leaving the XK8 out (yes there are small pictures of XK8). I actually complained to the publisher, gave me a voucher.

Just my opinion of course

 

B20238, Build Date 11 June 2007, Model Year 2008, Despatched 29 June 2007, Registered 27th July 2007.

 

Tony, your car is not that late. The very last VIN is B56794 and that car is on display at Jaguar Heritage. It was despatched from the factory on 24 Jul 14.

Where you may be getting confused, as I often do, is that the final car date of registration is close to yours, being 28 Oct 14. I guess your car, which was built towards the end of 2013, hung around the dealers before being registered then sold.

Tim